FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners voted Tuesday to close Byron Road to through traffic in Township 6 North of Weld, the site of trailheads to Tumbledown Mountain.
A sign will be put up on Byron Road indicating no through traffic and “pass at your own risk.” The road was damaged by heavy rain June 26.
There are several washouts on the road. Dirt has been put in some of the deeper places, Mike Pond, county supervisor of the unorganized territory roads, said.
The commission also voted to award snow removal and roadwork contracts for the unorganized territory.
Bids for snow removal, road ditching and culverts were opened July 11. Commissioners asked county Administrator Amy Bernard to review them. She brought them back for action Tuesday.
Commissioners awarded snow removal contracts to Fenwick Construction of Kingfield for Freeman-Salem townships for $388,567; Orr Excavation in Farmington for Washington and Perkins townships for $136,000; Chase Logging of Strong for Madrid Township at $101,520.
Contracts awarded for ditching and culverts were to York Tree Harvesting and Excavation of Strong for Reeds Mill, Cook Hill and East Madrid roads in Madrid Township for $146,987. The company will also receive a contract for ditching on Cherry Hill Road in Washington Township and Alder Brook Road in Perkins Township for $19,000. Combined it totals $165,987.
In another matter, commissioners voted unanimously to put a moratorium on applications for the American Rescue Plan Act funds. Chairman Terry Brann of Wilton said at last week’s meeting that there are more projects than the county has money for. He said encouraging people to apply when there is only about $400,000 left is unethical.
The county is waiting to see if it will get federal funds to help pay for an addition to the Regional Communications Center on County Way in Farmington to house an emergency operations center. If it does, it will free up money for projects that have been approved.
Thirteen requests have been turned down, Susan Pratt, the county’s ARPA program administrator, said. If the county gets the congressional money, commissioners can reconsider some of them.
The commission also voted to move forward with an amendment to the Enterprise Tax Increment Finance and Development Program connected to the the 44-turbine Kibby Wind Power Project in Kibby and Skinner townships in northern Franklin County. Commissioners adopted the TIF in 2008 when the business was owned by TransCanada Corp. Helix Maine Wind Development bought the 132-megawatt facility in 2017.
The proposed amendment would allow TIF money to fund child care centers or scholarships for child care in the unorganized territory for economic development funding options. If approved by the state and commissioners, it would be the fifth amendment to the TIF.
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