PERU – Selectmen on Monday aired their frustrations with Road Commissioner David Gammon, who was not at their meeting to report on plans for getting gravel roads ready for winter.

The board agreed to meet Tuesday night with Gammon if they can reach him. Their attempts Monday night were unsuccessful.

Selectman Jim Pulsifer said they must meet with Gammon before taking action to hire the necessary work done. Gammon is elected by townspeople.

Selectman Rodney Jamison said he was tired of dealing with Gammon and would not attend the meeting. He favored hiring an outsider to get the work done.

“We can’t go over Gammon’s head and hire someone,” board Chairman Bill Scott said.

Pulsifer said they couldn’t take matters into their own hands until they met with Gammon and asked him to give them a written plan on what needs to be done and when he’ll do it.

“We have a right to know when he is going to work and what he’s going to do. We may have to go to the county commissioner,” he said.

“If the commissioner gets involved and thinks the roads are bad enough, the county will hire someone to do it and bill the town,” Selectman Corey Jacques said. He said he is getting phone calls constantly over the condition of the roads.

“Someone has to take charge,” he said.

“We have to get hold of Gammon and tell him the town will be forced to get the roads ready for winter if he doesn’t get it done. We need to send a certified letter to him if he can’t be reached,” Pulsifer said.

“The letter would give us a paper trail backup,” Selectman Laurieann Milligan said. “We also need to tell Gammon strongly what we want done and give him 24 hours to get things moving.”

In other news, the highest bidder for the Fire Department’s 1979 International tanker was K & K Excavation of Turner for $8,500.

The highest bidder for the 1947 complete firetruck was James Dragoon of Peru for $1,111.11. There were 11 bidders.

ATV Trailmaster Walter Kazregis told the board that no roads are open for ATV use until the town approves them. Kazregis said unless the green and white ATV Access signs are up on the roads, they are not to be used. He said they do not have access at this time to neighboring towns.

Robbie Martin of the ATV Club said they would like to host a supper to benefit the Rockemeka Grange Hall. The date will be announced.

Licensed plumbing inspector Wayne Putnam asked the board what they wanted him to do with his job. They unanimously said, “Keep the job.”

Putnam took back his record book which he had turned in to the board last week.