OTISFIELD — The president of the Silvaqua Homeowners Association told town officials that members want a maintenance agreement for a dry hydrant that is financially fair.

At their meeting Wednesday night, selectmen discussed the association’s rejection of a formal agreement that would require the association to pay for maintaining the dry hydrant at the development on the southwest shore of Thompson Lake and to plow the road to access it.

The hydrant was installed in 2012 and might have to be replaced in the future, Selectman Rick Micklon said. The town would pay for the hydrant and the association would pay for excavation work, according to the agreement, he said.

The agreement was given to President Janet Idzal last week, Micklon said.

Fire Chief Kyle Jordan told selectmen Wednesday that it was rejected by the association.

The hydrant has been exposed since the level of the lake has dropped. Jordan said the line may have to be excavated — which could cost between $4,000 and $5,000 — and reset. Another option is to install a pressurized head which could cost less.

While board members agreed the hydrant needs to work year-round to protect lives and homes and meet national fire safety standards, there was disagreement on how much the town should pay for the fixture that serves an association on a private road.

“Where do we draw the line when it comes to people’s homes and lives?” Micklon asked. He favored doing whatever the town could afford to ensure the homeowners’ safety.

For years, the association and the town had an informal hydrant agreement in which the association shared the initial installation costs and plowed the road for emergency vehicles.

According to a Jan. 15 email from Idzal to Jordan, the association spent about $8,000 to repair the road and replace a culvert.

“Bearing the costs and maintenance of the hydrant on top of what we already spent doesn’t seem like a fair allocation of burden,” Idzal wrote.

The association said the hydrant protects all homes in the development and others in the area, but Selectmen Chairman Hal Ferguson said there are only a few homes outside the development.

The issue is similar to the one at the Heniger Park development, where the town told the owners’ association it had to pay for maintaining that hydrant.

Jordan said once the lake freezes, he will hold a training session for firefighters and investigate what can be done to provide year-round stability to the hydrant. He will report to the board and draft another agreement.

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