NEWRY — Selectmen chose Gary Wight as chairman Tuesday night and appointed Sarah Berry to a three-year term as health officer. They also appointed Brooks Morton to the Planning Board and Amy Call as a Planning Board alternate.
Administrator Loretta Powers said the board is looking for one more Planning Board alternate and someone to be the town sexton. Those interested can apply at the Town Office.
In other municipal business, the board learned that Code Enforcement Officer Dave Bonney and project engineer Joe Aloisio are nearly finished developing bid specifications for the Letter S reconstruction project on Sunday River Road.
Bonney is also nearly done writing guidelines for the town’s new Road Committee, which selectmen will fill with members. Additionally, Bonney is working on language for the town’s three-year road contract, so the town can hire a contractor to do summer and winter roads maintenance, culverts and plowing snow and sanding roads.
The board also learned from town representative Morton that the Western Hills Access Television at School Administrative District 44’s Telstar middle and high school in Bethel would like Newry selectmen to sign their bylaws. But selectmen want to research that matter first, Powers said. Additionally, the Newry board wants to give the local TV access group only a portion of the cable TV franchise fees Newry receives, but the access group wants all of the money.
Powers said not everyone in Newry has cable television, however. So the board will continue to work on that issue.
Powers said she and Bethel Town Manager Christine M. Landes have to work out a new Tri-Town Transfer Station agreement between the two towns and Hanover for trash removal needs. The transfer station is off Route 2 in Bethel.
The board will also hold a special town meeting May 19 at the Town Office to seek approval for the three-year bid on the roads contract. Powers said selectmen must go that route because Newry doesn’t have a policy in place. “We have to have town approval,” she said.
Selectmen also approved Newry resident Rhonda Buker’s request to place Lyme Disease Awareness signs in town next month and to use more efficient light bulbs at town buildings.
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