Douglas Select Board Approves Two-Year, $2 Million Highway Paving Plan

DOUGLAS — May 19, 2026 — Douglas Select Board reorganizes, approves two-year road plan, and advances new commissions. The board re-elected Les Stevens as chair and Tim Bowman as vice chair by 4-0-1 votes at its May 19 meeting, then voted unanimously to approve construction of Northwest Main Street — estimated at $776,000 — for fiscal year 2027 and the design phase for Southwest Main Street, estimated at $1.2 million to $1.4 million, for fiscal year 2028. Highway Superintendent Adam Furnow told the board the town's pavement study documents an $18 million backlog across 83.6 miles of public roads and that the two approved projects will consume nearly all of the town's roughly $975,000 in combined Chapter 90 and Capital Committee road funds, leaving approximately $90,000 in reserve. The board also made three unanimous appointments to the newly forming ADA Commission and directed Town Administrator Matt Castriotta to open direct talks with the owner of the mill building adjacent to the town-owned 120 Gilboa Street parking lot, after members raised concerns that the owner had been charging a food truck operator a fee — described as either $250 per month or a one-time charge — to use a lot that the town maintains at its own expense under a disputed parking easement.