Herbicide info sought

CORNWALL — Stretching dollars to get as much roadwork done within budget takes careful calculations. The Board of Selectmen approved a request from Highway Department Foreman Jim Vanicky at their Aug. 18 meeting for an additional $31,000 to address roads that will be paved. 

The town spent $130,000 oiling some roads this past spring, and will spend the same amount in the coming weeks for work that includes hiring A&J Paving to apply about 400 tons of asphalt to some or all of Wright Hill Road, Cream Hill Road, Rattlesnake Road, Cherry Hill Road, Bolton Hill Road and Allyn. The latter two will be ground up, also known as milling, to recontour the surface.

In other business, First Selectman Gordon Ridgway gave an update on recent herbicide spraying along the railroad tracks that spread beyond the rail right-of-way onto private property. Several West Cornwall residents were in attendance at the meeting.

The latest information shared was a confirmation that notification of planned spraying is not required to be given to neighbors. State Rep. Roberta Willis (D-63) is investigating, including checking into procedures in Massachusetts. Ridgway has a complete set of right-of-way mapping should property lines come into question. He received from Housatonic Railroad Co. a list of four chemicals used by a licensed contractor. 

Ian Huggan was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Park and Recreation Commission. He is seeking election to the commission in the November election.