FAIRFIELD — The Town Council unanimously approved a request from Sappi-S.D. Warren to renew its landfill on company-owned land off U.S. Route 201.

After a public hearing, the council unanimously approved a request from the pulp mill to renew its solid waste dump. Tom Griffin, the company’s environmental services manager, said the Department of Environmental Protection had approved a vertical expansion of the landfill.

Fairfield councilors dispatched the public portion of their agenda in 21 minutes before entering executive session Wednesday evening.

The evening’s other public hearing was for a $50,000 Public Service Community Development Block Grant that will help fund a scholarship program for low to moderate-income students to attend the Maine Academy of Natural Sciences on the Good Will-Hinckley campus.

Emanuel Pariser, education program designer at the academy, said at least four students from Fairfield will likely be attending classes this fall at the magnet school.

Pariser said the grant money will help pay for teacher salaries, supplies and running the program.

Boarding students, said Pariser, will arrive Sept. 5 and day students will start Sept. 6.

“It’s exciting to get Good Will-Hinckley up and running again,” said Pariser. He added that, thus far, four employees who had been let go during the 2009 layoffs had been rehired.

Town Manager Joshua Reny announced that nomination papers for town council, school board and the water district will be available Monday at the office of the town clerk. Nomination papers must be returned by Sept. 26 for the Nov. 8 election. Returned papers must have a minimum of 25 signatures and a maximum of 100.

Councilor Andy York announced that citizens interested in creating a dog park may soon be making a presentation to the council.

Councilor Donald Giroux said residents have complained to him about the volume of heavy truck traffic on the town-maintained Ridge Road and he asked Reny make inquiries about the possibility of the town establishing a weight limit on the road.

Prior to the start of the meeting, Councilor Edward Finch noted the death of Fairfield native Dan Gwadosky, who represented the community for 18 years in the Legislature and served as secretary of state.

“He was an outstanding member of our community for many, many years,” said Finch.

Beth Staples — 861-9252

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