Two women who live on dirt roads in Edgecomb urged the town's capital improvements committee January 14 to do what it can to make their roads safer.

Sue Sefcik told the committee she considers children to be at great risk walking home from school on the dirt portion of Old County Road, due to its poor condition.

“I worry about the children, and I worry about being a driver on that road with those children,” Sefcik said. “I don't know how that factors into your financial planning, but that is definitely a big, big concern of ours.”

The paved portion of the road is in good shape, she said.

Maintenance work that gets done on Mount Hunger Road East gets undone by the weather, Colleen Rasmussen said.

She and Sefcik asked panel members if they have a plan or a time line for improvements to town roads.

Member said they're working to come up with a plan. But at this point they can't promise how or when either of those two roads' issues will be addressed, committee member Nort Fowler said.

Fowler added he understands dirt road problems very well. Merry Island Road, where he lives, has potholes that have names and are almost ready to go to school, he told the women.

The committee has been encouraging residents to come forward with their thoughts on roads the town maintains. Members said they hope to have a proposal for road improvements ready for voters to consider at the annual town meeting May 11.

Selectmen monitor tax incentive issue

Following the latest advice from attorney John Cunningham, selectmen January 14 agreed to hold off for now on making a tax incentive payment they said could wind up at the center of a court dispute between a bank and a developer.

The payments were established when Roger Bintliff's Edgecomb Development was going to pay for some utilities for Davis Island. The incentive payments later began going to the Bank of Maine, but Bintliff has said the payments should go to him again now that he owes the bank no money.

“We're in a waiting game,” Board Chairman Jessica Chubbuck said.

If either Bintliff or the bank files suit, the town could send the next payment to the court, selectmen said.

Otherwise, the town would have to file a suit if it wants the court to sort out who gets the money, Chubbuck said.

Susan Johns can be reached at 207-844-4633 or sjohns@wiscassetnewspaper.com.