GREENE – Voters celebrated and shook hands at Greene’s annual town meeting Saturday when they heard the overwhelming approval for Fawn Lane, Big Buck Court, Stag Hollow and the second section of Deer Run roads to become town roads.
“Obviously I am very happy, and I think the townspeople are very fair,” Deer Run Road resident Don Dostie said after the vote had been tallied.
“Mark Randall (subdivision owner) coming forward and creating that escrow account made it a much more clear-cut vote for the voters,” he said. “Also, a key part of that vote was the Board of Selectmen’s reverse recommendation to back our position. That plays a large part in how people are going to vote.”
The board unanimously decided to publicly announce that it would back the acceptance of the roads because of the money put forth by Randall to repair sections to meet town standards.
However, in a separate article, residents of phase I of the Deer Run subdivision walked away with a bitter taste after the article to make the first section of Deer Run Road a town road failed, 73-69.
Selectmen did not back this article because culvert and paving issues need to be resolved before the road could meet town code.
Many residents said they understood the town officials’ position but felt residents there, who have been paying taxes for approximately 16 years, deserved a break and were going to vote the road in.
But some voters, who did not wish to be identified, said a comment made Saturday by Deer Run resident Dave Fields had negatively affected the outcome.
Field, responding to discussion on the condition of the road, said, “If you don’t live there, we don’t want you there.”
“His comment didn’t sway my vote one way or another,” resident Sheldon Bubier said. “But I truly believe that, that comment hurt him. You just don’t say that right before a vote.”
The selectmen recommend the residents of that section of Deer Run Road pull together and resolve the road issues and then revisit the board, which, they said, would agree to back its acceptance as a town public road thereafter.
Comments are no longer available on this story