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Selectmen press road agent for advance notice after schedule shift, address drainage complaint
Summary
Road Agent Ty Bryant briefed the Board on bridge and culvert work, a shift to a four-day 10-hour summer schedule, and a drainage complaint on Upper Road; selectmen said future schedule changes must be communicated in advance and expressed concern about crew availability after a report that crew members traveled out of state for uniform purchases.
Ty Bryant, the town’s Road Agent, told the Board of Selectmen on April 20 that his crew has been working on bridge maintenance, culvert repairs and spot treatment of gravel roads and that full-length road grading will begin once surfaces dry. He said he will engage the town engineer and arrange a site visit with a property owner who raised drainage concerns on Upper Road.
Bryant said the highway department recently shifted to a summer schedule of four 10-hour workdays to allow some projects to be completed in one day rather than over multiple visits. "The longer workdays allow for some projects to be completed in one day as opposed to returning to a site over multiple days," Delaney reported the Road Agent explained.
A member of the public reported the highway crew was out of state during the workday to purchase uniforms after the department terminated a uniform-service contract. Bryant said the crew travels once annually for uniform purchases because the vendor has no local shops. Selectmen Joanne Haight said it is best to avoid situations where the entire crew is traveling at one time, and Adam Heard stressed that public trust and obligation to the taxpayer differ from managerial discretion in private business.
The Board also said it expects advance notice before major schedule changes. "Communication with the Board is always a priority for any major changes; the Board agreed advance notice will be required prior to changes next year," Haight said. Town Administrator Courtney Delaney noted the department has historically moved to a summer schedule closer to Memorial Day and will follow up with department heads on notification practice.
The Board did not take formal action on the drainage matter at the meeting; Bryant said he will pursue an engineering review and coordinate a site visit with the property owner.
