Plowing public easement roads has not been the town’s responsibility since 1988.
SUMNER – Selectmen discussed discontinuing winter maintenance of public easement roads at Tuesday’s meeting. Plowing the almost eight miles of public easement roads has not been the responsibility of the town since selectmen redefined its roads in 1988.
Selectman Mark Silber explained that the town needs to check whether the legal opinion obtained in 1988 still stands. Selectman Tom Standard will contact the Maine Municipal Association to find out if the current ordinance is sufficient to prevent landowners from forcing the town to maintain public easement roads.
A public easement road is a road owned by abutting properties owners, over which the public has passage. Sumner currently provides winter maintenance to public easement roads at the town’s discretion, in addition to the 48 miles of town road that must be plowed, salted and sanded.
A check sent to Statewide Fire Equipment has been cashed, ending a five-month dispute between the company and the town. In October, fire Chief Bob Stewart reported to selectmen that he was concerned about an inspection of the town’s fire equipment done by Statewide Fire. Checklists filled out by the inspectors indicated that poor work had been done, and Stewart believed that the company had overcharged the town for labor.
After many attempts to discuss the matter with Statewide Fire Equipment, the town sent a check for half of the amount owed to the company. An accompanying letter stated that cancellation of the check would indicate that the matter was resolved. Statewide Fire has since cashed the check.
In other business, selectmen appointed Tom Standard and Kay Herbert to the school budget committee.
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