Decision on Greenville ATV access postponed

Staff Report

    GREENVILLE — The Greenville Board of Selectmen debated the request to add more ATV access routes to the community at last week’s meeting, but decided to postpone final action until the Dec. 18 session.
    The board is almost evenly divided over granting the additional access, according to minutes of the Dec. 4 meeting. Bruce Hanson and Chairman Bonnie DuBien are opposed to the expansion while Bruce Wyman, Craig Watt and Richard Peat favor it.

    Hanson said he opposed the request due to “many negative comments he’s received from property owners along the proposed route.”
    Wyman said he favored the request, noting the number of other communities which are opening up their roads to ATV traffic.
    Watt also expressed support for the request if it would serve as a “temporary stop-gap until the off-road trail could be fixed.” He also expressed interest in an alternative ATV access route over Pleasant Street and East Road.
    Peat said he backed the route expansion in order to keep the trail network whole, but said he “adamantly opposed opening the downtown intersection to ATV traffic,” citing the pedestrian traffic in and out of the drug store by elderly customers. 
    DuBien reiterated her opposition, citing concern for liability to the town.
    So on a motion by Watt, seconded by Peat, the board voted 3-2 to consider an alternate ATV access route connecting Lily Bay Road to outer East Road via Pleasant Street and part of East Road. The motion called for Town Manager John Simko and office staff to send a letter to each of the abutting landowners along the proposed route to ask for their written comments before the Dec. 18 selectmen’s meeting.
    The proposed route would have the same curfew restrictions as the other ATV access routes in town and it would not change any current polices on ATV traffic downtown.
    In other news from last week’s meeting, Greenville Recreation Director Sally Tornquist gave a report on how the skating season went last year and her plans for this year. The recreation department, volunteers and supporters of the skating rink operation have raised sufficient funds to pay for all of last season’s operation and the start of this season.
    Public Works Director Jim Abele gave an update on methods the town is using for improved winter maintenance. A recent Maine Local Roads Center Workshop on snow and ice control detailed the difference between de-icing and anti-icing strategies. Abele said that he is trying to get crews out ahead of storm events to treat roads and keep snow and ice from bonding to the pavement. This will ultimately reduce the amount of sand and salt that is used, and should reduce the amount of time the crews are out, Abele said.
    The Board of Selectmen also voted to have the town office close at noon on Tuesday, Dec. 24 and to cancel the first meeting in January which falls on New Year’s Day. However, they reserved the right to call a special meeting at the beginning of the month if necessary.