Select board adopts posted road ordinance allowing seasonal postings, enforcement by sheriff

The select board voted Feb. 19 to adopt a posted road ordinance that will allow the town to post roads seasonally and provide for enforcement by the sheriff's office if the ordinance cites applicable state regulations.

The ordinance was introduced at a public hearing at the start of the meeting. During the hearing a committee member said, "So, this will make it legal for us to post the roads and enforce it through the sheriff's," and reminded the board that enforcement depends on citing state regulations. Board members discussed notifying local contractors in advance and asked about hauling rules when temperatures are below 32 degrees.

After public remarks, a board member moved to close the hearing; another member seconded the motion and the board approved the motion. The board then took up the ordinance under new business. A member moved to adopt the posted road ordinance; the motion was seconded, the board voted in favor and members prepared to sign the ordinance during the meeting.

Board members noted the ordinance had been discussed for some time and expressed appreciation for getting the item finalized. The transcript records the board's approval and an instruction to sign the ordinance; no effective date or implementation timeline was specified in the meeting minutes.

What it means: the ordinance gives the town the local authority to post roads and to rely on the sheriff's office for enforcement when the ordinance is written to align with state regulations. The board discussed outreach to local contractors and operational details such as hauling limits at low temperatures; those implementation details were discussed but not set as formal conditions in the ordinance during the meeting.