Government at a glance

Board: Minot Selectmen
Met: Monday, Dec. 14

Danger zone

Issue: The intersection of Old Woodman Hill Road and Minot Avenue, across from the Minot Country Store, has been a dangerous one, particularly for motorists exiting Old Woodman Hill Road onto Minot Avenue.

The scoop: West Minot resident James Brown told selectmen that a relative of his, who has seldom visited Minot, recently was directed by her GPS to travel down Old Woodman Hill Road en route to Auburn and the Maine Turnpike. Brown reported his relative was nearly mowed down by a westbound tractor-trailer. Selectmen noted that Old Woodman Hill Road is posted for “no through traffic” in an effort to reduce motorists’ chances of running into that intersection’s dangers. Fire Chief Steve French said that recent Maine Department of Transportation improvements to Minot Avenue appear to have reduced the number of accidents at the intersection, but he suspected nothing short of closing off that end of Old Woodman Hill Road would cure the problem.

Town election

The scoop: Town Clerk Angeliec Goulding announced that nomination papers are available for residents seeking to place their names on the ballot at town meeting. Voters will elect two people to the positions on the Board of Selectmen currently held by Steve French and Dan Gilpatric, and one to the Regional School Unit 16 School Committee, the seat currently held by Steve Holbrook.

Up next: Completed nomination papers are due at the Town Office by Jan. 20. The election is scheduled for Friday, March 5.

School audit

The scoop: Town Administrator Arlen Saunders reported that the final audit of the Minot School Department’s accounts is completed and he expects to meet with the regional school unit auditor on Dec. 21 to review the audit. This audit ends the town of Minot’s direct oversight of the school budget and contains the final figure for the settlement of accounts.

Winter roads

The scoop: Highway Foreman Scott Parker reported that, with snow finally here, town crews have been plowing and sanding about every other day. Selectman Dan Callahan commended Parker for continuing to ensure that Minot’s roads are “great,” compared to those in other towns.

Schoolyard sanding

The scoop: Saunders reported a communication from Regional School Unit 16 Superintendent Dennis Duquette asking if the town would sand the schoolyard at a price of $100 per sanding. Selectmen agreed to the arrangement.

—Winslow Durgin