MINOT – Selectmen were commended Monday night for backing a survey of conditions in the Taylor Pond watershed, as well as for actions the town has taken to correct soil erosion problems the survey identified.

“We thank Minot for being a good neighbor,” said Michael Dixon, treasurer for the Taylor Pond Association.

According to the 2006 survey report, which Dixon, with fellow association member Susan Trask and Susan Gammon, project manager with the Androscoggin Valley Soil and Water Conservation District, presented selectmen, Taylor Pond’s 14.6-square-mile watershed had at least 134 erosion sites that were impacting, or had the potential to impact, water quality in the pond.

While more than half the watershed lies in Minot, fewer than 30 of these sites, Gammon noted, are in Minot and most are associated with roads.

The good news is, as Road Manager Arlan Saunders pointed out, this past summer, town crews have fixed four of the problem sites and partially fixed four more.

Selectman Steve French said he was proud of the highway crew and what it’s been doing for the past several years.

“They work to do it right the first time,” French said.

Selectman Dean Campbell noted that the town saves money when roads are properly built.

“So what’s good for the watershed is good for us,” Campbell said.

In addition to continuing to address erosion problems along town roads, the Taylor Pond Association representatives encouraged selectmen to support enforcement of shoreland zoning and asked that they back the pursuit of federal and state clean water grants, which could be used to fix some of the problem sites.

In other business, Saunders reported that last weekend’s rainstorm mostly caused minor damage, although Holbrook Road experienced a major washout, the repair of which, Saunders noted, received an assist from the Hebron Highway Department.

“We hauled seven loads from their pit and used their loader and truck to assist our equipment. We will trade off time with the grader to pay them back,” Saunders said.

Saunders reported all affected roads, including Allen, Brighton Hill, Sam’s and Death Valley roads, have been fully repaired.

Selectmen also approved a formal system for contracting with private commercial trash haulers serving the town. Beginning Feb. 1, it will cost commercial trash haulers operating in Minot $100 annually for a permit.