Moultonboro approves funding for Ossipee Park fix
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| March 20, 2008 MOULTONBORO — A hard road to travel was given a boost as voters approved $392,000 to be combined with a $600,000 donation from bottling company CG Roxane to reconstruct Ossipee Park Road. That doesn't mean the way to the vote was easily reached. Many residents objected to spending that amount when they blamed the company's trucks for damaging the road in the first place. | |||
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| In an irony, the bottled water drunk by most residents from the lunch during the all-day meeting had been provided by CG Roxane. "I would like to see a provision in this article for the future, that CG Roxane would be responsible for all maintenance from this time forward," said John Anderson. "The road was rebuilt nine years ago. They get water for free, they should at least pay for the road." Many spoke in favor of establishing a load limit on the road, closing it to large trucks during mud season, a move which the Board of Selectmen said they weren't certain could be legally done. Board Chair Karel Crawford also pointed out that shutting down Ossipee Park Road for six weeks would essentially shut down CG Roxane for six weeks. "If we close the road, then we would be closing the business down, and setting the town up for a lawsuit," said Crawford. Eric Taussig introduced an amendment to the article, reducing the town's portion for road reconstruction to $42,000, the proportionate amount, Taussig said, to the vehicle traffic on the road that is not part of CG Roxane. Selectman Joel Mudget concurred with Crawford's earlier statements, noting that as Ossipee Park Road is a town road, the town is liable for its maintenance. Selectman Ed Charest also noted that "if we do not repair the road, I'm also concerned for the selectmen, as we are liable." If the town did not repair Ossipee Park Road, Town Counsel Peter Minkow said that any individual, corporate or individual person, suffered damages as a result of the damaged road, the town would be likely to lose money, and "the suit would be lost." "I'm concerned about the town's liability, not so much the selectmen's," said Minkow. "They have some protection, but if the amendment passes, the $600,000 goes away. It was a voluntary contribution." The amendment was defeated, but immediately afterward, Jerry Hopkins proposed another amendment, for the town to pay $42,000, if CG Roxane stepped up its donation to $950,000. Several spoke against this, saying that the company was unlikely to do so. Several others spoke up in support of the original warrant article, noting that it might be better than the alternative. "Non of us like paying for the damage that others have done," said Judy Rich. "But if we don't the whole bill is on us. Now it's just a third." The amendment was defeated. A third amendment from John Anderson to make CG Roxane responsible for all future repairs was not recommended by Minkow, and failed to receive a second. A ballot vote approved the article, 189-97. In other Town Meeting business, the town approved $3,000 for the Senior Needs Committee and $232,652 for Capital Outlay purchases. The passage of $543,024 for several Capital Reserve Accounts hit a snag when some objected to putting $400,000 in an account slated for Municipal Buildings. Crawford explained that little funding had been put into the account in recent years, and that improvements to the waste management facility or repairs to the roof in the Town Hall would likely be necessary over the next few years. After learning that $400,000 could not be withdrawn from a particular account, attempts to amend the budget by taking out that amount were defeated in a vote of 131-71. The warrant article then passed. Funding for Articles 18-27 were approved in one fell swoop. Articles asking for assistance to help combat milfoil in Green's Basin and Lee's Pond were approved, while the one from Hemlock Harbor was not approved. Voters also rejected the adoption of an RSA that would have given people heating or powering their homes through solar energy a tax exemption of $10,000 in a vote of 93-73. The town operating budget was approved, along with amendments lifting its total to $7,812,986. Crawford said that the addition of $423,000 was in part to help the Highway Department deal with the costs of the winter season, and to pay off debt service and a long-term bond. The town is soliciting input on whether or not the move of the School District and Town Meetings to Saturday worked for residents. Comments can be sent to mborosel@worldpath.net, or to Town Hall. | |
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