CANTON — Selectmen met with some Livermore residents Thursday night about gating the Livermore and Canton ends of Meadowview Road to curb illegal dumping and road abuse.

After discussion, both groups decided to work together to resolve the problem.

Ray Hamilton and Dennis Sol said they were given permission by Livermore selectmen to gate the Livermore end.

In April, Canton selectmen unanimously voted to have Administrator Scotty Kilbreth get prices for two gates for either end of the road.

There are places along the road that have been proverbial party spots for young people from the Jay, Livermore Falls and Canton areas for many decades. Additionally, people have been wrecking the road as the frost is leaving by driving pickup trucks with overly large tires that rut it up.

“We just wanted to get together and see what your intentions were so as not to have one side open and the other side closed,” Selectman Rob Walker said.

Sol said he and Hamilton have been developing a gate for the Livermore end. Hamilton said emergency vehicles, landowners and people who need access along the road will have a key for the gate lock.

“Are you intending to keep the gate closed?” Canton Board of Selectmen Chairman Donny Hutchins asked.

“Yes, at all times,” Sol said.

Hamilton said the Canton end will be closed from late winter, when the snow goes, to past mud season to protect the road. “That’s what we’re hoping,” he said.

Sol said they would make provisions so that four-wheel all-terrain vehicles that use the road for a trail can still get through, along with snowmobiles.

“So just so I’m clear, when the snow melts in the spring to winter, that gate’s going to be closed, is that correct?” Hutchins asked.

“Yes,” Hamilton said.

Hutchins said Canton selectmen have to be concerned about a cemetery on their end, and providing public access to it.

Selectman Malcolm Ray suggested using one lock at either gate that uses the same key. Neither Hamilton nor Sol saw that as a problem.

Hamilton said some landowners have already posted their land and E.J. Carrier Inc. of Jackman, which owns about 1,300 acres in the area, is mulling posting its land, too.

“They’re tired of all the litter and fires in there, so everybody out there is in favor of gates,” Hamilton said.

“Sounds like the start of a good partnership,” Hutchins said.

Walker said Canton doesn’t have its gate assembled yet but they have an idea where to place it. Hamilton said they will have their gate assembled soon and installed within the next month or two.

“Maybe you guys can push us, tell us when you’re doing yours and we can try and meet that deadline and get ours in as soon as we can,” Hutchins said.

He said that since both groups have been talking seriously about gating both ends of the road, many of the problems have ended.

“I’ll tell you, just the word that got out that gates were going in . . . problems have decreased 90 percent,” Hamilton said. “It’s incredible. It’s going to be a good thing and it will protect that road.”

Hutchins said he was also concerned about partiers igniting the forest in the area by hauling in tons of trash and starting bonfires.

“If 1,300 acres goes up, that’s a big fire,” Hamilton said.

tkarkos@sunmediagroup.net

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