HEBRON – Residents ground out decisions on 59 articles Saturday in the town’s annual meeting at the Hebron Station School. Lengthy discussions preceded Articles 10, 11 and 12, which dealt with issues over private roads within three subdivisions.

The meeting, which was rescheduled from last week due to weather conditions, began at 10 a.m. with the selection of Rob Swift as moderator. Larry Sirois, state representative for District 96, informed the audience of developments at the Capitol.

Sirois encouraged people to apply for the property tax rent refund program. He also spoke on a subcommittee of education and appropriations officials, who are discussing the issue of school consolidation. Another committee is seeking to lower property and income taxes and expand the sales tax to bring in more money from out-of-staters.

“Nothing is set in stone,” Sirois said of the tax committee’s actions.

Residents voted by secret ballot for six positions, most of which had only one candidate nominated from the floor. Joan Clough remained the clerk and treasurer/tax collector, and Richard Deans was re-elected selectman for a three-year term. Elizabeth Swift and Katherine Rideout were elected for three-year and two-year school board director positions, respectively, and Sandra Bruno was elected for a three-year term as trustee for the Moody Library.

In a 41-21 vote, Warren Packard defeated the selectmen for the position of road commissioner. The selectmen have served the role for two years, following the resignation of Glen Drake.

Residents also elected Jim Turner, Bruce Conant, Jim Trundy and Bunky Hall for a five-person unpaid budget committee to serve for the next year. John Farnsworth and Charles Tobie tied for the fifth spot, though Tobie conceded the role to Farnsworth.

Three articles determining whether the town should take over the ownership and maintenance of roads in the Cedar Spring Development and Mineral Hills and Hope Hill Estates subdivisions drew the most attention. Arlan Saunders proposed acceptance of Articles 10 and 11 after an inspection to make sure the roads fit Hebron’s engineering specifications. Selectman Lewis Williams proposed a similar modification to Article 12.

Article 10, concerning the Cedar Spring Development, was accepted, but Article 11, regarding the Mineral Hills Subdivision, was subject to fierce debate.

Williams called the turnaround at the Mineral Hills Subdivision “very inadequate,” saying that school buses and town equipment such as snowplows and fire engines could not reverse directions at the end of the road. Property lines in the subdivision have inhibited a larger turnaround.

“It’s a technical thing,” said Williams during the discussion. “Arlan did not put in ‘with adequate turnaround’ in his motion.”

An amendment adding the phrase was narrowly defeated. Williams said the Road Commission had not approached the selectmen on the issue, and that more information was needed regarding the road’s specifications. The article was defeated.

Williams moved to pass over Article 12, saying it had similar problems to Article 11, but rescinded the motion after protests from the floor. The article passed, ceding the road at Hope Hill Estates to the town.

Though only the first 12 articles had been covered before a lunch break, the remaining 47 articles passed at a much more rapid pace. Most articles, approving sums recommended by the budget committee for various services, passed with little or no discussion. Article 19, concerning workman’s compensation insurance, was increased from $3,855 to $7,528. The town passed Article 47, to raise money for Community Concepts, after a successful motion to raise the sum to $2,106 from the $1,756 recommended by the budget committee.

Other articles approved a liquor license for Robert F. Bryant of the Greenwood Mountain Inn, authorized the selectmen to purchase a compactor truck for the transfer station, and hired a part-time assistant for the town office.

Several questions on the extent of the selectmen’s power followed Article 56, which allows the selectmen to sell or dispose of property acquired by the town for nonpayment of taxes. The article passed successfully.

Representatives from the Oxford Hills Growth Council, the Child Health Center and Seniors Plus were present to talk about their organizations or answer questions. All of the organizations were beneficiaries of money raised from the articles.

Prior to the lunch break, the Hebron Historical Society donated an 1880 map of the town to the town office.