OTISFIELD – The Cobb Hill Road drainage project is completed, but a 75-foot guardrail will be installed in one area as a precaution, selectmen said at their Wednesday night meeting.

The work to stop erosion and washouts included building a large pool at the bottom of the road to collect water. The steep drop-off from the road to the pool necessitated a guardrail to prevent drivers from sliding off into the basin.

“It’s an accident waiting to happen,” Selectmen Hal Ferguson said.

Major storms in recent years have washed out the road, which runs between Route 121 and Scribner Hill Road, despite the installation of three culverts.

The board approved spending $35,000 in October to place two culverts at the top of the road and one at the bottom.

In other news, the board heard from Fire Chief Kyle Jordan that improvements have been made to the Pugleyville Fire Station in East Otisfield, including two new side doors. The board discussed redoing the Spurr’s Corner Fire Station driveway which was paved about 17 years ago. Jordan said the department has a priority list of items and others are higher on the list.

Administrative Assistant Anne Pastore told the board she would like to market the Community Hall on Route 121 more aggressively to see if the town could recoup more of the $3,200 a year it takes to heat and maintain the facility.

Pastore said the building would be ideal for events such as weddings. It is normally closed in early December for the winter, but if there were enough rentals at $250 per event, it could pay for the building to stay open. The building is used for a variety of governmental and private functions.

Selectmen also discussed whether voters at town meeting should decide whether all terrain vehicles should be able to cross public ways. Selectman Rick Micklon said he was concerned that residents of one road could block the ATV use on all public roads.

“It’s a policy this board should set. If the policy is abused take it away,” he said.

The board agreed the policy should include dates of May 15 to October 15, hours the roads can be used and the speed limit. Selectman Len Adler suggested having the policy for one year and reviewing it at the end of the year.

[email protected]