ROXBURY — Selectmen learned Tuesday night that they’ll have to put off paving the Town Hall parking lot until next spring.

They also unanimously appointed Ashley Hall of Andover as Roxbury’s alternate animal control officer. She will handle matters when ACO Sue Milligan is unavailable.

Selectman Tim Derouche and Chairman John Sutton said the summer and capital road work budget has a balance of $68,955. However, the total costs for construction and paving of the parking lot and construction of the new loop road at Pine View Cemetery totals $81,432.

Breaking that down, they said the Town Hall parking lot paving totals $46,500; plus $26,215 to excavate, surface with gravel and grade the lot and construct a new entrance off Route 17 for the lot; and $8,717 to construct the cemetery road.

Derouche said there are still some small projects left, such as shoulder work on village roads, estimated to cost $5,000; crack-sealing Horseshoe Valley and Old County roads; and shoulder-work grading on Main Street.

What isn’t spent this year in the roadwork balance will go into the capital roads account.

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Sutton said he would like to have the paving done next spring, but get the construction part of the parking lot project completed by Nov. 1.

Derouche said the cost for paving may be less expensive if put out to bid next year. He said he would contact Roxbury roadwork contractor Swasey Excavation of Andover.

“I’ll tell him to hold off on paving unless he can do it for $20,000 less,” Derouche said.

In other business, Selectman Michael Worthley asked if the board could contact the Roxbury Pond Camp Owners Association and get them to move the donated boat dock. Worthley said it was removed from the water and placed where it will get damaged by snowplowing.

“If someone plows this year, it’s going to damage it, so I want it moved,” Worthley said.

Derouche said he would contact the association.

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Selectmen also voted unanimously to approve a National Incident Management System resolution after Sutton explained that it affects getting grants. The town also must have a hazard plan, which Roxbury does, but selectmen decided it needed to be reviewed with the fire chief.

Selectmen agreed to meet with the fire chief at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, and hold their regular meeting at 6 p.m.

The board tabled action on a Main Street property that has a building that has been deemed dangerous. Sutton said the town has received no response from the owner, despite phone calls and letters seeking consent for corrective action. Derouche said the town has already spent $4,000 on paperwork.

Additionally, there is a lien on the property that comes due Jan. 8, 2015.

“If the taxes are not paid by then, it becomes the property of Roxbury,” Sutton said.

The board didn’t know what to do next, since it doesn’t have have the property owner’s consent to remove the structure.

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Code Enforcement Officer Bob Folsom Sr. suggested they could tear it down, but cautioned them not to do it too soon.

Worthley said the town has been pursuing getting the building removed since 2013.

“I don’t know how to proceed when we’re not getting any answer,” Sutton said.

Folsom recommended they contact the Maine Municipal Association for assistance.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com


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