Selectboard hears road-project updates as equipment repairs and bridge costs loom

Road Agent Ted Nutter told the Orford Selectboard on Sept. 25 that Phase II of recent road work is complete but the town is still awaiting final invoices from contractors and engineers.

Nutter said Phase I punch-list work continues: additional erosion stone is needed (estimated at $10,000), delineators must be placed at culvert ends and additional signage is required. He recommended budgeting for or placing a warrant article to fund a compacter for culvert work in 2025.

Nutter reported the Indian Pond dual-culverts project lacks an approved wetland permit from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and is unlikely to be completed this year. He raised concerns about winter plowing and heavy vehicle traffic on the road in its current condition; engineers had advised posting a 20-ton limit, but the Selectboard agreed to leave the road posted as-is.

The Mousley Brook culvert remains a FEMA project dating to 2017; the design is with FEMA for a determination on whether a bridge should replace a box culvert.

Selectboard members flagged a larger bridge issue on High Bridge Road. Members reviewed a March 2023 state estimate to replace the bridge and buttresses at $1,442,400, with an 80/20 state/town share split that would leave Orford responsible for about $288,480. Selectboard member Chase Kling suggested asking voters via a warrant article whether the town should proceed with the replacement.

Equipment needs and costs also drew attention. Nutter said the town's loader requires multiple repairs — a leaking turbo, center-pin replacements and new tires — and that the fuel tank contains debris causing repeated filter changes. He provided a repair estimate of $28,000; leasing a replacement loader would cost just under $24,000 for the year. The Selectboard asked that Kevin Knapp review the loader to determine whether lower-cost repairs are possible.

The board authorized hiring contractor Jeff Andrews to sift 3,200 yards of sand at $4.55 per yard (an estimated $14,500), to be paid from the Highway gravel expense line item. Other vehicle items discussed included warranty replacement of incorrect rear springs on the Western Star 6-wheeler and a scheduled radio installation for the 2023 F-550.

Chase Kling reviewed proposed paving projects for 2025'027 and asked Nutter to obtain cost estimates for Archertown Road Phase I top cost and for reclaiming and paving the section from the end of Phase II to Norris Road.

The meeting record shows the board is facing multiple project dependencies (state permits, FEMA approvals, utility coordination) and a set of near-term equipment decisions that could affect the 2025 operating and warrant budgets.