BYRON – A large pickup truck was pulled out of the mud on Dingle Hill Road last weekend, one of many that could suffer the same fate.

The mud is worse than usual this year, perhaps because of the depth of it, prompting selectmen to ban all travel on a section of Dingle Hill Road to Weld, and the Garland Pond Road to the Roxbury town line.

Melissa Plourde, the town’s treasurer and tax collector, said barriers have been set up to prevent drivers from trying to drive through.

“People are tearing up the dirt roads that were plowed this year. They are now very muddy. People should stay off them,” she said.

Usually these roads are closed during the winter because they are not plowed. But this year, logging companies kept them plowed and opened so they could haul out wood.

“We want people to respect the town and not use these roads,” she said.

The ban will be in effect until the frost is out. A public notice will announce when they can be used again.

Hanover:

Surveys ask town
resident for ideas

HANOVER – More than 100 households received surveys this week asking them what they like about their small town, and what they’d like to see happen in the next five to 10 years.

The survey, which came complete with self-addressed, stamped envelopes, is the first step in the town’s development of a new comprehensive plan.

The last time the planning document was written was in 1974, and many things have changed since then. Another 150 surveys will be sent to seasonal residents next week.

Town Clerk Clem Worcester said selectmen would like to see the surveys returned before their next board meeting April 21.

Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments’ John Maloney will review the survey responses soon after selectmen take a look at them.

Maloney is also expected to begin working with the town’s soon-to-be-organized Comprehensive Plan Committee.

Carthage:
Doomsday

declarations

CARTHAGE – Nearly 20 people dropped into the town office Tuesday afternoon to declare changes in their properties during the town’s annual doomsday session.

Selectman Steve Brown said several new houses are under construction, as are a few new camps.

Some just dropped in to say that no changes had been made to their homes, or to register their vehicles.

Brown said the number of new homes and camps seems to have risen over the past year or so, largely due to more land opened up for private sale. Large tracts of land had until recently been owned by wood-related companies.

The town’s three selectmen will take a look at nearly all the properties in town later in the year as they usually do.

The process is needed just prior to setting the tax rate.

In another matter, Brown said the annual audit has been completed, meaning that the town meeting will be held soon after the auditor returns his report.

The annual event usually takes place in March. But because the audit was completed late, the town meeting will be held later in April.