DURHAM – A special town meeting that was canceled last month due to a posting error has been rescheduled to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 27, at the fire station.

Selectmen signed the new warrant for the 12-article meeting Tuesday night. It had been speculated that the school gym would be available if the meeting was held later, possibly in September, however town officials could not get assurances when the gym would be available, due to ongoing construction.

Voting 3-2 with Selectmen Terry Kirk and Daryl Pratt opposed, the paving contract was awarded to Crooker Construction as recommended by Road Commissioner Clifton Larrabee Sr. Larrabee said he had analyzed the bids and that Crooker was the least expensive, however, Pratt said he had also reviewed the bids and contended another bidder, Pike Industries, was in fact cheaper. An extended debate followed, after which Crooker’s bid was accepted.

At the request of John Sloan, whose firm contracts for school transportation, it was agreed to seek an engineer’s opinion on the safety of the Shiloh Road bridge for loaded school busses. The bridge was temporarily repaired at cost of nearly $9,000 several weeks ago.

Sloan said he had safety and liability concerns about the bridge that is now posted with a 4-ton limit. Acknowledging that last year, as in years past, busses traveled over the bridge “unknowingly” before problems were discovered, he told Selectmen now that it has been posted, “I’m not in any position to assume that liability” and asked for something in writing from the town that the bridge is safe before the start of school.

Neither Selectmen nor Larrabee would agree to guarantee the safety of the bridge, even though Larrabee said that with the repairs, it is probably in better condition than it has been in years.

Selectmen took no action on a request by subdivision owner Marilyn Finch that an article in the special town meeting warrant be changed. Kirk, a member of the Comprehensive Plan Committee, responded that the lengthy article she was objecting to dealing with amendments to the Comprehensive Plan is “95-percent language” changes to add updated 2000 census figures and other data the state requires that “we didn’t have” before.

Finch unsuccessfully argued the warrant should be a “little more voter friendly” and asked that the portion dealing with subdivision permits be broken out into a separate article. Selectmen declined to make any changes, and Chairman Wesley Bennett noted if the people didn’t like it they could vote it down at town meeting.

Fire Chief Bill St. Michel reported on his inspection of a rescue vehicle owned by North Yarmouth. Although there are about $500 worth of repairs needed for the front end and $1,300 for body work, he said he still plans to recommend that voters purchase it to replace the current rescue vehicle.

Five abatements, including one tax bill that through a technical error, valued a mobile home at $575,400 with a $10,702 tax bill, were approved. Two supplemental tax assessments for a total of $47,160 value and $877.18 in taxes were also approved.

In other business, Selectmen renewed Jewett’s Used Auto Parts Junkyard license; tabled discussion on the personnel policy and authorized Administrative Assistant John White to attend a Maine Municipal Association workshop on grant writing in Augusta in September.



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