Board: Minot Selectmen

Met: Monday night

Town cemeteries

Issue: There’s little open space available in town graveyards.

The scoop: At the March town meeting voters backed a plan for the town to take over ownership and maintenance of West Minot’s Riverside Cemetery and the Center Hill Cemetery along Center Minot Hill Road. Voters also approved $50,000 to purchase additional land adjacent to the Center Hill Cemetery. The town’s cemetery committee has completed negotiations on a purchase and sales agreement that would add 16.5 acres to the Center Hill Cemetery and Monday night selectmen voted to confirm that agreement.

Up next: It is expected that it will be a year or two before any of the newly acquired land will be available for use. Woods must be cleared and the cemetery committee is still working on a price structure for lots.

Town audit

The scoop: Selectmen reviewed the preliminary annual audit of town accounts as conducted by Smith & Associates. They noted that it indicates the town’s financial records are in good order, and they publicly thanked Treasurer Connie Taker for maintaining a financial system that is exceptionally clear.

Up next: Selectmen expect to receive copies of the final audit for acceptance at their June 16 meeting.

Highway Department

The scoop: Road Manager Arlan Saunders said that Bucknam Bridge Road has been raised about five feet from the bridge over Bog Brook to Route 124. It will be paved later this summer as part of the annual paving program. Saunders also noted that Poirier Guidelines was scheduled to do about 25 miles of striping on Minot roads Monday night. Responding to a request from the Community Club, Saunders, with the selectmen’s blessing, agreed to haul 25 cubic yards of mulch from the Jolly Gardener on Route 122 to the Minot Consolidated School playground next week.

Town office hours

The scoop: Selectmen agreed to set new Thursday office hours. Beginning July 3, the town office will be open Thursdays from 2-7 p.m., providing evening hours to accommodate the residents who can’t make it to the office during the 9-to-5 hours that it is open the rest of the work week.

– Winslow Durgin