Orford road agent details culvert, ditch and reclamation plans; selectboard flags funding limits

At the July 23 meeting Road Agent Nutter described multiple maintenance and repair plans for town roads. Crews have been pulling problematic ditches and completing sand sifting; roadside mowing appears improved from last year. Nutter said a contractor recently excavated 12 to 15 feet at a site and that he built a berm around the area for safety.

Nutter reported that culverts for the Indian Pond culvert project have been ordered and will be stored alongside the beach access road, with caution tape around the materials; fabric and matting will be brought to the highway shop and gravel and stone will be delivered before work begins. He also said the Mud Turtle Pond road requires ditch cleanup and culvert attention; Charles Smith will meet with a landowner whose berm will need removal to restore proper drainage.

The board reviewed historical access on Tannery Road (a 1948 vote discontinued 20 feet on both sides of the bridge) and noted a new owner wants to install a gate but has access only to the center of the discontinued roadway. Nutter asked to reclaim portions of Archertown and Townshed roads but said using reclaimed material could damage plow trucks; he estimated reclamation of both sections at about $10,000. Chair Kevin Follensbee said funds do not appear available for that work at this time.

Separately, Larry Taylor reported the Road Committee reviewed a $58,000 estimate to cover the grader and discussed changing the type of gravel used on town roads. The board also heard that NH DOT requested estimates and plans for the Jacobs Brook bridge (Archertown Road) to keep an August bidding schedule.

The minutes record the board’s discussion and concerns but do not show votes or funding allocations for the reclamation work; any authorization or budget transfer would need to be made at a future meeting.