All-terrain vehicle riders may soon lose use of their in-town trail to food and fuel if they can’t refrain from zipping down Weld Street off the trail.

Selectmen established a policy wherein ATV riders and snowmobilers would use Dixfield streets only to reach Ellis’ Variety, a diner, convenience store and gas station on Weld Street.

Police Chief Richard A. Pickett sought help from selectmen at Monday night’s meeting to combat the growing problem.

“We’re concerned about ATV riders stretching out the route on Weld Street and Main Street,” Pickett said. “They’ve extended it beyond what you selectmen intended. We’re seeing a lot of ATV traffic coming down Weld Street from Meadow Brook Terrace to Ellis’ for gas.”

Pickett said his officers have had to write tickets already to ATV riders flaunting the policy by riding off the trail on town roads. According to the policy, neither Weld Street (Route 142) nor Main Street (Route 2) are town-owned roads, and thus, off limits to ATV traffic.

“No signage gives them the right to go down Weld Street,” Pickett said. Chairman Hugh Daley said riders should go down Pine Street or Coburn Avenue to reach Ellis’.

Pickett also told selectmen that police have received several complaints about ATV s “in places they shouldn’t be.”

“If it gets abused, they lose it, but I would hate to see them lose the privilege” of riding on town streets to get food and fuel, he added.

Dixfield:

Police dispatch change smooth

The dispatching switchover from Rumford police to the Oxford County Regional Communications Center in Paris has gone very smoothly, said Police Chief Richard A. Pickett.

He added that the department’s hand-held portable radios when used in the field, transmit to and receive from county dispatchers better than they did with Rumford.

The dispatching change followed a June 7 town meeting vote, but didn’t take effect until July 1.

Pickett also reiterated that should an emergency arise where police are needed, residents should phone 911.

To contact a Dixfield officerfor ordinary business, phone 1-800-733-1421 or 743-9554 and choose option 1 from the Oxford County Sheriff’s Department menu to speak with a dispatcher. Residents can also call Dixfield’s police station at 562-4517 for non-emergency issues.

Canton:

Hearing scheduled

on self storage unit

A public hearing will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 17, at the Municipal Building to discuss an application received from Chris Daily of 8 Hodge Road to construct a self storage unit on Route 108.

The town is also requesting bids for a revaluation of land and buildings. Although the bids are due at the town office by 5 p.m. Aug. 13, they won’t be considered until the March 2004 town meeting. Specifications are available at the town office at 28 Cross St. or by calling 597-2920.

Bethel – Police hire two officers

The Bethel Police Department is back up to full strength despite losing an officer to Thomaston police.

Newly hired patrolmen are Charles R. Beale, a former reserve officer with Dixfield police, and Richardo M. Bivona, formerly with the Cumberland County corrections facility, said Town Manager Scott Cole.

Patrol officer Danielle Littlehale resigned to work for the Thomaston Police Department, Cole added.

In addition to Chief Darren M. Tripp, Bivona and Beale, Bethel’s other patrol officer is Rusty W. Daley.

Bethel – Town to vote on road status

Voters at Bethel’s 2004 town meeting will decide the fate of the Chestnut Knoll Road, a one-mile-long private road.

That’s what selectmen at Monday night’s meeting decided after fielding a request by the Chestnut Knoll Road Association to change the road to a town road.

Town Manager Scott Cole said the Chestnut Knoll Road serves a 16-lot subdivision with 10 houses built along it.

“Homeowners petitioned to pave the road, but selectmen said they’d put it to a town vote with a conditional acceptance that the homeowners’ association do the proper deed work and paving,” Cole said Tuesday.

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