FARMINGTON – Franklin County commissioners voted 2-1 Tuesday after a public hearing to open four-tenths of a mile on Reed Road in Salem Township for winter maintenance.

Commissioner Gary McGrane of Jay opposed the motion, he said, because he wanted to make sure the contractor would do the extra section of road.

That portion of road had been previously open for winter maintenance but closed because no one lived there at the time, Commissioner Meldon Gilmore of Freeman Township said. It has remained open for summer maintenance.

William and Teresa O’Brien moved to the road last year and maintained the four-tenths of a mile for the past two winters to reach their driveway.

The O’Briens, along with three other residents, petitioned commissioners in February requesting winter maintenance.

Teresa O’Brien cited safety issues, including postal delivery and ambulance service.

The winter maintenance contractor signed on for a three-year contract in 2005 to plow roads in the unorganized territories for $4,675 per mile annually, which includes furnishing sand, salt and anything else needed to do the job.

Wesley Moody, who lives on Reed Road, said that opening that section of road would benefit his family and make better use of the 30 acres they own beyond where plowing stops, which is just beyond their driveway.

His wife, Joanne Moody said she has concerns about emergency services getting to families if needed beyond that point in the winter months.

Commissioner Fred Hardy of New Sharon said he disagreed if the O’Briens were saying the county shut them off from emergency services because they moved up there a mile back (including driveway) from where the road was discontinued for winter maintenance.

Hardy motioned to open the road to winter maintenance with Gilmore seconding it.

In other business, Franklin County Emergency Management Director Tim Hardy said preliminary estimates of damage to municipalities and unorganized townships from the Patriot’s Day storm has reached $290,000.

Franklin County was added to the disaster declaration for public assistance on Monday.

One of the problems in tallying damages, Hardy said, was that a lot of snow banks remained in the northern section of the county, which might cover hidden damages.

He’s encouraging businesses and individuals to report damages.

It doesn’t mean they’ll get assistance, he said, but it does help officials assess the scope of the damage and it may lead to individual assistance, which is under consideration by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Commissioners gave Hardy the approval to look into adding another phone line in his office to aid communication during emergency situations. The cost is $25 a month and if another line has to be run from the pole it would be a one-time charge of $75, he said.

Hardy also discussed having an EMA telephone line transfer to county dispatchers during emergency situations on weekends and evenings at no cost to the county. He also said he and the sheriff discussed adding a third dispatcher during emergency storm situations to help keep field calls on road closures, power outages as well as other emergency calls.

In other business, commissioners voted 2-1, with McGrane opposed to approve a job description for a transport corporal position. Veteran Deputy Albert Smith is the only full-time transport officer and has held the position since January 2006 when commissioners approved it.