The many cracks on Alna’s Cross Road should be history before winter. The road that connects the town’s main arteries, Route 218 and West Alna Road, near their midpoints and is home to the popular Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway Museum, is in for a $9,700 smooth-over.

It’s not a repaving, but a fill-in of so much cracking that Alna Road Commissioner Jeff Verney expects the work to require nearly two tons of a hot rubber product, according to the estimate the town got from Mid-Maine Sealcoating.

So the business, a division of Mid-Maine Property Services in South Gardiner, estimates it will go through nearly two, one-ton pallets, at $4,850 each.

“If less product is used, I will deduct the leftover product from the total cost,” Andrew LaVerdiere states in the business’ estimate.

Selectmen and Town Clerk Amy Warner did some figuring Oct. 22 and determined the project can be done without going to voters.

The town got about $25,000 in state aid for roads this year and $25,000 that March town meeting voters approved, Warner said. About another $30,000 went unspent last year, bringing the total for roads this year to about $80,000.

The $39,000 tab from recent work near a bridge on Egypt Road will about cut that in half, leaving room for the Cross Road work and other needs if they arise, town officials said.

CMP equipment discussed

Central Maine Power’s equipment in Alna could go under review, to see if the town has the value right. A higher value would add to the town’s tax base and lower what other property owners pay, First Selectman David Abbott said.

A lower value on CMP’s equipment would do the opposite, but selectmen on Oct. 22 said the likely outcome is an increase, based on what they’ve heard about the work of a man they want to meet with, William Van Tunien. Neighboring Whitefield hired Van Tunein, of William Van Tunien Real Estate Appraisal & Tax Assessment Services in Madison, for $1,000.

Whitefield’s valuation of the equipment will likely rise as a result of Van Tunien’s review, Whitefield (and Alna) treasurer Aaron Miller has said.

In July, Alna selectmen first talked about possibly having Van Tunien do a review. At the board’s Oct. 22 meeting, members decided to ask him to come to an upcoming board meeting to discuss the idea.

“If (the value) goes up $1 million it’ll help, but it’s not going to be a big windfall,” Abbott said. If the review happens soon enough, the new value could be in place by April 1, in time for it to take effect for the 2015 taxes, he said.

The board meets next at 7 p.m. Nov. 5 at the town office on Route 218.