HARTFORD — Selectman Jack Plumley told the board Thursday night that he received many complaints on the condition of roads, especially during the last storm. He said an emergency vehicle couldn’t get through on Church Street and private plowing contractor Dave Bowen of Hartford had to plow the road.

Resident Jeff Murray said he had no complaints about the plowing done last year, but this year was different.

“Church Street was deplorable and I had to have Bowen plow ahead of me so I could get through,” he said. Bowen and Murray live in the Pine Shores development, which is accessible from Church Street.

The town hired Willie Bragg to plow its roads this winter. He was not at the meeting Thursday.

The board voted to deduct the amount of Bowen’s bill for clearing Church Street from Bragg’s contract.

Hartford has 47.34 miles of roads and the state suggests that towns have a truck for every 10 miles. Bragg has two trucks working this winter.

Murray said Bragg should be upgrading his equipment every year to be ready for the storms. He also said sand was inadequate and not evenly distributed on the roads.

Plumley said Road Commissioner Jeremy Johnson didn’t have the right to call Bowen; that there is a chain of command for the contractor to be called first.

Selectman Zoe Cowett noted it was an emergency and neither the plow contractor nor a selectman could be reached.

In other business, the board suggested that the Recreation and Sports committees work together on deciding how the condition of the old railroad bed could be improved for year-round fitness walking, skiing and snowshoeing. Elizabeth Gravalos said the railroad bed is dangerous and can not be used safely.

Shawn and Karen Henderson said the activities of the two committees were too different to be combined, but they could have a meeting to discuss common needs.

Selectman Lee Holman said she was able to get the license plate number for the truck that was illegally dumping trash in the dumpster on Labrador Pond Road. The truck was registered both in Lewiston and Wilton. Holman will be talking to state officials on how to take action against the owners of the truck.

People are still needed as alternates to the Planning Board and the Road Committee, and as members to the Solid Waste Committee.

The board did not make a final decision on how to handle the $131,118 left over from SAD 39.