Residents press safety case as town votes to continue winter maintenance on listed private-easement roads

Denmark voters approved Article 42 on June 6, 2026, authorizing the select board, in consultation with the public works director, to perform winter maintenance (plowing and sanding) on specified public-easement roads, to be funded from the town's road maintenance appropriation. The article listed roads the select board recommended for winter maintenance and was the subject of an extended public debate about safety, fairness and costs.

Multiple speakers representing road associations and residents urged approval on public-safety grounds. Michael Ganan, speaking for the Shrader Road Association, described roughly 47 properties and said plowing is necessary for emergency access for fire and ambulance services. David Bull said Pleasant Valley Road provides a critical access point for cell-tower maintenance and emergency responses, recounting a recent snowmobile fire and an EPA cleanup that required access. Several speakers noted long-standing practice that these easements have been plowed for decades and that many property owners pay substantial taxes but rely on winter maintenance for year-round access.

Budget committee members and other residents raised concerns about clarity and accounting: members asked whether the incremental cost should be itemized, whether the authorization should be a stand-alone line item in the budget, and how the town currently tracks public-works time spent on these roads. Town staff estimated an incremental annual cost if contracted of about $12,500 based on average plow times and assumed storm frequency; staff also noted that these winter services are voted annually because state law requires an annual vote to expend taxpayer funds to plow private roads held by easement.

After discussion and multiple public comments, the moderator called for a vote and the motion to follow the select board's recommendation carried. Several residents urged clearer accounting and better long-term planning to avoid annual controversy, and the select board said it would work with staff to clarify cost accounting and enforcement of any maintenance standards tied to the easements.

The article as voted authorizes the select board to provide winter maintenance on the listed public easement roads and to fund that work from the road maintenance appropriation, subject to any appropriation limits or subsequent budgeting decisions by the board.