LIVERMORE – Selectpersons voted Monday night to authorize Road Foreman Bert Bryant to hire some part-time help to do road patching.

It was suggested the new workers begin on the Sanders Road whose residents appeared in force before the board last month, complaining about the condition of their road.

Wages for the temporary workers will come from the capital improvement account rather than the regular road funds, the board agreed, since Bryant’s budget is tight.

Hiring someone to do patching would allow the crew to get caught up on their regular summer work which, this year, has fallen behind due to work on the River Road.

Bryant suggested the workers also could do some brush cutting at intersections where the growth is creating hazards due to poor visibility. Another need is for sweeping sand at intersections, said Selectperson Brenda Merrill.

Selectperson Tom Berry suggested the crew will be tied up on the River Road for another two weeks, plus whatever time it takes to install an 80-foot culvert just beyond the road to the golf course.

Traffic may be tied up when that work is done for two or three days, Berry said. The crew would like to leave part of the road open but may have to close it during that time.

If that happens, it would be advertised, the board agreed.

Berry said the town will need to hire extra equipment to do the job but said he felt it would still be less expensive for the town to do it than to hire a contractor.

Bryant said he is having a continuing problem with a beaver in the culvert on Norton Road.

On another matter, town officials are still divided on the use of calcium. Bryant said “People should be thankful we were using it last year, the way the storms were.” Merrill said it is too expensive, damages roads and should be used only on specific roads that can take it.

Calcium use will be an issue discussed at a future meeting, the board agreed.

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