Sangerville board tables ATV access request

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    SANGERVILLE — A group of ATV owners was hoping that the Sangerville Board of Selectmen would give them permission to use portions of some paved roads in order to access the existing trail in the community.
    But after a one hour-plus public hearing on June 26, the board decided to wait until they had more information and input from Piscataquis County Sheriff John Goggin.

    The ATV riders specifically wanted permission to ride on portions of Flanders Hill, Burroughs, McPhetres, Knowlton Mills and East Sangerville roads, adding up to approximately 8.5 miles.
    Peggy Cleaves outlined the riders’ proposal which would be similar to policies in other communities. “The objective is for residents on these streets to have access to the trail. This just allows them to go from their home to the (abandoned) railroad bed — not to travel from one end of town to another,” Cleaves said.
    Selectman Bill Rowe, who admitted that he wasn’t a big fan of the off-road vehicles, said that he would be “a lot more comfortable if we were dealing with a Sangerville ATV club instead of a group of individuals.”
    But Larry Daggett, trailmaster for the Piscataquis Predators ATV Club, said that Sangerville doesn’t have an organized club and that it would take a considerable amount of time to form one. “I can tell you that in the town of Guilford, we have trouble trying to fill the (ATV club) officers’ positions,” Daggett said.
    Dyan McCarthy-Clark, who lives on Gray Road, was one of the attendees who said she had concerns about increased ATV access. “We have seen ATVs on our road … and we have come head-to-head with some of them that don’t follow the rules of the road,” she said. “Many riders don’t stay to the right when they’re on the road and many ride at ‘slapdash’ speeds.”
    Daggett said that if access was allowed, signage would be put up in the area reminding riders to obey the rules and the town could also enact a maximum speed limit.
    Ron Labonte, a McPhetres road resident, said that he allows snowmobile access to his property but not ATVs. “The signs are up … but some people just can’t read,” he said. “Some of them go through there at midnight.”
    Labonte said that even though the proposal was aimed at residents of the specified roads, “Once it’s a trail — it’s a trail. And the sheriff’s department has more important things to do than to sit on the Burroughs Road and wait for some kid to come flying by.”
    Town Manager Dave Pearson said that he talked to his counterpart in Greenville, John Simko, where the town has allowed ATV access on Pritham Avenue since 2007. “They really haven’t had any traffic issues or accidents of any kind,” Pearson said.
    Pearson also recapped a conversation he had with Goggin, and said the sheriff had strong reservations about any ATV access for more than a mile on paved roads.
    But Charlie Cleaves said just because a few riders may violate the law “I don’t think we should be penalized and denied access just to get out of East Sangerville so we can have (trail) access.”
    Selectman Melissa Randall, who also spoke to Goggin before the meeting, said that the sheriff also prefers to deal with an organized club instead of individual ATV’ers. “He told us that we can open it (the roads) up, but if there’s an accident, he’ll shut it down,” Randall said.
    The board reached a consensus to hold a public workshop on Wednesday, July 2 at 6:30 p.m. with Goggin so they can reach some type of agreement.