LIVERMORE – Optimism about a possible settlement a month ago dissolved last week when the Batten Road controversy was once again brought to the Board of Selectpeople.

After lengthy and often bitter discussion on the well-worn topic, Selectperson John Wakefield said, “We’re chasing our tail on this,” and moved to send a letter to Ken Constantine and Ralph Walton to have the gates removed within seven days from receipt.

The vote was unanimous and it was agreed that, if the work is not done, the town will do it and bill them.

Concern was noted about having a barrier erected near the pit for safety and to have some kind of gate system.

A tentative agreement reached at the Sept. 29 meeting was to have been formalized on Oct. 22 when Ralph Walton and Ken Constantine, who operate a gravel pit on what was once the Batten Road, were asked to meet with Steve Mancine and Bob Pulsifer, residents of Bean Street, who have been fighting to get the road open for quicker access to Route 4.

The group did meet but came to no conclusion, Mancine told the board last week. Several proposals were made but met with no support from the landowners, he said.

“The landowners were not willing to negotiate, we’re back to square one,” Mancine said as he pressed for action. “It’s clear to me that seven days or seven years, at the end they weren’t going to build that road.”

He urged to town to take a more pro-active approach to the problem. “I can’t believe that the AG’s (Attorney General’s) Office would approve of two guys holding the town hostage. The state could step in, two hillbilly types are holding up the town. I could care less if we do put them out of business.”

Lacking an agreement, Mancine presented the board with signed statements from 32 citizens of the town who said that, on Nov. 7 and thereafter they intend to use the Batten Road easement.

At the request of the presenters, these were signed by Chairman Grace Jacques to verify they had been received.

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