Board: Sabattus Selectmen

Met: Tuesday night

Seeing red

Issue: The town’s long been after traffic lights for the Route 126 and Route 132 intersection. They’re finally up and on.

The scoop: Motorists have already been spotted running red lights.

Up next: Police Chief Thomas Fales is going to step up patrols in the area.

Sidewalks to start

Issue: At town meeting, voters approved matching funds to build new sidewalks downtown on Main and High streets.

The scoop: Selectmen gave Town Manager Rick Bates the OK to sign an agreement with the Department of Transportation to start work.

Up next: Bates said there might be grant money to go after next year to extend the new sidewalks to the elementary school.

TM to decide budget cuts, free coffee

Issue: Public works director Alan LeBlanc laid out three options to make up for a $42,000 budget cut passed at town meeting.

The scoop: Keep all staff but work with less; lay off one person and have more money for items like culvert replacement; or lay off two people and have more money for salt, sand and other purchases.

Up next: Different options appealed to different selectmen. Bates is going to make the final decision with LeBlanc.

Issue: Selectmen also decided to leave up to Bates whether or not to continue the longtime tradition of free coffee to the office staff, which costs about $800 a year.

Future dates

Issue: Selectmen called a public hearing for July 20 at 6:30 p.m. on whether or not to post Jordan Bridge Road with a weight limit.

Issue: Fire Chief Don Therrien will propose reorganizing the Fire Department at the next selectmen’s meeting July 6.

Staff writer Kathryn Skelton can be reached at 689-2844 or [email protected]