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Residents press board over proposed Pine River Path renaming after 911 dispatch errors
Summary
Residents of Lost Valley urged the board to seek alternatives to a full street‑name change after E911 requested updates to reduce dispatch confusion; speakers cited past misdispatches, discussed address and mail impacts, and asked for a meeting with the state's E911 representative.
Residents from the Lost Valley neighborhood asked the selectboard to explore options other than a wholesale street‑name change after the state E911 office flagged similar road names that can cause dispatch errors. A board member opened the floor to the public, noting E911's insistence that names be distinct; several residents described logistical and emotional costs to changing mailing addresses.
Several speakers described safety incidents as the reason for the state's review. The fire representative recounted that in at least one case "the fire department went to the wrong road... and somebody ended up dying because of it," using that example to explain E911's urgency. Neighbors pushed back with practical concerns — reissuing mortgages, notifying dozens of contacts and businesses — and proposed alternatives such as adding a local designator (for example, "Lost Valley") or a fire‑lane/run‑card identifier that would leave mailing addresses intact while giving dispatch a distinct label. The board agreed to invite Zach from E911 to a future meeting to answer technical questions and to improve advance notice to residents before any formal action.
