DIXFIELD — It’s a situation where a serious accident will inevitably happen. 

Dixfield Chief of Police Richard Pickett expressed this sentiment at the Dixfield Board of Selectmen meeting Monday evening concerning certain problem areas of ATV usage in the town.

Pickett’s concern about dangerous ATV use in Dixfield was elevated when a town resident brought a video showing significant illegal ATV use to his attention.

A specific concern Pickett expressed to the board Monday night was the continued use of the Aunt Hannah Bridge, near Route 142, after its announced closure last month.

“There’s confusion about its closed status due to the lack of any signage there saying it is closed,” Pickett said. “I will be talking with Maine Department of Transportation officials about signage there.”

Furthermore, Pickett requested that the board make it their policy to ban the use of ATVs on town-owned property other than ways maintained for vehicular traffic. Pickett gave an itemized list of town-owned roads that would allow ATV riders to obtain gas, food and other services.

Pickett also stated that ATV users must comply with several specified rules on public ways, such as operating their vehicles at a speed of no more than 10 mph and yielding to all other vehicles.

“I am a ATV supporter,” Pickett said. “This is an ATV town with lots of great trails. I just don’t want to have anyone get hurt.”

In other Dixfield Board of Selectmen news:

* The Dixfield Police Department’s Operation Sunshine is adding new members. The operation has police officers acting as advocates for the town’s senior citizens. Some of the activities performed under Operation Sunshine are weekly phone calls to senior citizens to check on their welfare coupled with monthly face-to-face visits.

* Stephen Donahue was re-elected to be chairman of the Board of Selectmen and Norine Clarke was voted to be assistant chairman.

* The East Dixfield Fire Department has a new fire truck. Selectmen honored Fire Chief Dennett’s request to keep DFD Engine 1 as a reserve truck and store it with the new truck at East Dixfield.

* The selectmen voted to expand the municipal ban on smoking in municipal buildings to smoking in town parks.

* The Dixfield Water Department has 90 percent of one third of the fire hydrants checked. Each year the Water Department checks on one third of the hydrants. Also, the fire hydrant at the corner of Bradley and Brackett streets has been replaced.

* Installation of water pipes will be happening this summer. All people that will be affected by brief water shut-offs will be notified and given a schedule for the temporary inconvenience.

* The selectmen decided to re-pave a portion of North Street at a cost of $19,000. It was decided that the $7,000 difference in cost between trench paving and full paving was worth it due to the added longevity that full paving offered.

* David Phair, the town’s public works supervisor, was given the go-ahead by the board to explore replacement options for the town’s 2000 Ford F550 service truck. It was decided that even though the town truck had only 56,000 miles on it, it would be too costly to repair the many safety and mechanical issues plaguing the truck.

* Charlotte Collins, the town’s treasurer and secretary, was lauded for her entry that won the MMA “Then and Now” calendar contest. Photographs of the town will be featured on the 2011 MMA calendar.

* The next Dixfield Selectmen’s meeting will be held on Monday, Aug. 8, at the town office.

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