The town of Andover has lost a friend and so have I. As many of you may know, Lee Murray passed away recently. [Lee’s obituary appears on page ??.]

Lee moved to town in 2004, after retiring as the road agent of New Boston. During his time in that position, he learned a lot about road maintenance. Before that, he had been an independent over-the-road trucker and also had his own heavy truck garage. He was one of the original creators of the RMMS software that the state of New Hampshire has developed and that we are implementing in town currently.

He taught me many things and was a good friend. Even when he had to move south due to his failing health, his desire was to be here in Andover, his adopted home. I miss Lee greatly as a loyal friend and a smart advisor.

Winter Is Coming

In the last month we have screened the winter sand and mixed it. We have stored up a large batch at the Town’s land near Monticello Drive. As October rapidly slips away from me, I am trying to tie down any loose ends before frost arrives, as well as ensure that we will be ready for the approaching winter. I tell people that any time after the 15th of November we should plan on snow and that all my contractors need to be ready to plow at any time from that point on. I have my crew out trying to replace missing delineators and clearing the road right-of-ways of any storm damage that might fall.

There are a couple of things I would ask all home owners to do during this period if they could:

Remove any obstructions from the edge of the road. Commonly, the right-of-way is between 20 and 30 feet wider than the roadway itself. Typically, the right of way extends from the edge of the road another 10 to 15 feet. Things like brush, motor vehicles for sale, or other items in this area can block snow coming off the wings of the plow.

Also, before snow gets here, landowners should be sure that the culverts along the sides of their property are clean. We try to clean them the best we can, but the highway department’s budget is far from unlimited. The 20 minutes it takes to clean a culvert with a rake or leaf blower can save the Town thousands in trying to thaw and clear a blocked culvert come winter.

Another issue I face is homeowners who move their snow across public roadways. If you engage in this practice for whatever reason, be very careful to clean up all snow on the roadway. If snow and ice on a roadway from this practice is linked to a motor vehicle accident, the homeowner can be held liable for damages and injuries. Worse yet, it could be you that is hit.

I encourage all people removing snow at the edge of their driveway to be cautious of traffic. The number of people injured and killed due to inattentive or distracted drivers is huge and growing. It is, I believe, currently the largest cause of death to municipal workers.

Be safe! Try to wear bright clothing, and stay aware of traffic. In some places, it may even be desirable to put out cones or some other visible warning device for motorists to warn them of your presence as banks become higher.