MINOT – Selectmen declared Monday night that portions of five town roads are officially abandoned. They are:

• Old Route 124 from Joe Town Road to the new Route 124.

• A mile of Bradbury Hill Road from Joe Brown’s house to Brighton Hill Road.

• A mile of Jarvi Road from Bradbury Hill Road to Harris Road.

• Two miles of North Verrill Road from beyond John Hemond’s farm to Woodman Hill Road.

• A half-mile of Jackass Annie Road from Mountain Road to Pottle Hill Road.

The selectmen’s votes were all unanimous, and selectmen signed notices declaring their determination of abandonment to be recorded in the Androscoggin County Registry of Deeds.

Selectmen believe several other town roads meet the criteria for statutory abandonment, and they directed Town Administrator Gregory Gill to prepare the paperwork for them.

Selectmen are clearing up the status of these roads in order to limit the town’s responsibility and costs for developing them to town standards and maintaining them. If roads are officially abandoned, the town isn’t liable for the losses in property value along them.

In other business, the board:

• Approved a $10,000 contract with the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments to review town ordinances and update the town comprehensive plan.

• Appointed Michael Callahan and Tammy Gary to the comprehensive plan update/ordinance review committee.

• Accepted, with regret, George Buker’s resignation from the Budget Committee.

Selectmen also accepted the engineer’s report indicating that Arthur’s Way meets the town’s minimum street requirements and voted to approve it as a town road. Residents must vote on it at the March town meeting.

Selectmen awarded the winter sand bid to Albert Hemond for $1.95 per yard, loaded in his pit, and took no action in seeking bids to take the sand to the pile at the town garage.

Road Manager Arlan Saunders said he is working on an agreement with the Mechanic Falls Highway Department to share transportation costs for both towns’ sand piles. He said it appears the combined efforts could keep costs below what Minot paid last year.

Selectman Ralph Gilpatrick reported that negotiations with workers compensation insurance providers has reduced the amount the town will be charged for the two-day gap in coverage during the switch to MMA’s plan.

The charge goes from $6,041 to $1,116.