PHILLIPS – Mark and Margaret Cosenza met with Board of Selectmen and Road Commissioner Steve Haines in Phillips on Tuesday to discuss the maintenance of Bray Hill Road.

The Cosenzas, whose new home on Bray Hill Road was completed this summer, were concerned the road would not be properly maintained by the town, even though they had previously been told the town was responsible for its maintenance.

They said that when the road started to get sloppy in spring and needed to be graded, work did not start until they called and asked Steve Haines personally to ensure that it be done.

During the recent snowfall, the road was only partially plowed, which led both to voice concerns that it was not being maintained because they are new to the area.

Town officials said the delay in road maintenance was caused by miscommunication between workers and that in light snowfalls all the gravel roads are left unplowed because the plows pull up more dirt than snow.

The Cosenzas left the meeting after being assured the problem was just a misunderstanding and that the town would maintain the road.

After a brief discussion regarding a household hazardous waste disposal grant application, Town Manager Laura Toothaker addressed the issue of the town’s ambulance subsidy bill and the possibility that Franklin County ambulance service may be consolidated, leaving Phillips without a nearby ambulance base.

Deputy Sheriff Stephen Charles was concerned that, if the town loses its ambulance, no EMTs would be at hand in case of emergency. He explained that since Phillips is far from Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington, a lack of EMT and ambulance service could jeopardize the lives of many in town.

The board discussed the town’s options regarding payment of the bill and the preservation of ambulance service, and a consensus was reached that the town would hold a special meeting about how to deal with the issue.

Toothaker showed selectmen a letter from the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development congratulating Phillips on the replacement of deteriorated water lines, which posed a health risk.

The town had finished the work outlined in a $400,000 public infrastructure grant and was encouraged to apply for additional grants that would allow them to replace the remaining deteriorated lines.