CHARLEMONT — The town has officially washed its hands of a section of Burnt Hill Road that town officials mistakenly thought had long ago been discontinued.
A special town meeting this week agreed by a 23-12 paper ballot vote to discontinue a section of Burnt Hill Road, about a mile up from West Oxbow Road intersection to the Heath town border.
Current town officials had believed the road was discontinued by the Franklin County Commissioners in 1970, but discovered this year that the former county commission did not have the authority to discontinue a town-owned road.
Selectman Sarah Reynolds said, “We’re not getting paid (through state Chapter 90 highway money) for any of this mileage.” Reynolds pointed out that discontinuation would mean the town would no longer be liable for it. If the town were required to reopen the road, it would have cost between $60,000 to $90,000 just to regrade and restore the crown of the road, she said.
Two residents passionately disagreed over whether the road should be discontinued — which means it can’t be reopened in the future to provide frontage for new development. One, who is considering buying land there, wanted it “abandoned,” so that the town would not be obligated for upkeep but would allow the possibility of it being reopened. Those who favored discontinuing the roadway already own land on the section of road affected.
Selectmen asked town meeting voters to pass over an article to discontinue a portion of Heath Center Road, because it was an old county road and they were uncertain the town has the authority over it.
The remaining articles, to close portions of Dodge Corner and Todd Mountain roads, were passed over because selectmen discovered they were discontinued in a 1983 town meeting vote.