MINOT – Selectmen will hold a public hearing before acting on the state’s recommendation to make Old Woodman Hill Road a dead end at Minot Avenue.

Road Manager Arlan Saunders told selectmen this week that he received notice from the Maine Department of Transportation, indicating that it would recommend closing the road at Route 121 by Minot Country Store.

“What they figure is the ideal solution would be to dead-end Old Woodman Hill Road at the top of the hill,” Saunders said.

MDOT’s secondary recommendation, according to Saunders, would be to make Old Woodman Hill Road one way, allowing traffic access from Minot Avenue, also known as Route 121, only. The road would be narrowed to 12 feet from the top of the hill down to Minot Avenue to discourage people from driving down.

Taking Saunders’ word under advisement, selectmen agreed to hold a public hearing before taking any action.

Saunders also told selectmen he had officially posted all town roads to heavy vehicles to prevent damage during spring thawing. He said the road crew is busy thawing culverts to prevent washouts from heavy rain.

Resident Dennis DeCoster asked if there is a contingency plan in case there are more people at the town meeting Saturday than the school can hold.

Town Administrator Gregory Gill said according to a survey of alternate locations, there is nothing else available that day so the meeting would have to be postponed a week.

Selectman Steve French said he understood the school gymnasium’s legal limit is 535 people. Selectmen agreed that they would take appropriate action if that number is exceeded.

In other business, selectmen:

• Amended the amount being sought for insurance on town property in the town meeting warrant to $30,000.

• Adopted a permit fee schedule for junk yards, auto graveyards and recycling businesses.

• Authorized Gill to contact a lawyer to see what he would charge to examine the town’s contract with Adelphia Cable.

Town Treasurer Connie Taker announced that effective April 1, the town’s mailing address will be 329 Woodman Hill Road. Taker said she has begun a changeover process and that the post office will allow the town 18 months for the changeover to be complete, in the meantime she will be notifying vendors of the pending change.