The Fayette Select Board met on Oct. 15 at Fayette Central School to discuss upcoming road paving projects and town improvements, including a $50,000 grant for a needs assessment of older residents in Fayette. Franklin Journal file photo

FAYETTE —The Fayette Select Board focused on road paving projects and the acceptance of a $50,000 grant during its Oct. 15 meeting with Town Manager Mark Robinson providing updates on upcoming construction and the town’s efforts to address the needs of older residents.

Robinson provided updates on upcoming road work, noting that several paving projects are set to begin soon. “The fire station parking lot will be paved, Limberlost Road will be paved, Russell Road will be paved,” Robinson said. “All that work will start very, very soon, hopefully the end of the week.”

Sandy River Road is slated for reclamation and paving, a process expected to take two weeks. “Sandy River Road is in worse shape than Baldwin Hill Road, so we’re going to deal with that,” Robinson explained. However, he added that Baldwin Hill Road would not be paved this year as originally planned. “We’re just going to run out of season,” he said. “Of the two roads, Sandy River Road is going to take more time. We just hope we will have enough season left because we’re at the end of the year here.”

The paving season typically wraps up around Thanksgiving, according to Robinson. “That hasn’t changed,” he said. “It will be the middle of November by the time this is all done. We’re pushing it.”

Robinson also discussed plans for a shim and overlay on Campground Road while Spencer Paving Group is in town. “Yes, we’ll call it putting lipstick on the pig, but it’s in okay shape for a shim and overlay,” Robinson said. He noted that keeping Spencer Paving around while waiting for the reclaim work on Sandy River Road creates an opportunity to address Campground Road. “That’s the idea,” he added.

“Campground Road is town maintained,” Robinson said in an email after the meeting. “We have asked the MDOT [Maine Department of Transportation] to consider including it as part of their responsibility to maintain. We would still plow and provide winter maintenance. We are working in cooperation with the town of Livermore Falls on this and we are at the earliest of the discussion phase.”

He also shared that Limberlost Road has undergone gravel and ditching work and is now awaiting fine grading from Manzer before paving. The fire station parking lot project has been expanded to include a connection to Watson Heights Road, which will also be paved. A 12-inch culvert is being installed to address drainage issues along the gravel stretch.

In other business, Robinson congratulated Planning Board member Mary Ann Hayes on securing a conditional $50,000 grant for the town. “We worked on the LD 2003 requirement and submitted for a grant earlier this year,” Hayes said. “We have an interest in helping the all-ages committee and in assisting people to stay in their homes.”

The grant will be used for a needs assessment of older residents, creation of a “good neighbor” guide for short-term rental properties, and improvements in land use permitting. Robinson asked Hayes if it was feasible for the board to move forward with accepting the grant. “We have yet to know the terms of the grant and timeline,” Hayes replied. “Everyone is going to be six months behind at best.”

The board also approved a resident’s request for an excise tax exemption for active duty military personnel currently serving overseas, pending the completion of the required application form. “We already do this for disabled veterans,” Robinson noted.

With Election Day approaching, Robinson remarked that the town office has been “busy and robust” as they prepare for the upcoming vote.