Residents criticize roadside mowing as poor; Selectboard says contractor paid and will change approach next year

Several residents told the Walden Selectboard on Sept. 7 that recent roadside mowing was inadequate. Perley Greaves, Eric Kittredge and Patricia Turner each said the work was "a terrible job," prompting the board to explain that the work had been performed under a contractor bid and that the contractor had been paid.

Selectboard members and staff told the meeting that the town will rent a mower next year so the road crew can do more targeted mowing; the minutes record the response as "they will mow where needed." No formal complaint process or contractor name was recorded in the minutes, and the board did not record any remedial payment or rebid at the meeting.