HARTFORD – Three residents have volunteered to serve as deputy “addressing agents” to help ensure houses are properly numbered for emergency services.
At a July 7 meeting, the Hartford Board of Selectmen appointed Town Clerk Lianne Bedard as the official addressing agent. On Tuesday, Selectman Lee Holman said Bedard herself will have to appoint the volunteers, who are Judy Hamilton, David Kraske and Peggy Poskus.
“Things are very, very poorly done at the moment,” Hamilton said during the meeting, noting that some streets are missing signs, while some houses are unnumbered or have mailboxes out front with old numbers. She proposed the deputy addressing agents verify addresses, assign house numbers when necessary and ensure streets are named. She said any proposed changes should be given to the town within weeks.
Hamilton also suggested sending letters to taxpayers to tell them about new street numbers.
“It sounds like an ambitious goal, but it sounds admirable,” Holman responded. The town has heard periodic complaints about absent road signs and problems with street numbers.
Holman and fellow board member Hope McCabe agreed Bedard may assume the duty of maintaining addresses after the deputies have finished their verifications and proposed changes.
Kraske casually remarked there may be a bit of a fuss when 100 or so residents find they have to send out new postcards notifying of a change in address because of renumbering. “That may be a little low,” he said when questioned about his estimate.
Selectmen agreed to give each deputy addressing agent a letter of authorization so residents will know they are on official business when they knock on a door to discuss a house number.
The board will next meet at 7 p.m. on July 14 in the town office to discuss property tax supplements and abatements. Holman said residents still are able to file abatements in response to a recent revaluation.
Comments are no longer available on this story