BUCKFIELD – Selectmen agreed Tuesday night to post East Buckfield, Bear Pond, Paris Hill and North Hill Roads to prevent through-trucks with more than two axels from using them year-round. The action followed adoption of an ordinance and public hearing.

Diana Dunn, resident of North Hill, thanked the board for putting the issue on the agenda. “This is not a personal ‘pet peeve’ with me, but I am concerned that heavy truck traffic will damage our roads and increase cost to taxpayers,” Dunn said.

The no-through-truck-traffic ordinance was approved after an amendment was recommended.

Selectman John Lowell said he felt the wording that applied to “already” established trucking companies, would limit new businesses from coming to town. The board removed the word “already.”

Other exemptions include emergency vehicles, moving vans, school buses and delivery trucks. The fines will be $50 for the first offense and $100 for the second.

After a lengthy discussion, it was voted to maintain the new sidewalks in the village. The town voted down buying equipment for clearing the sidewalks in the annual town meeting in June.

Town Manager Glen Holmes said clearing High Street sidewalks was too dangerous because freezing on the hilly walks would make them too slippery.

Lowell said he didn’t think it was fair to only clear some of the sidewalks in the village.

“The town approved money for economic development and yet you would not clear sidewalks so people from all over the country who come to performances at the Odd Fellows Theater would have to walk in the streets,” Dick Piper said.

Another person cited tradition. “For years we’ve made it through without clearing sidewalks,” Fred Cooper said.

Piper asked about the old people from the retirement home coming to the village for the barbershop, bank or Hart’s Pizza?

Cooper countered, “You get to know your neighbors and know their needs and offer rides. That’s what the community of Buckfield is all about.”

In other business, Holmes asked the board for guidance on the 2009-10 budget and was told to hold it as close to a flat line as he could. Selectman Chip Richardson said with all prices going up, he would like to see no more than a 3 percent increase.

Holmes said Buckfield roads were some of the best in the county, but if some major work such as culverts, a bridge replacement and some paving are not done this coming year, the roads will suffer. He agreed to bring a budget to the board that was as flat as he could make it.

The board signed the warrant for a special election for Regional School Unit 10 board members. Jerry Wiley and Maida Demers Dobson have taken out papers. The election will be Jan. 15 with polls open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.