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July 31,
2009
Resolution passed
on Parsons Drive
By JILLIAN JORGENSEN
GOFFSTOWN
- Last week’s meeting
of the Board of Selectmen saw a resolution in an ongoing battle waged by residents of Parsons Drive, a private street in Goffstown where the resident's association has been seeking since October 2004 to become a public road.
The board agreed in a 3-1 vote to accept a conditional layout of Parson’s Drive as a public road if the Parson’s Landing Association, made up of the 17 households on the street, met a number of conditions. The most costly is adding another inch of pavement to the road to bring it to current standards, which is expected to cost more than $34,000. Others include paying any fees, paying for a sidewalk if the group eventually decides they want one, and paying the town a 6 percent betterment assessment of the total cost over three years.
How the payments will be split among the homes – of which all but one that belongs to the developer of the private street and is considerably larger – was left undecided. It was also not determine when the street would be paved by the Department of Public Works, but many on the board were hopeful it would be before the winter, which would save the residents the money they pay for plowing.
Selectman Phil D’Avanza voted against accepting the conditional layout, after questioning whether paving the road, even if the town's general fund will be repayed the cost, was the best use of the road plan's money. Selectmen Scott Gross, Steve Fournier and Blondeau voted in favor.
Selectman Nick Campasano was absent.
Wayne Treamer, head of the association’s committee to make the street public, said that maintenance and long-term costs of services were the main reasons for going public.
“It’s better to have the town performing the maintenance than 17 private citizens who know nothing about it,” he said.
He said he thought the paving of the street would begin this year.
“I think they want it done and want us out of their hair,” he said.
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