STRONG — Residents will be asked to consider a plan to pave the section of Pond Road between the public beach road and Sweet’s Pond Lane, selectmen decided Tuesday evening.

Genelle Baston, who with her husband, Vern, resides on Porter Lake, which is accessed by Pond Road, said people who live on the Strong side of the lake seasonally or full-time contribute a significant amount of property taxes.

Approximately a dozen residents live year-round on Pond Road. She suggested that an ambulance or firetruck would have a difficult time getting to residents with the road as deeply rutted and muddy as it is during the spring.

The paved section is approximately a mile, and paving to Sweet’s Pond Lane, which is beyond the public beach road, would be approximately half a mile.

“I know sometimes thinking out of the box is difficult, but we think it is time to really think about putting a little asphalt on the Pond Road, even if you only put one-half mile of asphalt a year or set aside an amount of money,” she said. “Let’s just say $20,000, and go as far as you can with that amount of money.”

Selectmen agreed to consider ways to bring the issue to taxpayers. They could add the request to the annual town meeting warrant, but getting them to add money to the existing paving account might be a difficult task.

“We could set aside a certain amount each year,” Selectman Dick Worthley said. “It would be a hard sell to the taxpayers, but it would be worth a try.”

In other matters:

* Selectman Mike Pond said he received a tentative offer of $12,000 for the town’s 1997 Ford L-8000 dump truck, and selectmen approved not going below that amount.

* Selectmen agreed to have local contractor Jeff Murphy start the next phase of construction in the pole barn next to the town garage;

* Selectmen formally approved the appointment of Jorges Fernando Gonzales as animal control officer. He will be required to attend a state-sponsored weeklong certification class in October. He will be paid $333.33 per month until the contract expires in April 2017. He can be reached at 678-2030. Residents also can contact the Town Office if he is not available.

* Selectmen reviewed the option to buy equipment or find someone who is insured and owns equipment to mow the sides of town roads. The cheapest alternative Pond found would charge an estimated $2,200 to $2,500. Selectman Dick Worthley asked if the rental cost would be prohibitive. Anyone who did the work would have to have liability insurance. The issue was tabled to the Sept. 23 meeting for more information.