NEW VINEYARD – Franklin County commissioners gave New Vineyard 60 days to work out a solution on a road complaint. If they’re unable to reach an agreement to satisfy the complaint, commissioners could issue an order directing the town on what needs to be done.

Commissioners held a hearing on a petition for failure to maintain a road Tuesday on Lowell Road.

After nearly two hours of discussion, one hour at the site and nearly another hour at the commissioners’ office in Farmington, some wondered if the issue was being made bigger than it was.

The Lowell family, including Irene and Cecile Lowell, residents of Lowell Road, filed a petition with the commissioners against New Vineyard. In it, they claimed snow was not removed from the gravel road at times this winter making it difficult to pass.

The road is maintained and in good condition now that the snow is gone, Commissioner Fred Hardy said.

There have been problems with the road since it reverted to the town in early 1950 after the state made a new Route 27, Commission Chairman Gary McGrane said.

New Vineyard voters voted to discontinue the road at one point but it was determined that vote was null and void because the town did not go to the county commissioners for approval first, McGrane said.

During the years, the rules changed and the town had the authority to discontinue the road by the voters’ authorization without going to the county, but that was never done as far as his research showed, McGrane said

McGrane also said the town way isn’t four rods, or about 66 feet, as depicted by a state map.

A trailer now at the intersection of Lowell and Route 27 appears to be in the right-of-way, McGrane said. It’s the second trailer that was placed there. The first trailer was put in when the town didn’t have a Planning Board, Selectman Jerry Howard said.

A second, larger trailer replaced the smaller trailer but the increase in trailer size was less than 200 square feet and did not require the town’s permission, Howard said.

The current trailer owner, Ray Buckminster, bought the trailer about four years ago.

Snow sliding off the trailer’s metal roof and snow cleared by a private contractor from Buckminster’s driveway into the roadway added to the tight road passage.

There have been complaints about the road for at least 10 years, said First Selectmen Fay Adams said. Adams said selectmen would need to get the road surveyed and then find a practical solution to the problem.
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