A large dot marks the only home on dead-end Wyman Road, off Federal Road, in Livermore. Selectpersons had received no bids Tuesday, Oct. 25, for snow-blowing the road this winter and will revisit the issue at a special meeting Thursday, Nov. 3. Google maps screenshot
LIVERMORE — Selectperson Chair Mark Chretien announced Tuesday, Oct. 25, no bids had been received to snow blow Wyman Road this winter. A special meeting has been set for 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3, to revisit Wyman Road snow-blowing bids.
“We will have to reach out to a contractor and see if he will give us a price,” Chretien said Tuesday.
At the Oct. 11 meeting, selectpersons voted to continue the process of discontinuing Wyman Road to winter maintenance and seek bids to snow-blow the road this winter. They cited the expense of plowing 135 feet for just one home as the reason for the bid request. Chretien said the town would do the sanding because once it has been plowed a truck could back down.
At a special meeting Sept. 20, selectpersons voted in favor of closing the dead-end road, which is off Federal Road/Route 4 and scheduled a public hearing on the issue for Sept. 29.
On Sept. 29 selectpersons took no action on the matter after the property owner and his attorney questioned the legality of doing so. Several residents spoke against the discontinuance. Roberta Manter, a Fayette resident and founder of Maine Residents and Owners on Abandoned and Discontinued Ways, said state laws on discontinuance of roads to winter maintenance had changed.
State law regarding discontinuance of a road to winter maintenance now includes a seven-step process. A year is required to provide time for abutting landowners to obtain easements. Voters must consider road discontinuances and the earliest Wyman Road could be addressed would be at the April 2024 Town Meeting.
Anthony and Terri Maxwell, John and Beth Johnson and Chris and Addie McHugh own property abutting Wyman Road. The Maxwell property has a driveway off Federal Road [Route 4] while the Johnsons’ access is through Schoolhouse Hill. The McHugh’s only access is via Wyman Road.
Tuesday McHugh asked how much of Wyman Road the town would be sanding.
“We are only sanding our portion, the 135 feet,” Chretien said. “We will have it all marked out. It’s pretty much down to the first telephone pole like we showed you the last time Roger [Ferland, highway foreman] went down to see you.”
When asked what the town considered the apron of the road, Selectperson Scott Richmond said, “Where the breakdown lane ends [on Route 4], that’s where we start.”
McHugh asked if meeting minutes would be posted on the town’s website.
“I am working on getting a new website going because the one that we have is incredibly complex,” Miller said. Agendas are not posted, selectpersons meet every two weeks at 6:30 p.m. and there may be special meetings as well, he noted. “The law requires we give the public ample amount of time to attend,” Miller stated. Those wanting to know when a meeting is scheduled can always call, he added.
“We are working towards making that website more user friendly for the public,” Miller said.
The scheduled Selectpersons meeting for Nov. 8 will be held at Spruce Mountain Primary School on the Gibbs Mill Road because of the elections. Signing of warrants for town bills will probably be the only agenda item.
In other business, following a closed door session selectpersons in open session voted to terminate highway worker Jason Richard, Miller said Thursday. He was still on probationary status, he noted.
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