HARTFORD — When the Road Committee discusses the upcoming project on Gurney Hill Road and other projects, their main concern is to assure that there will be no water or wetland pollution.
Road Committee Chairman Harley Swanson said that he, Selectman Jack Plumley and Road Commissioner Jeremy Johnson met at Gurney Hill Road and formed an informal bid committee that will write the specifications for the project.
They estimated that four culverts and lots of ditching were needed.
It is still up in the air whether to grind the old tar in place or to truck it away to be ground. Swanson said they will be doing a cost analysis to see what approach saves the town money.
An emissivity gadget to measure temperature of asphalt being poured was donated by a committee member from Falcon Performance Footwear. The committee is still looking for a source for sieves to measure the size of gravel to project specifications. Plumley, Johnson and Swanson are all qualified to do the screening, and they hope it can be done by the town as the process is costly to hire out.
It was unclear who had requested that the Road Committee consider paving Thompson Road. Discussion arose over the downhill slant that might send the water into the watershed of the lake faster if the road were tarred. It was decided that members Dan Maddox and Swanson would take a walk down the road to determine the best choice.
Secretary Leslie Boness read a letter from the Lake Anasagunticook Association, which requested that the Road Committee explore any road repairs or renovations in light of possible water pollution.
Maddox said it was the committee’s charge to protect waterways.
The group agreed to forward the letter to the selectmen and all other interested parties.
Swanson said they were also charged with making a road inventory.
Boness said they were not qualified to do so, as it must be done legally and they need funds to make sure it is done correctly.
Swanson said that part of the requirements needed to be amended.
Member Barry Langer said they could make simple inventories without having all the information, adding more specifics as information became available.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
