Industry: Board OKs oil contract

Selectmen decided Tuesday night to sign a pre-buy oil contract. The one-year contract will provide oil for the town hall, garage and fire station.

Selectmen also met with the ATV club and gave members permission to use certain town roads as access routes to trails.

There was also a discussion regarding problems with Route 148 being closed. The state is repairing a bridge that makes the road impassable. Traffic has been re-routed to Saw Hill Road, and there is concern about the impact on the road, especially with tourist season at its peak.

Weld: Soil cleanup cost growing

Selectmen were presented Tuesday night with a significantly larger bill than was expected for cleaning up soil pollution below the town’s fire station parking lot. The state Department of Transportation found an old oil tank when digging to repair Mill Street. After a survey of the soil conducted by the Department of Environmental Protection, it was put to the town to clean up the soil that was contaminated with oil.

According to Selectwoman Nancy Stowell, there was a garage at the same site that burned down in the mid 1950s. The recently found underground tank, a remainder from the garage, is thought to be the source of the pollution.

To original estimate to have the soil removed and Mill Street repaired was $4,000. However, the project has become considerably larger and will cost the town at least double the original figure. The town is beginning to search for ways to raise money to help pay for the project, but major action can’t be taken without a town vote first, and the next town meeting isn’t until March.

Stowell said the DOT is working in cooperation with the town to map out payment schedule over the next two years.

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