Potholes a headache for council

The annual spring deterioration of roads is underway and town council is concerned with the extent of the damage here.
“A lot of them are just not being addressed. We’ve got roads that are just like waves,” Coun. Dave Bourgeault said during Monday night’s council meeting.
“It’s the number-one complaint and number-one comment that I hear in town.
“We still haven’t really addressed the road situation to the extent that we need to,” he added. “I know it comes to the dollars but something has to be done.”
Both Coun. Bourgeault and Coun. Roy Avis voiced concern that current initiatives and plans for the town’s roads are not enough.
“We’re off track right now. We’ve derailed and we have to get back on track,” said Coun. Avis.
Both councillors also agreed that deciding in the past to fund road construction over a period of years was a mistake as council now finds it’s spending most of this year’s road money on projects completed in previous years.
“Certainly debenturing two of these roads is not the right approach,” admitted Coun. Bourgeault.
“I’ve been driving around town checking the condition of streets and they are deteriorating as we speak,” he added. “We’ve got to fix the roads and how we’re financing two of these is not the right way.”
Both noted that although more than $500,000 is being spent on roads this year, most of that is for funding past projects. “I do believe we have to look at the budget and reconsider the debentures,” said Coun. Avis.
Council agreed something needed to be done about the town’s roads, some of which have seriously deteriorated this spring.
“Front Street is absolutely appalling,” said Coun. Bourgeault.
“It’s gone beyond the cut and patch,” agreed Mayor Glenn Witherspoon, who suggested council begin to set an amount aside each year for roads within the five-year plan.
“If we don’t address it, it’s just going to get worse,” he remarked.
“I, too, agree the condition of the roads in town really needs addressing,” said Operations and Facilities manager Pat Hickerson, who suggested a study to take account of the performance and condition of the roads.
Council’s unanimous concern for local road conditions was referred to the Administration/Finance and Operations/Facilities committees for further consideration.