HOLA Road Committee
Responsibility:
The Road Committee along with the Road Commissioner will oversee the maintenance and use of all HOLA roads. The Road Commissioner will acquire a contract for snowplowing each year.
Members: 1 Dave Douglas, Road Commissioner – 443-822-9043, email: ddouglas.me@gmail.com
2 Ann Arthurs 3 Dave Arthurs
4 Millie Hoekstra 5 Paul Perla
6 Larry Malone 7 Rene’ Lamorelle
8 John Patriquin 9 Ed Zambraski
10 Valerie Zapolsky 11 John Quinn
12 Alan Salvini
HOLA Annual Report Road Commissionr report Oct 2022 – Sep 2023
by David Douglas, HOLA Road Commissioner
The following is a summary of HOLA road committee events that took place in 2022-2023.
Winter:
In general, the winter was historically mild again with only a couple of significant late snowfalls (March – 68 inches) and a couple of cold spells (February record -62 windchill). The roads held up well in all cases with sanding being the primary need. The HOLA snow removal contractor did a great job clearing and sanding the roads in a timely fashion and well under budget.
I want to thank all the HOLA owners for doing your part in driving slow and under control in winter conditions. I witnessed or was notified of very few accidents and towing snowmobile trailer incidents on HOLA roads. Please keep up the great driving, get snow tires, and have fun this coming winter!
The budget for snow removal and plowing was set at 45k, actual was $38,000. A savings of $7,000 that will be transferred to the emergency fund.
Spring – Mud Season:
Heavy Loads Limit signs were posted on HOLA roads in March and were lifted on May 22nd this year. HOLA traditionally follows Rangeley’s posting timeframes. During the road restriction period we had a couple of violations, resulting in fines being levied and paid in a timely fashion. There were also a couple incidents were the resident worked with the delivery company to transfer the product at the Rangeley Overlook to a smaller truck in order to comply with the heavy roads limit. Thank you to those residents for thinking and planning ahead! The purpose of posting the roads is to reduce or limit the damage that mud / frost can cause on the roads which in turn saves the HOLA summer road budget for planned repairs. Lastly, if a resident next year HAS to receive a heavy truck delivery during this period, please notify the road commissioner early on to discuss a plan of action and to possibly avoid a fine.
Summer:
WOW, were do I begin? To answer the question: Why has it taken a long time this summer to repair HOLA roads as opposed to last year?
First, the weather! This is the wettest summer on record. In June we had only 5 days of sun. In July we had 10 days, and in August we had about 15 days of sun.
Second, the state received funding to bring rural America into the 20th century by installing fiber internet to areas like Rangeley. Beginning on May 8th, Fidium the fiber internet company started digging up the HOLA roads to install conduit which is needed to house the fiber internet and Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) lines.
Third, 2023 has been HOLAs biggest year for lot tree clearing and house construction. A total of twenty lots have paid road construction fees resulting in numerous heavy construction vehicles on our roads daily.
Fourth, M&H our summer road contractor had a very large job with the State of Maine to repair over 3 miles of Route 17 near the height of land. The state took ALL of M&H assets to work the job.
So where are we today regarding repairing / maintaining HOLA roads? In July we were able to grade all the roads in the Highland side of the community and fix one broken culvert once Fidium had finished their conduit installations and once we had a couple of consecutive days of no rain. During that time we were also able to add a few truckloads of new gravel to build up / restore a small portion of Lynn Way before the weather turned for the worse yet again.
In August, M&H was able to grade about 85% of the Overlook roads and fixed two culverts. On August 9 after a day of torrential rain, HOLA road committee members, Ed Zambraski, Al Salvini, Larry Malone and myself repaired road damage on Paul’s path and the Overlook road by spreading and grading 28 yards of gravel. Thank you for your help!
The next step for September and October is for the road committee to identify and prioritize which HOLA roads (based on the remaining annual budget) required new gravel and crowning as part of the long term HOLA road reconstruction / restoration effort.
I want to thank those HOLA residents that adhere to the reduced HOLA speed limits especially when on the steep hills and corners to reduce the washboard effects. Collectively if we can keep to these speed limits the roads will last longer, have less problems, less dust, and for the near term keep our annual dues in check without increases to continue to repair the roads. It is up to all of use to help out.
Lastly, I want to thank all those road committee and other volunteers that assisted me with various efforts throughout the year! THANK YOU!
The budget for summer road work was set at $50,000, actual to date is $13,438. The remaining will be spent on road reconstruction this year.
David Douglas
Road Commissioner
The following is a progress report on HOLA roadwork and events as of June 29, 2023.
- Fidium Fiber Internet Conduit Work: Beginning May 8th, Fidium subcontractors began to install conduit throughout the Highlands section of HOLA. The conduit will follow the existing electrical lines and are marked by white flags. Conduit is required to house the fiber for the internet. HOLA does not have any existing underground conduit to accommodate the fiber. The conduit installation for the Highlands section was completed around June 1st. The subcontractor for installing conduit throughout the Overlook section began operations around June 12th. The contractor started at the top of the Overlook and as of this report, conduit has been installed on Summit, Left Branch, Aerie, Eagle, West Elbow and Barbara lane. They will continue next with the Loop road. Another contractor has joined the first group to expedite the conduit installation. The second contractor has completed Pauls Path and will be responsible for the Overlook, Winston, and the upper part of Old Esker Way. It is estimated that all conduit work will be completed by July 15th or earlier. The white flags along the road is the path that the conduit installers will follow. Please slow down and give them right of passage during this time. There may be times where you may need to take an alternative route to your destination. After the conduit is in place the next phase would be for Fidium to run the fiber optic cable through the conduit. Once that is complete than each homeowner wishing for internet needs to contact Fidium to set up a connection to your home.
- Road Work: In discussions with M&H it was determined that it would make no sense to begin grading and working on HOLA roads until the Fidium subcontractors were done installing the conduit since the conduit parallels HOLA roads. That said, HOLA roads in the Highlands section have been ready for grading and roadwork since June 1st, however mother nature has not been kind to us. There has only been FOUR days of sun in June, making the road a mess with the extensive rain we have gotten. This has cause an unusual amount of ruts in the road that we have to contend with in the interim. Please drive slowly and safely over these sections and if there is a clear safety issue, please do not hesitate to contact myself or one of the road committee members. With the help of a handful of road committee members we have been able to fill pot holes throughout HOLA roads multiple times in the interim. THANK YOU!!
On Friday June 23, M&H started to grade Lynn way in the Highland section. The plan is to grade all HOLA roads and to build up areas of road with additional gravel, etc. as funding and time permits. When M&H is done with the Highlands section, they will then focus on the Overlook section. Because of the constant rain, I cannot give you an estimate on when all HOLA roadwork will be done. Please be patient and we’ll get to the roads graded and completed as soon as we can.
Lastly, we have a lot of new construction and tree clearing this year throughout HOLA. This is also causing new road concerns and new water runoff / erosion issues. Homeowners clearing lots and building new dwellings are responsible for not causing water runoff damage to any abutting lot / neighbor. Please ensure that you have adequate drainage paths to divert the water to the drainage ditches along HOLA roads or to other parts of your property that do not impeded your neighbor.
If anyone has any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to send me an email at ddouglas.me@gmail.com or call me at 443-822-9043.
Sincerely,
David Douglas
Reminder: All roads will be posted each spring, as the weather dictates, against travel by heavy (in excess of 23,000 GWT) trucks hauling materials and equipment (excavating, well drilling, cement, etc.). “There will be a HOLA fine of $1,000 for violation of spring road weight limit posting.
Good day, the following is an urgent message from the HOLA Road Commissioner, Dave Douglas.
————————————————
To all HOLA Residents:
Effective today (March 22, 2023) All HOLA roads have been posted with Heavy Loads Limited. This means that any vehicles (trucks, construction vehicles, moving vans, etc.) that exceed a gross weight of 23,000 pounds will not be authorized on HOLA roads. If violated, a fine of $1,000 will be issued to the HOLA resident.
For those not familiar with this posting, annually, around this time of snow melt the majority of roads (dirt or paved) in the Rangeley area are posted to protect the condition of the roads from major damage. I (HOLA) am following the Rangeley road commissioner’s posting effectivity date lasting until June 1, 2023.
The postings are located at all intersections off of Rt 4 and Harold Ross road. They are large orange posters clearly visible to all drivers.
Thank you for your cooperation and if there are any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at: ddouglas.me@gmail.com.
Sincerely,
David Douglas
HOLA Road Commissioner
HOLA
Road Committee Report Oct 2021 – Sep 2022
by David Douglas
The following is a summary of HOLA road committee events that took place in 2021-2022.
Winter:
In general, the winter was historically mild with only a couple of significant snowfalls and a couple of cold spells. The roads held up well in all cases and the HOLA snow removal contractor did a great job clearing and sanding the roads. As mentioned before for new owners and people to the Rangeley area. Snow removal in general will not start until at least 4 inches of snow has accumulated. This may seem a lot from people that are from away, but that amount is consider drivable for locals.
I want to thank all the HOLA owners for doing your part in driving slow and under control in winter conditions. I witnessed or was notified of very few accidents and towing incidents on HOLA roads. Please keep up the great driving, get snow tires, and have fun this coming winter!
The budget for snow removal and plowing was set at 45k, actual was $43,700.
Summer:
HOLA was fortunate this year that M&H, our summer road contractor, was able to begin work before the summer construction rush. We completed all scheduled / identified ditching and culvert work (new or re-set) before Memorial day! During that same time, I want to thank those volunteers that help me fill pot holes until the grading could begin and continue after grading for those roads that are effected. THANK YOU!
Once the ditching and culvert work was completed, we can focus on building up sections of the roads and then finish with grading. Starting on June 10th, M&H began tackling the big project of rebuilding the beginning section of the Overlook road with reclaimed asphalt. The cost was expensive, but it is holding up well. Reclaimed asphalt was also applied in a smaller amount at the beginning of Lynn Way. Once that was done, M&H continued to add shale/gravel to those sections of roads that the road committee approved. The focus was on Overlook rads first then Highland roads. As work was being completed and invoices were being received, it was clear that the cost of material had increased greatly from past years, and that we had to reduce the planned / scheduled work to avoid going over budget.
In discussion about the budget and work to be completed, I worked with the Board of Directors to get approval to access some Road Committee “Emergency Funds” to complete the reduces road buildup and grading. M&H finished ALL road work on July 14th for the summer. I want to thank M&H for their commitment to HOLA for completing the work early in the Summer.
In order to keep the HOLA roads in better condition, i.e. reducing the washboard effects on uphill grades, the BOD approved the implementation of reducing HOLA speed limits to ALL HOLA roads to 20 MPH with additional reduction of speed limits to 10 MPH on all uphill grades. Please engage your 4WD if you have it when on the hills, especially the pickup trucks. Collectively if we can keep to these speed limits the roads will last longer, have less problems, less dust, and for the near term keep our annual dues in check without increases to continue to repair the roads. It is up to all of use to help out.
Lastly, we have some tree work to be completed (mainly in the Overlook area), but since I am out of money, I am asking for volunteers to help clear overhanging trees before winter sets in. Hanging trees / tree limbs are a safety hazard as well as blocking the sun in the winter to melt the snow. If you have trees on your road front hanging into the road, please see if you can cut those. HOLA will pick up the brush if left along the road side. Just give me a call to pick up. Regarding the tree effort, I want to recognize Rene’ who has done a fantastic job trimming trees on Morel Road. THANK YOU Rene’.
I also want to thank all those road committee and other volunteers that assisted me with various efforts throughout the year! THANK YOU!
The budget for summer road work was set at $49,100, actual was $70,600.
David Douglas
Road Commissioner
Subject: HOLA Road Work update – June 27 2022
May:
- From May 26-31 all the ditching and culvert work was completed. It was great that we were able to complete this early so we can focus on grading and building up our roads.
June:
- M&H began grading and building up the HOLA roads beginning with the Overlook road. This work was completed between June 9 and they had to stop on June 20th because of some M&H resource issues. M&H rebuilt the lower part of the Overlook road with reclaimed blacktop. I think they did a great job and hopefully that will last for a few years as long as the membership and others drive SLOWLY (10mph) up the hill. After completing that section, the rest of the Overlook road was toped with shale. This was laid down in sections all the way to the intersection of the Loop Road and Morel Road. On July 1, M&H resume work and completed the rebuild of the Overlook road between Winston and Paul’s Path and a portion of Paul’s Path. The will complete Paul’s Path and sections of Winston road (IAW the map) starting on July 7 or 8.
Additionally, the road committee has order a few speed limit signs and other custom signs that will be installed on both the Highlands and Overlook road sides. The speed limit for ALL roads coming off of RT 4 will be 10 MPH as you climb and descend the hills along with any steep hills within HOLA. Additionally, signs will be posted that ask the ALL vehicles engage their 4WD when climbing the hills to prevent tire spinning which results in the washboard effects. We need to slow everyone down to save our roads, otherwise we may need to increase annual dues just to regrade the roads. The road committee also installed sections of the HOLA roads with a speed limit signs of 20 MPH on June 30th and July 4th. We ran out of signs on July 4th and will resume installation upon receipt of additional signage.
By reducing the speed, two things should happen: (1) the washboard effect on the hills should be reduced / eliminated and (2) the road dust should be less.
Also, I need everyone in HOLA, ESPECIALLY the Road Committee members to challenge any driver driving fast over our road and asking them to slow down; inform renters of the rules, and to inform the UPS, FEDEX and contractors to slow down and use there 4WD, if applicable, when climbing all steep sections to include Marion Way, the Loop road, and Morel way. This is OUR community and we ALL need to step up to the challenges we see on a daily basis.
Dave Douglas
Road Committee Update
May 14, 2022
- Held Spring Meeting – April 23, 2022, 7 out of 15 members in attendance
- Reviewed winter plowing and issues – Very successful winter
- Provided all members with a road committee assignments which identifies what roads each member is primarily responsible to oversee and identify road issues as they occur.
- Final snow plowing was approximately $1,500 below budget
- Met with and traveled all HOLA roads with M&H Scott Millbury on April 22, 2022
- Identified areas requiring grading, ditching, culverts, adding shale to build up roads (see attachment)
- Getting budgeting / estimated quotes from M&H to perform each event (i.e. cost of gravel, grading per mile, ditching, replacing / adding culverts)
- Performed Pot hole filling work parties – May 7, 2022
- Established two teams (Highlands and Overlook) to fill in pot holes as a bandied fix until road work can belong in June/July.
- Thanks go our to: Ed Zambraski, John Patriquin, Nick Sampson, Mike Zulauf, Al Salvini, Eric Auston, Robert Smith, and John Pape.
Posted Road update
- Posted Roads in March 2022
- Lifting postings – May 15, 2022
- Had one issue with Karen Olgulnick selling her house and having two moving vans that exceeded the 23,000 GWT. The issue was resolved by having the moving company downsize the moving vans used to transfer cargo from hour to the overlook pull out area on Rt 4.
- Need to present to the HOLA board and vote on having a $1000 fine to home owners that violate road postings. Currently there are no consequences if violated.
11-08-21 Road Report
09-03-21 Mike Ferguson trimmed the brush on the sides of most of the HOLA roads.
09- -21 Joe Haley replaced a culvert on Kendall Farm Way and topped with ¾” shale.
09- – 21 Kyle Haley replaced a culvert at the top of Morel Road and 2 culverts on The Loop Road. All culverts were topped with ¾” shale.
09-07-21 Kyle from M&H re-ditched a section of The Lynn Way. 8 hours
09-07-21 Kyle inserted white rip rap into the ditch on The Lynn Way. 3 loads
09-08-21 No show, pulled to do another job, Be back tomorrow morning.
09-09-21 Kyle arrived on site on the Overlook Road. Ditched a section of The Overlook Road and installed several check dams and ditched approx. 280’ on The Loop Road.
09- 21 -21 Scott graded and Dawn rolled the shale that was previously put down on Overlook and The Loop roads.
10-15-21 M&H picked up old rusty culverts in the Overlook and Highlands are that were along the side of the road.
I have on extensive business travel so I have not been around HOLA to check out the roads. That said I sent out an email to all Road Committee (RC) members asking to update a spreadsheet depicting the individual’s availability and other information. I plan to hold my first RC meeting in the near future outlining my thoughts on the roads and to discuss how the entire RC can participate.
David Douglas
9-4-21 Road Commissioner Report
7-15-21 Spoke with Kenny from M&H. He has found a grader operator and they will start spreading shale for us starting Monday July 19th and Tuesday, July 20th.
7-19-21 M&H advised that it is too wet to grade. I requested they deliver shale to the end of Kendall Farm Trail and the end of the driveway at 68 The Loop Road for pothole control. This shale is free to anyone that wants to fill in potholes in roads near their home. Fill up bucket or two and get involved.
8-5-21 M&H operator graded a small area on the Bottom of Overlook North and spread approximately seven, 14 yard, loads of shale on the Overlook and The Loop Roads. The shale was not spread as well as has been spread in the past. We were also unable to acquire the services of a vibrating roller to pack the shale. M&H had one dump truck working and took approximately 45 minutes between loads.
8-9-21 M&H spread another seven, 18 yards, loads of shale on Overlook South. Called Kenny and asked for a meet. Kenny inspected the work and agreed that the work was not up to their usual high standards. Advised that he would try to get Scott to regrade the shale.
8-18-21 Contacted Ferguson Construction and asked to be put on their schedule for mowing the sides of our roads. Julie advised that if they can fit us in this year, it will not be until September. If not, they will schedule us for early June 2022.
8-27-21 Contacted Kenny at M&H and requested that Scott re-grade the intersection of The Loop Road and Eagle Lane and the ripples on all roads.
Due to M&H’s schedule, we did not get as much done as we usually do. Example, we marked 5 culverts and dig safe responded. They marked the electric and telephone lines, but M&H was able to replace only one of the five culverts. M&H was recently requested to re-trench areas along The Lynn Way, the Overlook and The loop Roads. The locations were marked. Dig Safe responded and marked the location of the power and telephone lines.
We have a new contract with Dave Burgess for plowing and sanding our roads. The contract covers the following winter seasons. 2021/2022, 2022/2023, 2023/2024, 2024/2025 and 2025/2026. This is a five-year contract for $45,000 per year and a 5-year estimated cost of $225,000.
Previous road maintenance money spent to date: $13,828.31
M&H. Scott graded and spread 18 yards of crushed shale. $1,266.90
M&H. Delivered 12 yards of crushed shale. $297.51
M&H, Rebuilt a section of Old Esker Road and constructed a
totally new section, which is needed for access, to build two new homes. $13,012
Total Road Money spent to date minus the expected bills for
grading and the shale spread on the Overlook and Loop roads,
and the expected future ditching: $28,404.72
Total snowplowing money spent: $29,713.75
Total road and snow money spent to date: $58,118.47 This is my last year as road commissioner and I want to thank the road committee members for their help over the past 6 years. A special thanks to Ed Zambraski for his continuous support and help with all manner of projects. Ed also helps with numerous projects at the waterfront. Jeff Zapolsky, our treasurer, has been a great help with the financial end, and somehow our budget numbers always lined up to the penny. Valerie Zapolsky has been very involved and made numerous sound decisions on road projects. Dave Saars was a great help in pointing out trouble spots via his routine walking of the roads in the Overlook. Alan Salvini and Larry Malone could always be counted on to cut up fallen trees on the roads in the Overlook. I have also picked Millie’s brain on more than one occasion, and she has imparted a wealth of knowledge over the years. The above mentioned have done more than what I described and without their assistance my job would have been notably harder. Last, but not least, my wife, Ann who has been involved with every aspect of the job, from suggestions, to helping mark the roads and checking my reports for correct grammar.
Dave Douglas will be our road commissioner going forward and I wish him the best of luck in his endeavors. Dave is a current executive board member and always volunteers his time with many projects at the waterfront. Over the years, he has also helped Ed with many road projects. In short, Dave has been involved with many projects for HOLA for many years and will do well as our road commissioner.
Dave Arthurs, HOLA Road Commissioner
7-10-21 Road Commissioners Report.
5-17-21 Met with Scott from M&H on Morel Road and planned the roads to
be graded. Advised that we need them done ASAP, especially the
beginning of the Overlook Road at Rt 4 North.
5-18-21 Spoke with Dave Burgess and asked if he wants to continue as the
HOLA plowing contractor. Dave stated that he was not disinterested
and would review the current contract and get back to me.
5-19-21 Contacted Rangeley Public Works and left a message for Earl Ross.
Requested that he assign someone to straighten out the road sign,
Overlook and Main Street at the North Entrance to the Overlook.
5-20-21 Contacted CMP to remove the trees they cut and left on the side of
Morel Road. Female CMP employee made out a work order. Advised
they will remove the logs.
5-22-21 Scott from M&H graded the roads.
5-24-21 Talked with Justin from Kutting Edge, advised to purchase the
calcium for our roads.
6-12-21 M&H replaced old, corrugated steel culvert on lot 6C on Morel Road.
$1,454.20. Jeff, our treasurer, will bill the landowner for the cost of
the actual culvert, which was $567.20. This will bring our cost down
to $887.00.
6-16-21 Justin from Kutting Edge spread calcium chloride on our roads.
6-22-21 M&H started the extension of Old Esker Way.
7-7-21 M&H completed the rough in on the extension of Old Esker Way. We
will decide on the appropriate materials to finish the job, after the
new homes are built.
7-6-21 Contacted Dave Burgess again, reference discussing the
upcoming snow plowing contract. Advised that we need to
finalize the amount of the contract before Saturday,
July 10, 2021. Advised that we have a board meeting on this date and the board will
have to vote on approving or disapproving the proposed contract.
As of this date we have not received a bill from M&H for the grading
which was done on 5-21-21. We will also be receiving a bill for the
work on Old Esker Way.
Due to heavier than normal traffic, the entrance to Overlook Road
North has degraded badly and must be graded again.
Previous road maintenance money spent to date: $9,665.36.
Road maintenance money spent this cycle:
3-10-21 Fasteners for road signs. $13.18.
5-21-21 4 Traffic cones from Builders Supply. $41.57.
5-15-21 M&H replaced culvert on Morel Road. $1,454.20.
6-18-21 Kutting Edge applied calcium chloride. $2,654.00.
Total road money spent to date, minus the expected bills for
grading and the work done on Old Esker Way by M&H: $13,828.11
*Total snowplowing money spent to date: $29,713.75.
Total road and snow money spent to date: $43,542.06.
*Adjusted amount for error in previous calculation.
Dave Arthurs
HOLA Road Commissioner
Road Commissioners Report May 15, 2021
There is not much to report. This time of year is a transitional phase from snow removal to road maintenance. I recently received word from Val Zapolsky of a large hole on top of a culvert on the Lynn Way, a few hundred yards prior to Harold Ross Road. I filled the hole in with six buckets of crushed shale and inspected the culvert. It is raised up in the middle, but the water is still flowing well, and no water is coming out the bottom of the culvert. No need for further action at this time. There are two culverts on Morel Road that need to be replaced. There are also culverts on the Loop Road, Eagle Lane, Barbara Lane and at Lot 13E on Kendall Farm Trail, for a total of 6 culvert replacements. These are old metal culverts that are rusting and most have water flowing under the culvert. There are other culverts that also need replacement but can hopefully wait until later in the year or possibly next year. The Overlook Road near Rt 4 is in bad shape this year due to underground spring runoff pushing up sections of the road. Deeper ditching on the south side of the road may possibly prevent this from happening in the future. The same is true on Overlook Road prior to the 4-way intersection. Ditching slightly deeper may also prevent this from occurring in the future.
5-8-21. Met with Mike Ferguson on Morel Road. He will be excavating for a circular driveway on lot 13C for a new home being built. He will be ditching from Lot 13C down to Overlook Road where it will tie into the current ditch on Overlook. This ditch may help slightly with the water problems on Lot 14C. Mike was advised that a 15” diameter pipe is the minimum size allowed for a culvert within HOLA, and he is responsible for hauling away the dirt from the ditching.
5-12-21 Marked the above-mentioned culverts and contacted Dig Safe.
On Thursday May 13th, Millie met with Kenny from M&H and they surveyed the area of Old Esker Way where we will extend the road for a new home being built. Kenny will work up a proposal for our review.
5-14-21 Spoke with Kenny and received assurances that M&H will be able to grade some areas of our roads that are in bad shape in a timely manner, and replace any culverts that need replacing.
Road maintenance money spent to date: $9,665.36.
Snowplowing money spent to date: $30,032.50.
4-22-21 Burgess plowing and sanding $ 360.00.
$30,392.50. Total
Total snowplowing money spent for the 2020/2021 season: $30,392.50.
Total road and snow money spent to date: $40,057.86.
It should be noted that we were under our budget cap of $40,000 per year for 3 years of our 5-year contract.
****To the road committee members, we will have a road committee meeting on Friday, May 21st, 2021 at 1000 hours at the waterfront.
Dave Arthurs, HOLA Road Commissioner
ROAD COMMITTEE REPORT
March 13, 2021
Our 2020/2021 winter season has been a mild one. Our snowfall has been notably less than most years. The weather on the 10th and 11th of March was warm with temps in the low 50s to 60 degrees. This has melted the base layer of snow on most of our roads and created a muddy mess. Overall, our roads are holding up fine, although we do not usually see most of the damage occur until the actual snowmelt in April. Keep your fingers crossed that we do not get the warm weather and heavy rains like the spring of 2018, which devastated a lot of our roads. I posted the roads on March 10th, 2021. Even though the roads are posted, large trucks can still travel our roads if the temps are below freezing, and the roads have firmed up.
We will have a fair amount of ditching to perform this summer and I will call for a road committee meeting to discuss this and other problems in the short term future. This spring we will need to extend Old Esker Way as a landowner is building a home there. We will also reassess Tilt O’ The Kilt.
Road maintenance money spent to date: $9,665.36
Snow plowing money spent to date $30,032.50
Screws and stainless steel washers to post Heavy Loads Limited signs. $13.18
Total: $30,045.68
Total road and snow money spent to date $39,711.04
Dave Arthurs, HOLA Road Commissioner
Road Commissioners Report 1-9-21
In mid November, Ed Zambraski organized a crew that cut and cleared a lot of alders along the sides of the Lynn Way. The brush was then hauled to the dump. I want to thank Ed and his wife Nancy, along with Dave Douglas, Bernie Hylinski, Rissa Reberkenny and Mike Zulauf for their dedication and time in helping to maintain safe roadways within HOLA.
M&H added shale and rebuilt a section of Tilt O’ The Kilt as we have a homeowner who is staying/visiting more in the winter and needs access.
Board and road committee member, Larry Malone trimmed a few trees that had fallen over due to a recent windstorm, to make the road passable. It should be noted that Larry has cut back quite a few trees the last few years to keep our roads clear. It is appreciated
11-21-20 Scott from M&H graded our roads and Dawn from M&H compacted some of the roads where Scott graded over some loose shale.
11-21-20 M&H delivered 12 cubic yards of gravel to Kendall Farm Trail to enhance the entrance of a snowmobile trail leading down to the lake. This was at the request of board member Dave Douglas.
11-24-20 Contacted Dave Burgess, advised to plow further down on Tilt Of the Kilt and begin plowing Nile Brook Road down to the first driveway. Later, at board member Mary Ellen Maroney’s request, I contacted Burgess and requested that when plowing Nile Brook Road, they try to spread the snow alongside the road as opposed to pushing it straight down and piling it all in one location. Mary Ellen advised that this snow pile does not always melt in time for the ice out fishermen.
12-28-20 Contacted M&H for a plugged culvert on Morel Road. Water jumped the culvert during the last heavy rainstorm and eroded the road alongside the culvert. Notified of culvert by road committee member Larry Malone. The culvert is blocked on the uphill side. The ground is frozen and a hand shovel is useless.
Road maintenance money spent to date:
11-02-20 Kutting Edge, tree removal from roadway. $155.00
11-21-20 M&H 12 cubic yards of gravel to Kendall Farm Trail. $75.96
11-21-20 Scott from M&H graded our roads. $1821.50
12-16-20 M&H rebuilding a section of Tilt O’ The Kilt. $7,412.90
12-19-20 M&H cleaned out plugged culvert on Morel Road $200.00
Total road maintenance money spent to date: $9,665.36
Snow plowing bills:
12-15-20 Invoice # 43009 $4,167.50
12-31-20 Invoice #43167 $2,131.25
Total snow plowing bills to date: $6,298.75
Total road and snow money spent to date: $15,964.11
Dave Arthurs
HOLA Road Commissioner
ROAD COMMISSIONERS REPORT 09-05-20
Shale:
7-14-20 Scott from M&H distributed and spread 518 cubic yards of ¾” shale on several roads in the Overlook and the Highlands, including The Loop Road which was in need of repair due to water damage. 5 truckloads of shale on Kendall Farm Trail (3×14 yds and 2×18 yds.)78 Cubic Yards 5 Truck loads on The Lynn Way. (3×14 yds and 2×18 yds.) 78 Cubic Yards. 2 Truck loads on Marion Drive. (1×14 yds and 1×18 yds.) 32 Cubic Yards. 1 Truck load, 18 yds, on bottom of Kendall Farm Trail at replaced culvert. 18 Cubic Yards. 2 Truck loads on Kendall Farm Trail at entrance near Rt. 4. (1×14 and 1×18.) 32 Cubic Yards. 7/14-20 6 Truck loads on The Loop Road. (4×14 yds and 2×18 yds.) 92 Cubic Yards. 6 Truck loads on Morel. (4×14 yds and 2×18 yds.) 92 Cubic Yards. 3 Truck loads on Barbara Lane (2×14 yds. 1×18 yds.) 46 Cubic Yards. 2 Truck loads on Winston Road (1×14 yds and 1×18 yds.) 32 Cubic Yards.
Culverts:
7-13-20 Winston Road, replaced aging culvert Kendall Farm Trail, replaced aging culvert. The culvert area was then covered 18 yards of shale when completed. 7-20-20 Contacted myparkingsign.com for 6 reflective, aluminum 18” X 24” road signs advising non HOLA members that ATVs, Dirt Bikes and Snowmobiles are not permitted on HOLA property. Myparkingsign.com will send a proof of sign. The signs will be placed at all 4 HOLA entrance ways and along the power lines on both hills. 7-20-20 After viewing 2 proofs, ordered the signs. Invoice MPS-540362 7-20-20 Contacted M&H, Kenny, to replace the culvert on The Lynn Way that was raised above the ground. Advised that dig safe was notified last week and the culvert has been marked by CMP and Consolidated Communications. M&H was asked to cover the top of the culvert with shale when complete. 7-21-20 M&H replaced raised culvert on the Lynn way with a 15” culvert and spread 18 cubic yards of ¾” shale on top.
Money spent to date:
Calcium Chloride and road work billed after 10-1-19 $ 5,417.75
07-14-20 Total Road work to include grading, spreading shale, and
replacing culverts on Winston and Kendall’s Farm Trail. $15,195.63
M&H Pickup and disposal of old culverts. $ 110.00
6, No ATVs, Dirt bikes or Snowmobile signs. $ 319.32
5 bags of calcium chloride. $ 94.90
Kutting Edge spread 6,000 pounds of calcium chloride. $ 2,750.00
07-25-20 M&H replaced culvert on the Lynn Way. $ 1,463.50
07-28-20 Builders Supply: lag bolts to install “No ATVs” signs. $ 15.30
07-31-20 Burr Road (Waterfront) widening. $ 4,420.00
Builders Supply: posts, concrete, sono tubes, fasteners, etc. to install “No ATV’s” signs $ 272.02
Total $68,053.42
07-28-20 Contacted Franklin County Sheriff’s office reference information on combating ATV riders who are not HOLA members or renters, trespassing on HOLA property. Chief Lowell advised that if the ATV/Snowmobile riders are not associated in any way with HOLA, the sheriff’s department would, upon receiving a complaint, send a deputy and a complaint could be signed against said individuals who are trespassing. Title 12, Section 13157-A listed under Conservation, requires riders to get landowners permission in advance prior to riding on their land. Chief Lowell also advised that the areas in question should be posted with no trespassing signs. Ed Zambraski and I have posted such signs at each of our entrances and along the power lines. Ed also removed, straightened and replaced some of the existing signs. This year, 2019/2020, we had 518 cubic yards (Approximately 1,398,600 pounds) of shale delivered and spread on our roads. Since we started rebuilding with shale in October 2015, we have spread approximately 4,282 cubic yards (Approximately 11,561,400 pounds) of shale on our roads. This coming winter is the last year of our five year snow plowing contract with Burgess. Due to the price of sand going up every year and workers wages, we expect to pay more for the next contract. The changing weather patterns have also created problems for our snowplow contractor. The last few years have shown a large increase in the number of days where our roads are ice covered. Covering the ice with enough sand to make the roads safe to drive on, is very time consuming and also consumes large quantities of sand, i.e. expensive. The previous 2008, 2010 and 2013 contracts with Burgess show the same $40,000 per year contracts. He has not raised his prices since 2008. For the remainder of this fall, we will be replacing a few more culverts and ditching in several areas that need it. I want to thank the members of the road committee for their support and guidance, which has been invaluable. I also want to thank, Ed Zambraski, for going the extra mile. Ed has cut and removed fallen trees that blocked our roads during winter and summer storms. Ed, assisted by John Patriquin, Dave Douglas and Nick Sampson, recently installed new posts in the ground and attached our new signs prohibiting non HOLA members from using our roads to ride ATVs and snowmobiles. Recently, Ed has single handedly filled in most of the numerous potholes on the Lynn Way in the Highlands. He also does a lot of work at the waterfront. We have placed approximately 7 cubic yards of ¾” crushed shale at the dead end of Kendall’s Farm Trail and in front of 68 The Loop Road. This shale is for filling in potholes. Currently a few members of the road committee have been using this shale to fill in potholes on our roads. HOLA does not have the funds to have M&H apply large amounts of shale to fill in potholes. If most of the homeowners in HOLA would agree to fill in potholes, on the roads near their homes, our roads would be vastly improved. All it takes is a 5-gallon bucket and a shovel and your all set. Our roads will thank you for it. HOLA is a volunteer organization. Its members give their time freely for the good of the organization and to the benefit of all members of HOLA. It should not however, fall to just HOLA board and committee members, the job of filling in potholes on our roads. Some people complain about problems on our roads, do not be one of those people. Pitch in and help out.
Dave Arthurs, HOLA Road Commissioner
ROAD COMMISSIONERS REPORT 5-16-20
4-13-20 Heavy rainfall washed out a section of the Loop Road. Unable to repair at this time due to the ice and snow build up along the sides of the road, due to the snow plowing. If it is repaired now, the same thing will happen again if we have another strong rainfall prior to the ice and snow melting along the side of the road and in the ditch.
5-7-20 Spoke with Kenny at M&H reference repairing the Loop Road and maintenance of our roads in general.
5-9-20 Received approximately 6 to 7 inches of snow.
5-11-20 Removed weight limit signs from the HOLA road entrances.
5-12-20 Set up a meeting with Scott from M&H for Tuesday, May 19th to assess our roads and hopefully get them graded early. Overall our roads are in very good condition. The entrances to both The Lynn Way and the Overlook Road are better than I have seen in the past at this time of the year. The exception to the above are potholes. There are more potholes in our roads than usual. The reason for the abnormal number of potholes is the weather. In the last month and a half, or longer, we have been alternating between freezing temperatures for weeks and then sunny and 40 degree days. During the warm weather small amounts of snow and ice on the roads melt, and in isolated areas, sink into the soil. A few days later the temps go below freezing again and the moisture in these isolated areas freeze and push the soil up, creating conditions conducive for potholes. I will shortly put out a date for a road committee meeting and we will come up with a plan for the repair of our roads.
Money Spent to date:
Calcium Chloride and road work billed after 10-1-19 $5,322.85
Burgess snow plowing: $37,875.00
Total money spent to date: $43,197.85
David C. Arthurs
Road Commissioner
H.O.L.A.
3/14/20 ROAD COMMISSIONERS REPORT
There has been no scheduled road maintenance since the last report in January.
Trimmed a downed, ice covered, tree blocking a portion of Pauls Path in early January.
Burgess is continuing to do a good job of plowing and sanding our roads. Very few complaints.
Due to the constantly changing weather, the last few weeks have been hard on our roads. The weather has been rapidly changing, from temperatures in the mid-20s and snowing, to sunny skies in the mid-30s, to a high of 50. Due to this phenomenon, the roads have been rapidly thawing in areas that see direct sunshine. We are starting to see road conditions that we do not usually see until the spring thaw, where small sections of the road will sink.
Overall, the roads are holding up as well as can be expected, with no major problems. I plan on posting the roads in early April, sooner if the weather continues to warm. I will also look to schedule a road committee meeting for late April or early May.
I would ask all residents and landowners in HOLA to contact myself, members of the Road Committee or other HOLA members, if they observe, what they feel is a major problem in the making. One such area to watch is the south entrance of Overlook Road. Every year, the water runoff traveling downhill on Rt 4 runs across the entrance and completely washes it away. We have made improvements at this location to prevent this from continuing, but it would be helpful to receive notification in advance, in the event of a problem.
Dave Arthurs, Road Commissioner H.O.L.A.
Road Committee meeting 8-17-19
On 8-17-19 at 0900, hours a road committee meeting was held at the Arthurs’ residence. In attendance were: Millie Hoekstra, Ed Zambraski, Dave Arthurs, Dave Saar, Ann Arthurs, Alan Salvini, John Patriquin and Joe Snow.
The following items were discussed:
- A resident recently deepened a shallow existing trench and dug across the road to an electric box on Old Esker Way to install an electric line. The homeowner failed to contact and work with the road commissioner to ensure that Dig Safe was notified or other safety measures were properly followed (Contacting Dig Safe, depth of trench, etc). It was decided that LURC will be notified to follow up on this matter.
- The members discussed locations, on our roads, that were unable to be graded and would need to be built up. Shale will be added to these areas as soon as possible.
- We will also be trenching and directing the water to a culvert that we will install on Overlook Road South and Rt 4. This section of road currently washes out every spring with the runoff.
- Karen Quimby, from Kutting Edge, will be trimming back overgrown brush at some of our intersections and curves to establish an additional line of sight.
- We will be removing and cleaning, or replacing, the culvert at the intersection of Overlook Road, The Loop Road and Morel Road. The culvert is full of mud and is too long to reach in and clean with a hoe or other such implement.
- It was also brought up that a small culvert on Winston Road may need replacement.
- Lastly, we discussed possible solutions to the ruts and bumps on Overlook Road North and Rt 4. This entranceway is very steep which creates problems. Pickup truck drivers create most of the road damage by going too fast uphill, their rear tires break loose and create the bumpy conditions. This occurs as soon as 3 days after grading. We have tried spreading reclaimed asphalt on two occasions. It lasts for a short time and falls apart. We have spread inch and a half shale on the road after grading and rolled it with a vibrating roller, with the same results. The shale does not have sufficient time to firm up. We were going to blacktop 350 feet upwards from Rt 4, but we discovered water problems in the area we were going to blacktop. This is the first year that we have had water problems within this section of road. We agreed to try the following: we will dig down 8” to 10” and remove the dirt and fill the area with large shale (the same shale that is used for floating foundations) as this shale can be sharp and puncture tires, we will cover it with an inch of 1 ½” shale to fill in the rough spots. If this works on the Overlook Road, we will do the same on the Lynn Way. Scott from M&H will be contacted to get his opinion.
Dave Arthurs
HOLA Road Commissioner
ROAD COMMITTEE MEETING
5-18-19
A road committee meeting was held on 5-18-19 at the barn. In attendance were Dave Arthurs, Ann Arthurs, Millie Hoekstra, Larry Malone, John Patriquin, Alan Salvini, Ed Zambraski and Valerie Zapolsky.
After a discussion, it was agreed, we will repair a 150’ section of the 350’ of the Overlook Road that was due to be paved but has encountered water problems. We will not pave the road this year as planned. Next spring, we will reexamine the repaired section and if there are no water problems, decide if we want to move forward at that time with the paving.
M&H will be contacted on Monday 5-20-19 to schedule a date to grade the Highlands. The roads in the Overlook are still too wet from underground water seeping to the top on many of these roads.
Ed Zambraski identified a problem reference a lack of visibility at intersections as weeds and trees continue to grow in these areas. Problem areas will be identified and Kutting Edge Landscaping will be contacted to clear these areas to allow for enhanced visibility.
We will also explore the feasibility of using slightly larger shale than the ¾” we currently use. It will be slightly cheaper and may hold up better.
When the roads are being graded, we will also be laying down shale in areas that need it. After the roads are graded and the shale is put down, we will once again apply calcium chloride to the main roads to bind them and to control the dust. This will be done after the grading and approximately 3 months later as needed.
Dave Arthurs HOLA Road Commissioner
Road Committee Meeting report
March 10, 2018
A road committee meeting was held on March 10, 2018 at the barn at 1000 hours.
In attendance were Millie Hoekstra, Ed Zambraski, Dave Arthurs, Ann Arthurs, Alan Salvini and Valerie Zapolsky.
The meeting started with a discussion about repairs that will be needed to some of our roads that did not hold up well during the recent heat wave and thaw. It was agreed that the areas in question, primarily on Overlook and Winston Roads, will be repaired via grading, then covered with shale. We may lay down a base of 3” or 4” shale and cover that with the ¾” shale. Will talk with Scott from M & H. on that. It was also noted that there is a soft spot on the road at the intersection of the Lynn Way and Harold Ross.
Ditching: It was agreed that we do not need any major ditching. This spring, some light ditching will be done on areas of Winston Road and Marion Drive. All other ditching will be discussed and approved as needed. Approximately 200 feet of the ditch near the top of Overlook Road, north entrance, is full of weeds and rapidly growing alders. Rather than excavate them out, it was decided to have a landscaping service cut them out and haul the brush away. This approach is cheaper and the base of the weeds and trees, helps to protect the bottom of the ditch from water erosion. Kutting Edge was contracted last year to cut the poplar trees and weeds on Route 4, near the north entrance. They did a great job and were very reasonable price wise. I will contact them and try to get an estimate.
Road signs: It was noted that several of our road signs within H.O.L.A. are falling over and in need of repair. I will contact several vendors in the area reference work estimates. The signs will be mounted in a concrete base and be moved slightly from their current positions, to protect them from the snow plow. Ed Zambraski suggested that we also make the mounting pole a two-piece system. The long pole with the road sign on top would attach to a short section of base pole which would be imbedded in the concrete base. With this system, any mounting pole that does bend could be removed from the base and replaced with a straight pole, without having to dig up the concrete base. This will be investigated.
In response to an appeal of a landowner on Tilt of The Kilt, for better access to his property, it was decided that we would do some improvements to the lower section of the road.
We will be looking at the possibility of installing a culvert on the Lynn Way a few hundred feet up from Marion Drive.
I recently met with Kenny from M & H and it looks like we can start our road work around May 15th. If the roads thaw out and firm up earlier, we will try and start earlier. This all depends on M & H’s workload at the time, as to the availability of a grader and operator.
We will also continue in our efforts to build up all areas of our roads.
I would like to thank the members of the road committee for their valuable input and time.
Dave Arthurs
H.O.L.A Road Commissioner
Road Committee Report: August 31st 2017
M & H graded and rock raked sections of all H.O.L.A. roads. If a section of road did not need to be graded, it was left alone. Areas that were identified as worn down, and could not be properly graded, were covered with approx. 2” of ¾” crushed shale. Sections of roads that needed repair, were repaired using up to 4 inches of shale (Kendall Farm Trail and the Overlook Road). After the shale was laid down, a grader was used to smooth over and spread the shale. 686 cubic yards of ¾” crushed shale was spread on our roads this summer to build them up. Overall, I am pleased with the amount of shale that we have put down with our limited budget. We will continue to rebuild and improve our roads.
80 bags of calcium chloride were spread on Tuesday, July 25th, 2017 by Terry Morgan. Myself and Alan Salvini cut the bags open and dumped the calcium into Terry’s loader, which was then dumped into the spreader. The actual date to spread the calcium was changed twice, due to the weather changing from sunny and clear to heavy rain at the last minute. Thankfully, Mr. Morgan took the cancellations in stride and accommodated us.
Ed Zambraski advised that he used all the shale (Approx. 7 cubic yards) that we dropped off last summer, at the dead end of Kendall Farm Trail, to repair pot holes and such in the Lakeview Highlands. Ed further advised, that he is willing to continue to contribute his time, labor and use of his Kubota. To that end, M & H dropped off approx. 6 more yards of crushed shale at the dead end of Kendall Farm Trail. Thank you, Ed.
The Lakeview Highlands sign at the bottom of the Lynn Way was knocked over and damaged due to an automobile accident. After negotiating with the driver’s insurance company, they sent us a check for $1090 which will cover our expenses for a new sign, along with the installation costs.
The board voted to replace both H.O.L.A. signs as the Rangeley Overlook sign is old and in bad shape due to wood rot.
Both signs will continue to say, “Lakeview Highlands” and “Rangeley Overlook” in large print. Below that, in smaller print, they will say “Highland Overlook Landowners Association” and below that, “Private”. The signs will be made and installed by Signworks in Farmington. The Lakeview Highlands sign will be finished around the second week of September. The Rangeley Overlook sign is expected to be completed a few weeks later.
Millie and Val proposed cutting the buildup of brush along several sections of our roads. Millie advised that the individual, who was contracted with in the past, has passed away, so we will have to find another contractor. Dave Douglas stepped up and contacted Mike Ferguson on cutting the brush buildup in the Highlands and the Overlook. Dave Douglas and Ed Zambraski surveyed areas to be cut and Mike Ferguson subsequently did a good job cutting back said brush.
Total money spent to date:
$41,919.00 Road work/Snow Removal 2016-2017 (Includes $1800.00 for Ditching and culvert cleaning in October 2016).
$19,340.70 M & H Grading, rolling, rock raking, delivery and spreading of ¾” crushed shale.
$ 1,290 Calcium chloride
$ 180 Terry Morgan for spreading the calcium.
$ 375 Mike Ferguson, Brush cutting.
$ 83.09 Road signs made up by Ed Zambraski
$ 35.00 Permit from Rangeley Code Enforcement, for permission to install new Lakeview Highlands sign.
$ 23.50 Town of Rangeley dump fees, for waterfront cleanup and the old wooden posts from the Lakeview Highlands sign. (Ed Zambraski cleaned everything up and transported everything to the Rangeley transfer station)
Total money spent to date: $63,246.29
We have money left over this year, so we will be laying down additional crushed shale this fall.
* On the 8-20-17 Road Committee report, the money paid to Terry Morgan was listed as $250.00. This was wrong. The correct amount of the bill was $180.00
Thanks to the road committee members for their input and support.
Dave Arthurs
H.O.L.A Road Commissioner
Road Committee Report:
November 22, 2016
On October 1, 2016 we started our new budget calendar year. In the spirit of total transparency, I will continue to keep everyone updated with all aspects of work that is performed on our roads, along with the costs.
On October 25, 2016, Rick, from M & H, cleaned out most, if not all, of the culverts on both hills that were 50% or more blocked. Rick also ditched a section of Winston Road that badly needed it. This was not on the section that we previously worked on. The work took eight and a half hours to complete at a cost of $1,800.00.
We did not plow the snow yesterday or today because we want the roads to freeze up a little more, so as not to plow our recently laid crushed shale onto the sides of the roads. Burgess did come around and sand.
Feel free to contact me with questions or concerns.
Dave Arthurs
H.O.L.A.
Road Commissioner
Road Committee Report:
April 30, 2016
Burgess, as usual, did a great job snowplowing and sanding. Very few complaints were received. This is the last year of the 3-year contract with Burgess so we need to discuss the possibility of renewing this contract.
I have called for a Road Committee Meeting on May 14, 2016 to receive input for our spring road maintenance. Overall, the roads are in fairly good shape. Most likely due to the light snowfall we received this past winter.
Road money spent to date:
Loop Road: Culvert with minor ditching and rip rap. $1,875.81
Winston Road: Culvert, ditching, rip rap, taking down berms and road widening at the bottom of the road. Gravel rolled with roller. $4,051.19
Total road money spent to date: $5,927.00
Snowplowing and sanding
Snowplowing and sanding. December 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015. $7,325.00
Snowplowing and sanding. January 1, 2016 to January 17, 2016. $4,831.25
Snowplowing and sanding. January 18, 2016 to January 22, 2016 $2,122.50
Snowplowing and sanding. January 30, 2016 to February 12, 2016 $4,443.75
Snowplowing and sanding. February 16, 2016 to February 27, 2016 $8,702.50
Snowplowing and sanding. March 1, 2016 to March 15, 2016 $3,206.25
Snowplowing and sanding. March 25, 2016. $ 631.25
Total snowplowing money spent to date: $31,262.50
Total monies spent to date: $37,189.50
Questions or concerns please feel free to contact me at 864-3992.
Dave Arthurs
H.O.L.A. Road Commissioner
November 14, 2015
Fairly extensive grading and rock raking was done on both hills. A large portion of the downhill section on Winston Road was resurfaced with crushed gravel along with most of Marion Drive. This was done just prior to October 1, 2015
After October 1, 2015 the following work was done. The culvert that was accidentally dug up and damaged during the September grading was removed and a new culvert was installed. Ditching was done uphill from the culvert. Rip rap was then installed to slow the water down. The dirt that was removed from the culvert was put back on the road and used to raise the road above the culvert to ensure it would not be accidentally dug up again. Winston Road received fairly extensive road work in an attempt to control the water which has been destroying the road. Ditching was done on sections of the downhill on the western side of the roadway and rip rap added to control the water flow. A culvert was installed under a driveway of one residence. The homeowner has agreed to pay for the piping. Near the bottom of Winston, the road was opened up slightly on the western side and graded to allow the water to flow off the road without ditching. A berm on a portion of the eastern side was removed in an effort to channel water into an unused ditch. A roller will be used on Monday in an attempt to pack down the crushed gravel. The road will be reevaluated in the spring after the snow melt.
A word of thanks to Paul Ellis and Ed Zambraski for the following:
Paul cleaned out two ditches in front of culverts that were backed up, with his machine. I managed to clean one of the culverts out but the second culvert on Overlook and Circle Drive will have to wait until the water slows down.
Ed has cut down numerous Alders alongside various roads in the Highlands which were prohibiting a clear view around curves in the roadway. Overall our roads are in good condition and no further maintenance, except of an emergent nature, is planned before winter sets in. Road money spent to date: Winston Road: Work not completed as of this date.
The Loop Road: Damaged culvert removed and new culvert installed, minor ditching with added rip rap and building up the roadway over and around the culvert. $1,875.81
Total $1,875.81
D. Arthurs
Road Commissioner
Road Committee Report: re Winston Road
November 7, 2015 0900 hrs
In attendance, Dave Arthurs, Ann Arthurs, Millie Hoekstra, Valerie Zapolski, Paul Ellis Ed Inness and Alan Salvini.
Ed Zambraski was on vacation. Dave Saar could not make the meeting but walked and evaluated Winston Road and e-mailed his recommendations to the Road Commissioner.
The above named members met at Winston Road. The roadway was evaluated and recommendations were given from all members with respect to repairing the roadway from water damage and creating solutions to prevent said water damage from occurring in the future.
It was determined that a ditch would be put in. It will start from the bottom of Winston on the left side looking up. Said ditch would travel up past the home of Ricky Digiovanni and terminate approx. 75 feet above his home. At the bottom, the ditch will wrap around and be joined to a small ditch on Old Esker Way. The water will continue down to a culvert and be diverted further downhill. Due to the severe grade, rip rap will be placed in the ditch to prevent erosion.
The homeowner was contacted and asked if he would pay for the culvert pipe to connect the ditch on either side of his driveway. The homeowner, Mr. Ricky Digiovanni agreed to pay for the pipe which cost $211.00
On the other side of the road, there will be some excavation done to allow the water to flow into an old ditch that is present and all large rocks will be removed from the roadway.
The road will be reexamined after the spring runoff.
Dave Arthurs
Road Commissioner
Road Committee Report:
August 29, 2015
Those present: Ann Arthurs, Dave Arthurs, Ben Wetherill, Les Hoekstra, Millie Hoekstra
Those absent with notice: Dave Saars, Paul Ellis, Bill Hayes
The committee members had reviewed the road conditions and basically we are in good shape for the coming year. Two areas were identified as needing some attention before winter: Winston Road and Marion Drive. Ditching and re-crowning of these two areas will be taken care of.
Dave A. will speak with Andy A about reshaping his driveway so that the water doesn’t run into the Loop Road causing ruts and washouts.
We will speak to contractor to see if there is another topping that can be used that firms up better and doesn’t cause so much dust.
We will speak with snow contractor again regarding Morel Road snow placement (into larger ditch on upper side of road).
We will investigate the price of liquid calcium for next year. Although we applied calcium (pellets) this year the road became dusty quite quickly. The condition of the spreader may have caused the calcium to not go on thick enough.
We reviewed the proposed road budget and it was voted to keep it the same for next year $79,500. We are confident that all necessary road work can be done within this budget.
Road Commissioner Report
January 10, 2015
Winter has set in and so has the plowing season. Once again, our plowing contractor is doing an excellent job keeping our roads plowed and sanded. This past week we have received positive comments to that fact via a phone call and in person. It is a pleasure to receive positive comments and “thank yous” for all the work being done and especially complimenting the contractor’s work (a phone call and in person comments). Please use caution as it is winter and conditions change by the minute.
This past fall saw a large amount of maintenance work accomplished. This work was mostly ditching in both the Overlook and the Highlands areas. In addition, work was done on the corner of Marion Drive to improve visibility and safety. This addressed issues raised by some of the residents. We have purchased a brush mower that uses a flexible line to cut the grass and small brush along the roads. This will work out well in the spring to keep sides of the roads clear.
Due to the early onset of winter (Nov. snowstorms), the planned drainage work and topping will be done in the spring after the mud season leaves us.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at any time. Thank you for your continued support.
Les Hoekstra
Road Commissioner Report
November 8, 2014
The Road Commissioner, Les Hoekstra advised that he will submit a written report when all of the work has been completed for the fall.
Road Commissioner Report
August 23, 2014
Those present: Ann & Dave Arthurs, Paul Ellis, Les & Millie Hoekstra, Ben Wetherill
1. Review of road conditions
Overall the roads are in pretty good shape. A few problem spots were identified and discussed.
The “brown patch” (ground up asphalt and gravel) that was used last fall seems to be working well. We will be using more of that this year. Also, we will be looking at prices to pave 100’ or so at each entrance. The Loop Road water issues will be discussed with M & H personnel and come up with a plan. Speed on our roads is still an issue; is it time to install speed bumps for the summer months?
The Circle in the Overlook will need attention this fall
There will be some ditching/topping done this fall
2. It was decided to keep the road budget the same for next year. $79,500
3. The gate on The Lynn Way will be open after Labor Day. (We had it opened on a couple busy weekends this summer) Those living on The Lynn Way have commented how much they appreciate the less traffic and use of the road by those just cutting through and leaving some of their trash.
4. A DR String mower is being considered as a solution to the mowing of the sides of the roads. We will look to purchase this fall.
Road Commissioner Report
July 12, 2014
Since the last report, there has been some spring and early summer maintenance done on our roadways. Brush was cut back on The Loop Road and all the roads were rock raked twice.
This past week ditching and rocking was done along Kendall Farm Trail. The ditch was deepened and rock set in to help alleviate the road washing away in the spring. The erosion of the roadway was significant perhaps due to the shallow ditch and a severe winter. A new culvert was installed on the Kendall Farm Trail to help reduce the long flow of water.
In regard to the gate on the Lynn Way, the through traffic has been stopped resulting in a much quieter roadway. Although this may seem to be an inconvenience, it will result in a much safer roadway and also less wear and tear on our roads due to a lot of reckless driving through our area.
We will be meeting as a road committee during the summer to assess what needs to be done for this fall. I appreciate the patience of the road committee members in dealing with my more than busy schedule. As a last note, calcium was applied to the main roads (Lynn Way and Overlook) and we intended to add another application to alleviate the dust condition, but at the present time there is a national shortage of calcium and it is not available for another two weeks at best.
If you have any suggestions or comments, feel free to send them my way.
Respectfully submitted
Les Hoekstra
HOLA Road Commissioner
Road Commissioner Report
May 17, 2014
Winter is a passing memory as we look forward to spring and summer.
The snow plowing and sanding was well done in a very cold and demanding winter. The variable weather conditions proved a test for all of us. There was more sanding than usual done due to some extreme ice conditions this year.
The spring melt brought some problems we have not seen for a few years. There were some washout on the Lynnway, Kendall Farm Trail, The Overlook Road and The Loop Road. Thanks to the hard work of Paul Ellis, we were able to address these situations in a timely manner.
We have started on some spring work with the roads being rock raked twice. There has been some preliminary ideas as to where spring work should be done but some changing conditions may warrant these estimates to be revisited.
As always, if you have any concerns or issues please feel free to let me know.
Regards to all
Les Hoekstra, HOLA Road Commissioner
Road Commissioner Report
August 31, 2013
A year passed quickly by and it is time for another Annual Road Report. It is my pleasure to report that our roads are in good condition. Over the past year we have done a considerable amount of maintenance work; ditching, adding topping where needed, cut a considerable amount of brush to improve sight lines, reset and replaced culverts in the Overlook and Highlands.
I am also happy to report that we will be renewing the Snow Plowing Contract with Burgess Construction at the same rate as the last three year contract. Thus we will be able to keep the road budget the same again this year.
We will be doing some fall maintenance work in a few weeks. This will include some grading, ditching and adding some toping where needed. Clearing some rocks from the edge of the roadways will enable future mowing. We will also test a material that is a combination of recycled asphalt and gravel; this material has a better packing component and thus reduce the washboard effect on the entrance of the Overlook Road and the Lynn Way. We will be cutting trees along the roads in the Highlands to reclaim visibility and improve the safety for our roadways. Most of the large trees are old Poplar that show signs of decay and rot. Wind storms have blown some into the roads and a bad winter storm could bring down several trees and block the roads. The trees are getting too tall.
Another issue to address; we will be gating the entrance to the Lynn Way at Harold Ross Road. Over the year there has been a steady increase in the amount of drive through traffic by individuals who consider this to be their own personal through way. I believe the benefit of this would be a decrease in road maintenance cost, better control of traffic, greater safety as most of these drive throughs have little or no concern for any posted speed limit. This would also help control ATV traffic that comes onto our roads from off-site locations.
Once again drive carefully on our roads; we are getting more complaints about excessive speed on our roads. If you are going over the posted 25 mph, you are driving too fast…this is not I495 or the turnpike.
I would like to thank the members of the road committee for their suggestions and service in helping keep watch over our roads. Thanks to Paul Ellis for his experience, expertise and the many hours he has put in to keep our roads in good condition.
As always, if you have any concerns please feel free to contact me at any time.
Respectfully submitted
Les Hoekstra, HOLA Road Commissioner
Report of the HOLA Road Commissioner
May 18, 2013
Roads have wintered well and there will be some spring work done in the next few weeks to grade, rock rack, add some topping where needed and reset a few culverts.
Proposal: HOLA renew contract with Burgess Construction for another 3 years at $120,000 to do the snow plowing on our roads. MSP
Dave Douglas noted that the culvert at the end of his driveway (Kendall Farm Trail) needs to be looked at to determine if anything needs to be done or if it will come back up in a couple of weeks. We will also consider putting put sign at North entrance to Overlook Road encouraging trucks to use South entrance.
The plan is to begin road work next week, and as always, contact the road commissioner with any concerns or suggestions.
Respectfully submitted, Les Hoekstra
HOLA Road Commissioner
Report of the HOLA Road Commissioner
March 10, 2012
Well, it looks like MUD season is upon us and with warm weather forecast for the next week or so it could be a really mud season for us this year. The roads will be posted today and stay posted until the mud has disappeared and the roads become firm.
I believe that we call all agree that the winter plowing was well done and hopefully we are out of the woods as far as snow is concerned.
I would ask that everyone be alert as to road conditions were you are located and will alert me to any issues in regards to washout or culvert problems that may arise. The mud we will just have to live with so be aware of any detours that may or may not happen.
Hopefully, in late spring or early summer we will be able to grade, rock rake and apply topping as we have planned.
Be careful out there,
Les Hoekstra
HOLA Road Commissioner
HOLA Road Commissioner’s Report
Annual Meeting Sept. 1, 2012
Dear HOLA members:
Sorry I’m unable to be at the meeting due to work schedule. Please contact me if you have any questions.
2011-2012 was a decided departure from our normal process of doing the roads. Due to weather conditions last fall, it was determined to do some of the work in the spring. I believe this worked to our advantage especially in the area of road topping. Topping in the spring prevents the material from being plowed up during the winter season.
Once again all the roads were rock raked and graded. The following areas had topping added to them.
Entrance of The Lynn Way to lot 2E (6 loads)
The Lynn Way from the corner to 3H (Dick Moore’s-2 loads)
The Lynn Way to Harold Ross Road (10 loads)
Kendall Farm Trail from 17H to 14 H (7 loads)
Kendall Farm Trail from 14E to 12E (4 loads)
The Loop Road from 4 corners to the Y (2 loads)
In addition excavation work was done at the bottom of the Overlook Road and the upper portion of the Loop Road to help alleviate the water and runoff problems that usually occur in the spring.
The committee also purchased 50 bags of Calcium Chloride and applied them to the major roadways to help alleviate the summer dust. Brush and trees were cut along the roadways to help with sight lines on the curves. We are investigating the possibility of mowing the sides of the roads; we had contacted a potential person but unfortunately after looking at the roadsides he decided that his equipment would not do the job.
We are in the last year of our 3-year plowing contract. Last winter was not very snowy but winter will soon be here again. I believe most of us are very satisfied with the work that has been done by our plowing contractor.
There will be some road work done this fall which will consist of grading and some topping to prepare the roads for winter. The extensive amount of ditching over the past few years has made life easier for the plow drivers and helps greatly with the spring runoff.
Some of you will notice the washboard road surface. This is due to excessive speed and not engaging four wheel drive on the hills. Please watch your speed and drive with caution.
I would like to personally give a big “Thank You” to Paul Ellis who has spent numerous hours on our roads and coordinating the work being done by the contractors. Without this dedication and volunteerism our expenses would be much greater.
The budget submitted for 2012-2013 season will stay the same. This is allowing us to make necessary repairs and needed maintenance each year.
If you have any questions or concerns feel free to call me at 864-2963 or email me at les.hoekstra1@myfairpoint.net.
Respectfully submitted,
Les Hoekstra, HOLA Road Commissioner
Report of the HOLA Road Commissioner
January 14, 2012
The winter season is upon us and the fall maintenance roadwork has been completed.
This season the work included:
Grading and Rock Raking all the roads
Removal of excess fill from ditching
Resetting the culvert on Lynn Way
Rocking around culvert on Kendall Farm Trail
Ditching on one or both sides Overlook Road, Loop Road, Kendall Farm Trail and the Lynn Way
Deep ditch dug along Lynn Way, installed drain pipe and rock
Removal of brush and trees at intersections and curves on various roads
No topping was applied to any of the roads due to the lateness of the season and dropping temperatures. The topping will be applied in the late spring.
We are well into the winter season and so far the snow account balance is ahead of last year. Most of the invoices have been for sanding due to icy conditions. The plowing has been very good so far and we hope this will continue.
M & H Construction has salted some of the culverts due to the ice buildup from lack of snow. This (blocked culverts) could be a concern in the spring so please check any culverts near you and let us know if they are becoming blocked with ice.
The issue raised at the last meeting regarding the clean up after ditching on Kendall Farm Trail was reviewed after the meeting and resolved. M & H finished the clean up in that area.
If you have any concerns, please feel free to let me know.
Respectfully submitted,
Les Hoekstra
HOLA Road Commissioner
To see the HOLA “Road Policy” click here.