By Rod Hansen
Staff Writer

The large trash containers that have become a fixture in the Lynchville/Danis Park neighborhood might soon vanish from the area.

The neighborhood, known around town as “The Parks,” sits directly on the Piscataquog River. Four 30-yard containers have been stationed there since dozens of local homes were damaged in the Mother’s Day floods.

The town positioned the trash bins there and waived landfill disposal fees to aid residents in clearing flood-damaged materials from their homes.

Selectmen reviewed this policy at their meeting on Monday, June 19, and said it might be time to remove the bins.

“People down there have been policing the Dumpsters, and I’ve heard that people are now throwing new building materials away,” said selectman Phil D’Avanza.

Board of Selectmen Chairman Barbara Griffin said the containers were placed there to collect materials damaged in the flood and should be removed if they were no longer serving that purpose.

Selectmen had discussed the bins at their meeting of June 5. About a dozen residents from The Parks turned out to ask that the containers stay in place.

At that meeting, Director of Public Works Carl Quiram said the town had spent about $16,000 on the containers up to that point.

Griffin told the residents that selectmen would review the trash bin policy at their June 19 meeting. However, no residents from The Parks turned out for Monday night’s meeting.

Selectmen agreed to take action on the matter at their meeting of June 26, pending reports from transfer station personnel and building inspectors. Selectmen will also review their policies on trash disposal fees and the availability of portable toilets at The Parks during their next meeting, Griffin said.

Quiram addressed selectmen at Monday night’s meeting regarding his upcoming appearance before the Capital Improvements Program Committee.

Quiram said he will be facing a $960,000 budget shortfall for the public works road plan in 2007, largely due to increases in the prices of asphalt and other oil-based materials.

He also said level funding of the road plan has caused problems in pursuing projects. The road plan, implemented in 2001, initially had increases built in to every year’s budget, but those stopped a few years ago.

Restoring those increases would help the road plan keep pace with repairs needed on local roads, Quiram said.

Currently, Quiram said he gets phone calls from residents who are angry about the condition of their roads.

“I get calls about some roads that are scheduled for repairs in 2010 or 2011, and I’m hoping the roads last until we get there,” he said.

Quiram is scheduled to appear before the Capital Improvements Program Committee on July 7.

Selectmen also met with auditor Frank Biron at Monday night’s meeting regarding their 2005 audit.

Biron, of the Nashua-based accounting firm Melanson Heath and Company, remarked mainly on money in the account of the Goffstown Sewer Commission.

There is currently $1.9 million in the account, down $570,000 from the previous year.

“It’s still a healthy balance, but if it keeps going down it’s going to be a very serious problem,” he said.

Goffstown Sewer Commission member James Bouchard said members of the commission would vote on a rate increase at their next meeting.

“We’re looking to vote in a rate increase in July that will become a part of the September billings,” he said.