Livermore Falls approves agreement on clearing snow from bridge sidewalk

Livermore Falls public works employees cleared the town’s section of the sidewalk Feb. 10 on the Androscoggin River Bridge on Route 4 between Livermore and Livermore Falls. Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal

LIVERMORE FALLS — Selectmen voted Tuesday to approve a verbal agreement discussed by the town’s custodian and the man who clears snow from Livermore’s side of the sidewalk on the bridge over the Androscoggin River.

Livermore Falls custodian Gary Dorr would do the entire sidewalk one snowstorm and Brad Buzzell who was hired by Livermore to do its side, would do it the next storm, interim Town Manager Amanda Allen said. Livermore is paying Buzzell $150 per storm.

No money will be exchanged, she said.

Livermore Falls pays Dorr an hourly wage for his custodian duties.

The agreement is for this year only. The matter will be discussed next year.

Both towns’ are responsible to keep their sides of the sidewalk clear of snow. A Livermore man complained last month to both towns and the Sun Journal after he watched an older woman struggle to get up on icy snowbanks on the uncleared sidewalk. Mark Whiting was afraid she was going to get hit by a commercial vehicle.

In other business, selectmen are seeking residents to serve on the town’s Budget Committee. There are only five or six members and there needs to be nine, according to a policy adopted in 2006. Interested members should go to the Town Office to be sworn in so they can be appointed by selectmen. No employee of the town may serve on the committee.

Members will serve for three years, except they shall continue in office until their successors are appointed. The initial terms shall be staggered so a nearly equal number of terms expire annually. Among the members’ duties in their advisory capacity, is to review and make recommendations on the annual operating budget as proposed by municipal officers and the town manager; review and make recommendations on annual capital expenditures as proposed by the municipal officers and town manager.

Selectmen began their preliminary review of the budgets from the Police Department and the Public Works Department. They also began review of donation requests.