Greenville grapples with snow being pushed onto roadways

Staff Report

    GREENVILLE — Like all other towns in the Penquis region, the Greenville public works department has been busy with a rash of snowstorms since the beginning of the month.
    The crew has been working on pushing the banks back at intersections and “shelving” the banks along roadways in anticipation of the next winter blast, Town Manager John Simko told the board of selectmen last week.

Town of Greenville photo

    WINTER WORKOUT — Greenville’s public works equipment has been busy with three major snowstorms since Feb. 1 plus a few minor events.

    Unfortunately, the town has a recurring problem with private individuals pushing snow across or into public roads or sidewalks.
    “It’s illegal to place snow in the road. But an issue for the public is that windrows left in the road become a hazard to motorists until the snow is cleared off by the town’s plow,” Simko wrote in his report to the board. “But traffic may solidify this snow and freeze it in, making it difficult to plow or possibly even damaging our equipment.”
    Simko said that the town also has a problem “with some businesses or individuals purposely piling snow into banks that the town intends to haul off.  The addition of ‘private snow,’ if you will, increases the work of the public works department, and therefore the total cost.” 
    The town manager added that he’s working on a guest column for the local newspapers to “try to explain why this is an issue and seek voluntary compliance with the law for everyone’s benefit.”
    About 65 percent of Greenville’s winter roads’ budget has already been spent and the town is approximately halfway through the “traditional” winter roads’ season. “Considering the intensity of storm activity, I think this is a reasonable place to be and I don’t think at this time that we will overdraft the winter roads account,” Simko wrote.
    On a related note, selectmen, Simko and Public Works Foreman Mark Bernier met for a workshop at the town garage on Feb. 3 to review the condition of the building and equipment. A detailed work history of each piece of equipment was distributed with equipment replacement schedules.
    In other items taken up at the Feb. 4 meeting, presentations were made by representatives from the 100-Mile Wilderness Sled Dog Race, the Moosehead Lake Region Chamber of Commerce and the Friends of Moosehead Lake. 
    The groups are organizing events for this year’s February school vacation week, adding to the town’s planned fireworks on Saturday, Feb. 21 in West Cove. A complete schedule is posted at www.mooseheadlake.org.
    Selectmen unanimously approved the appointment of Sheri Kreider to the recreation committee and reappointed Debi Baker and Ken Woodbury to the Shaw Public Library Board of Trustees, each for three-year terms.
    Greenville’s county taxes are $4,228 less than 2014 since the town’s valuation has decreased from $309,700,000 to $288,700,000. The total county taxes are now $418,819.
    Simko also updated the board on the town’s troubled website: www.greenvilleme.org. “The short history is that this site runs off a template which was established by a former IT vendor who worked for the school, but does so no longer,” he told the board. “There are distinct limitations on what we can and cannot change on our site, which makes it difficult for (Deputy town Clerk) Beth (Young) to work with (e.g., she cannot put new photos on the front page).”
    The town of Orono recently put out a request for proposals (RFP) for website development, so Simko and Young plan to contact that town to see if they can get a copy of the RPF and adjust it to Greenville’s needs.