CHESTERVILLE — Residents can use credit cards to pay for services at the Town Office, Treasurer Erin Norton announced at the recent selectmen meeting.

For transactions under $40, a $1 fee is assessed; all others will be assessed 2.45 percent of the payment, she said at Thursday’s meeting.

The treasurer also said residents could pay their tax bills, even though the tax rate hasn’t been set.

“Use your tax bill from last year as a guide,” she said. “Don’t pay the full amount to prevent throwing things off at the Town Office.”

In other business, Road Foreman Mike Cote said he received two quotes to pave the 20- by 60-foot section from 282 Zion’s Hill road toward Farmington known as the ski jump.

Bruce A. Manzer Inc. of Anson offered to do the job for $4,600. King and Sons Paving in Wilton offered to do it for $5,200.

Cote estimated it would cost the town $3,600 if its crew did the work, plus it would take them away from other projects.

Selectmen voted to have Manzer do the paving. There is money in the road budget to cover the difference.

In other business, the board was updated on the Franklin Broadband Initiative. An informational meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19, at the Town Hall for residents to comment.

The Opportunity Center of North Franklin County has been working with 17 towns and four plantations in Franklin County and Livermore Falls in Androscoggin County to improve access to high-speed internet service.

In addition to funding from grants and the county, each town was asked to pay $20.25 per mile of road to cover the cost of a survey. The survey would document existing internet services, identify gaps in coverage and estimate the cost to fill those gaps. 

In August, the board tabled the request for $911.86, based on the 45.03 road miles in Chesterville, in part, because there wasn’t money in the budget for the study.

The board was told all other towns will fund the study.

“I’ll be more comfortable if I can see where we can take the money from,” Selectman Edward Hastings IV said.

On Monday, Vice Chairman Tiffany Estabrook said a resident is willing to donate part of the cost. By Oct. 19, all costs may be covered privately, she said.

pharnden@sunmediagroup.net

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