HALIFAX- A local resident aired a list of complaints about drainage work in the town at Tuesday evening’s selectboard meeting, and charged the town road crew with intentionally blocking his exit from a former landfill.

Greg Marguet registered a complaint about the road crew, saying they had blocked his truck with “three big boulders. They saw me drive my truck up there (to the old landfill) and put the boulders there and left.” 

Crew member Keith Stone came out on his own time and removed the boulders, allowing Marguet to move his vehicle.  Marguet was not grateful to Stone, whom he appeared to regard as responsible, if not directly, then by association.  Board member Edee Edwards gave Stone her personal thanks for his efforts, and LaFlamme put an end to the acrimonious discussion before any more details emerged.

Marguet also asked the board for action on some drainage problems.  One of Marguet’s concerns is the berm built over an old ditch on Branch Road, below the old, capped landfill.  Marguet contends, as he did when the work was first done, that the berm contains a large quantity of debris from the landfill.  He noted that many loads of the same debris had to be trucked to Moretown for disposal and that it cannot be appropriate to place “two truckloads of (the) debris” so close to a private dwelling. 

In the past, the board has maintained that the berm is constructed from new fill; Marguet wants a profile cut done to settle that question.

Marguet also noted his concern about the pool that collects behind the berm, which he called “very objectionable.”  The pool is actually the purpose of the berm, though, and is meant to allow silt to settle out rather than running straight into Branch Brook.  While Marguet accepts that the berm was built at the state’s direction, he questions whether it was meant to be a permanent solution.  “Where’s the paper?” he asked, observing that the state is not likely to have omitted written instructions. “What’s (the state official’s) name?” he asked. 

“You met him,” replied board chair John LaFlamme, recalling that Marguet was among those who met with the state environmental enforcement officer after the landfill’s flood-induced collapse.  Marguet and the board agreed to table the matter at least until the state official can be contacted.

Marguet also asked the board what work was being done above his house, contending that some runoff had been directed toward his home.  LaFlamme told him that “a state engineer visited the site this spring,” and advised cleaning out the drainage ditches.  That work has now been done. 

Last on Marguet’s list of drainage complaints was “a very obvious spot where (Branch Road) is being damaged” by runoff.

In other matters, Sirean LaFlamme, chair of the zoning board of adjustment, requested permission from the selectboard to have town attorney Robert Fisher attend the public hearing on Hans Hammarquist’s proposed ham radio tower. 

The board previously okayed a consultation between Fisher and the zoning board.  The selectboard unanimously voted to grant LaFlamme’s request.  There will be a site visit at 6 pm on August 10, with a hearing at the town office immediately after.

LaFlamme read a letter of resignation from selectboard bookkeeper Marguerite Serkin.  It seems Serkin was not able to schedule access to the town office in order to complete her work in a timely manner.  LaFlamme will fill in until a new bookkeeper is hired. 

Edwards strongly advised that “we get the program to the next person” so he or she can work where and when it is convenient.

The board considered an offer by John Sise to donate a one acre parcel located on Worden Cemetery Road, a town trail.  The parcel is not near the cemetery itself. As none of the board members could see any advantage to the town in acquiring the parcel, they voted to decline the offer.

Whitingham has requested discussion with the board regarding the Aldrich Road closing.  The board voted to send a polite letter advising the Whitingham board that Halifax would prefer to wait for the state’s response to their appeal.

Constable Andy Rice requested that the board resume consideration of a contract with Windham County Humane Society, which would allow the town to board strays with WCHS.  Rice is currently caring for a stray found in the village this past weekend. 

Edwards advised that she has found an existing town ordinance which would allow recovery of costs in such cases, and LaFlamme agreed to put the matter on the agenda for the next meeting.