MINOT – Selectmen decided Monday to seek legal advice on the proper procedure for a town vote to accept a portion of Old Buckfield Road as a public way.
George and Mary Buker have petitioned the town to have part of the road made public so they can develop house lots there if they wish. The petition was not filed in time for the annual town meeting March 5, selectmen said.
Selectman Steve French suggested the town hold a referendum, not a special town meeting.
“If we hold a referendum vote, we’ll hear from a broader range of townspeople. It will be fairer for everybody,” French said.
George Buker disagreed.
“We wanted it brought up at regular town meeting,” he said, pointing out that state law requires selectmen to call a special town meeting within 60 days of receiving the petition.
“With a referendum, people would have no idea what they are voting on,” he added.
Selectman Eda Tripp expressed concern that the petition asks that the matter be voted on at an “annual” town meeting.
She made a motion for the board to seek legal advice on whether, if the petition says “annual,” it may be brought to any other town meeting.
Selectmen agreed to obtain a legal opinion on the question, and on how the 60-day provision applies and whether the referendum process could be followed.
The portion of Old Buckfield Road in question, which selectmen declared “presumed abandoned” a few months ago, extends from just off Brighton Hill Road to Hersey Hill Road. Redevelopment of this section of Old Buckfield Road would give the Bukers – who live where Old Buckfield and Hersey Hill roads join – a second way out from their home. It would also create a number of potential house lots because the Bukers own land on both sides of the abandoned Old Buckfield Road.
In other business, selectmen accepted a bid of $26,515.32 from Butch Craig and Son for a new loader. It was the lowest of six received.
Selectmen re-elected Dean Campbell as chairman and Ralph Gilpatrick as vice chairman. Tripp was elected chairwoman of the Board of Assessors and Overseers of the Poor.
Danny Gilpatric was appointed as a regular member of the Planning Board and Arthur Harris and Christopher Woodford were named alternates. Dennis DeCoster was appointed as a member of the Board of Appeals.
Selectmen tabled action on appointments to the Budget Committee.
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