OXFORD – The Board of Selectmen on Thursday night approved posting roads throughout the town starting today.
As the spring thaw approaches, communities post signs prohibiting trucks weighing more than 23,000 pounds on certain roads to avoid damage. There are exceptions to the posting, including food and fuel delivery trucks. Posted roads can also be traveled when frozen solid.
Town Manager Michael Chammings informed selectmen that plans are to post roads from Feb. 18 to May 15. He noted the community can open roads earlier, if weather permits.
Record Lumber representatives explained that posting roads that the company uses causes a hardship.
“We need to protect the roads,” Selectman David Ivey said. “We dump a lot of money into the roads.”
Selectman Scott Owens suggested Record Lumber move heavy loads during early morning to avoid damage. He suggested posting roads with the exception of the side access road to Record Lumber.
Chammings noted the community can issue permits as needed for heavy loads to and from Record Lumber. Lumber company representatives said the permits are difficult to get to the drivers ahead of time.
Permits put liability on the trucks traveling the road, so if the road is damaged the town does not have to pay for repairs, Chammings said.
Board Chairman Floyd Thayer asked Record Lumber representatives to move heavy trucks over the roads at times that will not adversely affect them, and they agreed.
In other business, the board approved the appointment of Becky Lippincott as town finance clerk. Lippincott is currently employed as bookkeeper of Harrison. She has more than 20 years of experience. She was chosen from a field of 28 candidates and will start Tuesday.
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