CHESTERVILLE — Selectmen have voted to finish paving Zion Hill Road this summer on the recommendation of contractor Bruce Manzer.

Manzer and Gerard Bourassa of Bruce A. Manzer Inc. of Anson, along with Road Foreman Mike Cote, met with the board Thursday to consider the town’s road priorities.

Manzer offered to pave a 40-foot section for $32,210 and a 1,400-foot section for $97,495, and the board accepted the bids.

Voters this year raised $120,000 and authorized $42,300 from the Maine Local Roads Assistance Program for major road improvements. 

Selectman Vice Chairman Tiffany Estabrook asked Manzer if he recommended doing the rest of Zion Hill Road this year or doing sections of other roads.

“We’re trying to match the roads in the worst condition with your checkbook,” Manzer said. “The problem with doing 500 feet here, 400 feet there, is there is no production. You need to add in equipment moves and extra labor.”

The two sections of Zion Hill Road he will do this summer will complete upgrades to that road.

Regarding a long-term road plan, Manzer said spending $100,000 per year isn’t an acceptable standard when the projected cost to bring Chesterville’s roads to where they should be is $2.7 million.

“The roads didn’t erode overnight,” Manzer said. “You can’t afford to fix them overnight. You have to spend every dollar you have as smart as you can.”

Cote said one side of Zion Hill Road needs to be ditched before it’s paved and that can be done fairly quickly.

“With all the work that needs to be done on Egypt Pond Road, it was suggested we get the ditching work done, let it settle this year and pave it next year.” 

In other business, Selectman Ross Clair suggested the board consider discussing soon whether to meet less frequently.

“We could meet every week if needed, but let’s talk about possibly meeting less often,” Clair said.

pharnden@sunmediagroup.net

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