LIVERMORE — Selectpersons voted 4-1 Monday evening to immediately discontinue winter maintenance on 10 private roads town employees had been plowing.

Peter Couglan, director of the Community Services Division of the Maine Department of Transportation, told road foreman and Selectperson Tom Gould the town, by law, has no right to be on private roads and it should cease plowing them immediately.

For years the town has plowed several roads that have only a few homes. Selectpersons were considering sending letters to the homeowners, holding a public hearing and putting it to a vote at the annual town meeting in June.

Gould said, “Roads with public easements are a bit different, the town may choose to plow them but it is not obligated to do so.” He suggested erring on the side of caution and stop plowing the roads. 

Scenarios that could affect the town included a private landowner changing his or her mind after permission has been granted or a town employee damages a road causing another person to get hurt.

“There would be no end to the liability,” Gould said.

Selectperson Tim Kachnovich suggested waiting until after the snow season to stop plowing the roads.

Selectperson Megan Dion said, “It’s hard. I hate to do it, but I have to think of the town.”

Gould made a motion, seconded by Chairman Peter Castonguay, that winter maintenance on all roads confirmed as private be discontinued immediately. The vote was 4-1 with Mark Chretien against because he wanted to wait until the end of the year.

Roads no longer being plowed are Wyman, McKenna, Dixon, Bryant, Cozy Cove, Toncer and Brewster roads, and a section of Richmond Hill Road.

The board made a similar motion on several roads the town may have easements for. Chretien again voted against the motion with the others in favor.

Roads that may have easements that will no longer be plowed are Nelson Road, which is also known as Nelson Pond Road, and Keith Street.

Any landowner who wishes may request a complaint form and bring it to the next selectpersons meeting, along with documentation proving an easement exists and when a vote was taken or agreement established to plow the road.

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