JAY – A claim from a Jewell Street resident who said that sewer, drainage and roadwork done in 2002 caused excess water to run onto his property, damaging his garage, house trailer and swimming pool, was denied by selectmen Monday night.
Dick Moreau had requested that the town pay $47,000 for repairs to his property, Town Manager Ruth Marden said.
“This went to the insurance company and the insurance company refused it,” Selectman William Harlow said. He said that legal counsel had said neither the town, nor any “government entity,” was liable for such a claim.
“We really have no way to give money on that sort of claim,” he said.
“What is the plan now to take care of the water problem on Jewell Street?” Moreau asked.
Highway foreman John Johnson said that Moreau’s biggest problem was a brook that was overflowing across the street and running down to his property in heavy rain. Also, a neighbor’s sump pump sends water in Moreau’s direction. Controlling the brook would require a drainage easement from one of Moreau’s neighbors to access the brook and could be taken care of by cleaning out a ditch that has begun to fill in.
“I don’t mind helping out, but I don’t want there to be the perception that we’re saying, Yes, we did something wrong,'” when the roadwork was done in 2002, Harlow said.
Johnson also said that curbing was another possibility and that Moreau could build up a berm on his property. He said the town could give Moreau the fill to do the job and he would be willing to help Moreau if that is what selectmen wanted.
In other business, selectmen voted to donate $5,000 from rec funds for playground equipment at the elementary school. Much of the equipment is in disrepair, but some is thought to be salvageable. The donation was conditional upon an insurance agent’s approval of the plans for the playground equipment and a maintenance plan for upkeep of the equipment by the school.
The board also voted to have Steve Gettle, timberland services manager for Timber Resource Inc., draw up a contract on developing a forest management plan for the town’s three woodlots.
One of the lots, a little less than 200 acres behind the Jay High School also known as the Jay Rec area, is a valuable piece of property for the town, not only in wood but as a learning tool for area students, Gettle has said.
Rob Taylor, the high school’s gifted and talented director and Envirothon coach, said students could study small plots of land to see how they change, grow, die and create a database with that information.
Taylor was also at the meeting to request that the Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District be allowed to use the Jay Rec land for an Envirothon training session for Franklin, Androscoggin and Oxford students. Envirothons test students in their knowledge of forestry, soils, aquatics and wildlife. Taylor said the conservation district would provide the needed personnel but may rely on the town to dig a hole for a soil analysis test with one of its backhoes.
Also at their meeting Monday night, selectmen denied a request from a Bridge Street resident to post no parking signs on the street but suggested residents call the police if a car is parked in the roadway.
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