BRUNSWICK

Brunswick West Neighborhood Coalition said it will participate in a revamped advisory board, even as it vows to continue opposing plans to build a passenger train layover facility in its area.

Brunswick West Chairman Bob Morrison on Tuesday said his group will nominate himself, as well as members Chris Casey and Dan Sullivan to be members of the Brunswick Layover Advisory Group. The nominations have been sent to NNEPRA board chairman Martin Eisenstein.

Those three Brunswick West coalition members were at the table during a contentious July 24 meeting of what was then the Brunswick Layover Building Advisory Committee, at which they repeatedly stated their refusal to engage in discussions that didn’t pertain to the facility’s location.

Coalition members instead stated that their concerns were being ignored and that they had no control over meeting agendas.

Since then, however, the coalition appears to have tacked.

Morrison on Tuesday said he wanted the coalition to participate in future discussions of the building’s design.

“We want to keep our oar in, sorta speak,” Morrison said.

Morrison said the coalition will not bring up the subject of moving the facility to another site during advisory group meetings.

“We will participate with all other discussions, details of the building, and permits that are needed,” Morrison said.

NNEPRA’s board of directors decided on July 28 to rename the advisory committee the Brunswick Layover Advisory Group, expand memberships, and change the mission to facilitate the exchange of information between NNEPRA and Brunswick’s community.

How well the group functions with coalition members will depend on the coalition’s willingness to participate, according to Patricia Quinn, NNEPRA’s executive director.

“We’re interested providing information, in providing a means for input, in having people understand the next steps,” said Quinn. “If they want to continue to participate, we welcome their participation, understanding that there’s a purpose to the meetings and that the group isn’t dealing with site location.”

Morrison said the coalition will still fight to keep the facility out of his neighborhood.

“That will never change,” he said. “That’s our central focus. We will be working toward that end and making sure our point of view is known. But whether or not we’ll be successful, we’ll have to leave that up to the future.”

The 60,000-square-foot, $12 million maintenance layover facility is planned for West Brunswick on track between Church Road and Stanwood Street. The facility would allow Downeaster engines to stop idling near the Cedar Street neighborhood.

NNEPRA has re-applied for a Department of Environmental Protection permit that was vacate by a Maine Superior Court judge in response to a coalition lawsuit. Coalition members said that abutters were never properly notified that NNEPRA was applying for a storm water permit under the law.

Quinn said neighbors were properly notified via certified letters the week before NNEPRA refiled for the permit last week. Morrison, Sullivan and Casey were also notified, said Quinn.

It may be a couple of months before the DEP issues the permit, Quinn said.

NNEPRA is working with Consigli Construction, the designers and builders of the facility, on determining what other permits are required before finalizing a construction schedule, Quinn said.

jswinconeck@timesrecord.com

THE 60,000-SQUARE-FOOT, $12 million maintenance layover facility is planned for West Brunswick on track between Church Road and Stanwood Street. The facility would allow Downeaster engines to stop idling near the Cedar Street neighborhood.