Residents discuss road concerns

NEWFANE — Selectboard members agreed with a proposal from Purinton Road resident Cynthia Fisher, on behalf of herself and several of her neighbors, to help maintain approximately 100 feet of Purinton Road in the winter with the town's small truck.

That stretch of the road is town-owned.

Fisher noted that she and the other residents looked into footing the tab for a turnaround to accommodate town trucks for the purpose of maintaining the whole road.

Nevertheless, the board declined to extend maintenance to the private stretch of road, citing the potential for legal conflicts with other landowners who've asked for and been declined town maintenance on private roads leading to their properties.

Another resident seeking town relief during the scheduled discussion portion of the meeting, Arthur Reynolds of River Road, requested $2,500 for damage he said his truck sustained Sept. 3 on River Road when a tree fell on it.

He brought part of the tree with him to the meeting.

Nevertheless, Selectboard vice-chair Todd Lawley told Reynolds he had determined the tree that fell “wasn't anywhere near the town right-of-way. It was way up on the back quite a bit higher than that. ... I've got total sympathy for you; I hear you. They're gonna call it an act of God for that.”

Lawley did say several trees had been undermined in wet weather, and offered to inspect the area with Reynolds and the town's tree warden.

Subscribe to the newsletter for weekly updates