Dresden selectmen

Plowing contractor promises to do better

Gravel pit owner threatened with fines
Wed, 08/07/2019 - 2:00pm

Plowing contractor Ben Goodall told Dresden selectmen Aug. 6, the town should expect better personnel and equipment on the roads next winter.

“Your vehicles need to be whole. One couldn’t sand, the other couldn’t plow,”complained Selectman Alan Moeller Sr. “You can’t plow with pickup trucks,” he added.

“You didn’t stay within the contract,” said Selectman Gerald Lilly.

“We are farther ahead on vehicle replacement,” said Goodall. He said having a truck catch fire in the salt and sand shed in January did not help matters. “We have made some personnel changes,” said Goodall.

Moeller said Goodall’s three-year contract will be up for review in April. Resident Gary Blau asked if the town could be compensated if the contractor does not do a good job. Moeller said it would be hard to get money back unless the contractor failed to show up.

Also Aug. 6, The board voted to fine gravel contractor Heather Beasley $250 for each day she is found to be hauling gravel after the issuance of a stop work order the board approved July 23. Moeller and Lilly said loaded trucks have been seen coming out of the Ballard Road entrance to the pit in recent days.

Moeller said someone will checking daily on whether or not contractors are still hauling out of the pit. The board considered placing a warning at the Ballard Road entrance and posting a weight limit notice on the road.

Residents Mark and Mary Kenney reported they had met with Codes Officer James Valley and attended a planning board meeting to see what they might have to do to meet setback requirements.

Kenney said the only requirement is that they move back a shed and file an “after the fact” permit with the town.

“We are prepared to move ahead,” said Kenney. The Kenneys are in the process of selling their property and the setback issues had been brought up by potential buyers.

Town Administrator Michael Henderson reported several errors had been discovered in previous federal and state tax filings.

“It has to be fixed,” said Henderson. He said the previous treasurer had reported W-2 tax forms on a quarterly basis when they should have been done monthly. He said he also has to correct state and federal filings of employment tax records for 2018.

He said once the errors are corrected, he will set out specific instructions for future treasurers.

Tax Collector Anne Pierce said she recently had to go over 95 tax lien records to adjust the filing fees from $22 to $38. She said the fees were  $19 for recording the lien but needed to include an additional fee for when the lien is released.

Resident Dave Probert received permission to spend up to $300 to buy planks to cover a 60-foot wet spot on the town’s walking trail. He said as many as 240 people used the trail in a recent month. He said he will place a sign asking walkers to leash their dogs upon emerging from the trail on Common Road.