ROXBURY — Chairman John Sutton told fellow selectmen Tuesday evening that he’s impressed with Peru’s salt and sand shed, but he doesn’t think Roxbury needs one as large.
Residents approved an article at the annual town meeting to raise and appropriate $16,400 to construct a shed to hold 450 tons of salt and 3,000 cubic yards of sand.
In March, Selectman Tim Derouche said the town’s shed is inadequate.
Sutton said Peru Road Commissioner Joe Roach gave him a tour of his town’s shed.
“The building is about 70 by 100 feet, and everything is stored and mixed inside the building. There are no outside piles of sand and salt,” Sutton said.
He said it has an asphalt base, a ventilation fan for when the equipment is running and an automatic door.
“I asked Joe what they do for residents who want sand for their driveways in the winter. He said they have a separate place they keep filled for residents who want sand for their sidewalks or driveways. They don’t allow them to go inside the shed because of the equipment located there,” he said.
Sutton said the shed cost about $300,000 and was paid for under the state’s reimbursement program, which no longer exists.
He said the town didn’t need a shed quite as large as Peru’s, but he liked the idea that everything was done inside and under cover.
“So where do we go from here?” Derouche asked.
“Our next step would be to speak with the Maine Department of Transportation and decide if we have adequate space for something like this,” Sutton said. “I was very impressed with their shed, though. It’s considered a more high-end shed, but it seems like it would help a lot.”
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