Benedicta ATV access route also endorsed
CARIBOU, Maine — Aroostook County Commissioners agreed to approve renewals for three unorganized township contracts, which include three years of fire protection for TAR2 with Linneus, a three-year solid waste agreement for TDR2 with Bridgewater as well as a three-year fire protection contract for TDR2 and TDR9 with Bridgewater.
Before approving the contracts, Public Works Director Paul Bernier gave a brief summary of each contract during the July 13, 2016 meeting.
“We’re following past practices for Linneus fire protection,” Bernier said. “This is a really moderate agreement with a two and a half percent increase per year.”
The solid waste agreement with Bridgewater, according to Bernier, has been flatlined at $500 per year and the third agreement for both TDR2 and TR93 with Bridgewater is “far within budget and reason” at a 3 percent increase per year.
Additionally, commissioners voted to approve an ATV access route in Benedicta.
“We have a situation down in Benedicta where trails coming from the south and north are hampered by obstacles such as swamp land or property owners who do not want to give access,” Bernier said. “They’re looking for access on the Pond Road.”
According to Bernier, the Pond Road access is a two-mile stretch without much traffic that connects Benedicta and Silver Ridge.
The Public Works Director added that Brian Bronson, recreation coordinator for the ATV Division in Augusta, personally looked at the road and gave his approval.
“Brian is very safety minded when it comes to access routes,” said Bernier, “since he does this across the state. He also thinks this would be a major link to connecting the trail systems and would save on machines having to haul gas and carry gas containers. With Brian’s recommendation and approval of the route, I don’t have any problems with it.”
Once the commissioners voted to approve access route, Sheriff Darrell Crandall added that, as long as there are no safety issues, he always supports new access routes.
“From a law enforcement perspective, most folks are using the road anyway in violation of the law,” Crandall said. “Making it legal slows them down and knocks down their reckless conduct, since they are otherwise trying to quickly get off the road before they get caught. This is always a good idea if the condition of the road allows for it.”
