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Residents ask Town of Charlton to clarify maintenance on Highfield and Upper Hill Roads
Summary
Residents and property-management staff for a 30-unit condominium at Highfield Road told the Select Board they have borne full maintenance costs after town plowing stopped; they asked the board for guidance, a list of privately plowed roads, and staff research into the road’s legislative history.
Residents of the Upam/Highfield condominium complex told the Town of Charlton Select Board on June 16 that their association has been covering full maintenance and plowing costs after the town stopped plowing portions of Highfield and Upper Hill roads several years ago.
A property-management assistant who said she works with Laura Alderson and Audrey Aho described rising costs for the association — she estimated association plowing expenses around $40,000 a year — and increased public use by delivery trucks and school buses. “We plow the road ourselves because there was a falling out between a homeowner and the DPW director a few years back,” she said, adding that condominium residents want clarity about whether the town can or should resume plowing or whether a formal acceptance process is required.
The assistant recounted being told in 2019 that the association was responsible for plowing; residents said they have received differing answers from staff and previous DPW directors when they asked whether the town has a private-road plow list or whether petition or town-meeting acceptance would be required to return the road to the town maintenance schedule.
Town staff asked the commenters to provide contact information and said they would research the legislative history and coordinates with the Department of Public Works to determine options. The board’s staff offered to request or compile a list of private roads currently plowed by the town if one exists, and instructed residents to follow up with the town office.
If the town has not formally accepted a road, staff said, the town is generally not responsible for plowing absent a formal acceptance or other agreement; the board did not make a policy determination at the meeting but directed staff to investigate and report back.
The board invited the residents to provide their contact details to a staff member in the town office so staff could investigate and return with findings.
