Government at a glance

Board: Minot Selectmen

Met: Monday night

Village Wood Estates

Issue: Selectmen are responsible for making sure that when new roads are developed, they meet specifications in the town’s road ordinance.

The scoop: Selectmen reviewed Lloyd Poland’s plans for turning a portion of the old Grand Trunk railroad bed in West Minot into an access road for his Village Wood Estates subdivision. Poland and his agent, Rick Jones, of Jones Associates, addressed the board’s questions and concerns.

Up next: Selectmen have until July 3 to formally accept the road plans and forward them to the Planning Board as part of the overall development package the board must ultimately rule on. Selectmen, through the town’s inspector/engineer, will monitor the road construction with the goal to certify to town meeting voters, who eventually will be asked to accept the road as a town way, that the road has been properly constructed.

Old mill stone

The scoop: Selectmen gladly accepted Albert Hemond’s offer to donate an old mill stone that he has to the town. The stone measures about five feet in diameter and is about a foot thick. It is Hemond’s wish that the mill stone be put on public display.

Up next: Selectmen have not decided where the stone should be placed. Hemond said he would load the stone onto a town truck, when one might be available.

Tax liens

The scoop: Town Administrator Rhonda Irish reported that 30-day notices for 62 tax liens on properties whose 2007 property taxes have not been paid went out in Monday’s mail. Irish said the number is about 10 more than a year ago.

Road striping

The scoop: Road Manager Arlan Saunders reported that Poirier Guidelines had successfully striped 26 miles of town road two weeks ago and will be back in the fall to do the roads scheduled to be paved in July. There will be 3 miles of road to stripe, and, Saunders said, at 6.2 cents per linear foot, the project will finish comfortably within the $12,000 budgeted.

Brighton Hill Acres

The scoop: Road Manager Arlan Saunders said he had received a letter from Brighton Hill Acres subdivision developer Gary McFarland stating his intent to pave Pleasant Drive, the road serving the subdivision, next week. Saunders also reported that McFarland has dug a fire pond in the subdivision to depth and that as of Sunday afternoon it had about 2 feet of water in the bottom.

– Winslow Durgin