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Palermo Officials Reject Allowing ATVs on Town Roads

April 29, 2008 - PALERMO -- Selectmen will not give permission for any town roads to become official ATV routes.

On the other hand, residents already annoyed by unauthorized riders left Thursday's selectmen's meeting with no reason to expect relief.

ATV spokesmen Wayne Turner and Nelson Stevens asked selectmen to open all or part of Hostile Valley, Chisholm Pond, North Palermo and Marden Hill roads and Arnold Lane to four-wheelers.

Designating the roads would create new connections to improve the regional trail system, they said.

About 30 residents, mostly living along the roads at issue, had questions, concerns and objections.

They said ATVs are noisy, uninspected and lacking turn signals; riders ignore speed limits and ride at all hours of the day and night; and that four-wheelers tear up dirt roads that are already in bad shape.

Some people were concerned about increasing the risk of accidents between ATVs and larger vehicles. Others cited dangers to horses and pedestrians if ATVs were allowed to share the roads.

Most people who spoke said their problem was not with club riders, whom they repeatedly called "responsible." The problem is the riders now using the roads without authorization.

Turner and Stevens said if roads are posted as ATV routes, every ATV rider can use them. The club has no police authority, they said.

Maine State Police Trooper Elisha Fowlie said four-wheelers on public roads are his department's responsibility. But they are a low priority compared to the multitude of other duties, he said.

Fowlie said state police try to respond to complaints, when they are not in the middle of more serious situations. However, he assured the audience he would not have time to sit on a back road waiting to catch speeding ATV riders.

After close to an hour's discussion, Selectman Paul Cowing told Turner and Stevens, "It don't look good, guys."

Selectmen took no action on the request, killing the proposal.

Cowing thanked Turner and Stevens for their presentation, and they thanked audience members for coming and assured everyone they left with no hard feelings.

In other business Thursday evening, selectmen set a policy of charging a $20 returned check fee in the event checks paid to the town are returned due to insufficient funds.

Cowing announced the next Road Advisory Committee meeting will be at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Town Office.

Waterville Morning Sentinel, April 26, 2008.


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