Kingston Addresses Private Road Maintenance Concerns

Board offers compromises for winter plowing, residents express frustration over costs

KINGSTON, MA - October 8 - The Kingston Board of Selectmen grappled with the town's winter maintenance policy for unaccepted roads at their Tuesday meeting, offering compromises for several streets while residents voiced concerns over communication and costs associated with bringing private roads up to town standards.

The board discussed a list of unaccepted roads that may not receive winter plowing unless certain improvements are made. Several roads have already made necessary upgrades or begun work to meet requirements, including Paradise Lane, Tree Farm Estates, Sunrise Drive, Kingsgrove Lane, and Grandview Avenue.

For Post Court and Cobb Avenue, the board proposed allowing one more season of winter maintenance if fences in the right-of-way are moved by October 2025. Meadowbrook Road, Podbury Lane, and Bradford Road may receive town-provided materials to fill potholes this year.

Country Club Way, Cedar Street, Russell Pond Road, and Stagecoach Drive remain at risk of losing plowing services if repairs are not completed by Nov. 1.

Residents expressed frustration over the short notice given to make improvements. Brian Tartaglione of Russell Pond Road said, "None of the residents on this street know that the town has not been maintaining this road or that it was a private road."

He added, "We're only notified, I don't know, a few months ago that we had to have it done by November 1st in order to have our street plowed."

The board acknowledged communication issues and discussed gathering more information on past town work on some roads before making final decisions.

Town Administrator Keith Hickey explained the challenges of accepting private roads, saying, "To bring those roads up to an acceptable level for the town to accept them would be, correct me if I'm wrong, like two and a half to $3 million."

Residents of Country Club Way voiced particular frustration over longstanding road issues. Dan Maybruck of Country Club Way said, "Those roads are the worst roads I've ever been on in my life. It's a public hazard."

The situation is complicated by Country Club Way being owned by an LLC rather than residents. Hickey noted the town is in litigation with the owner over unfulfilled commitments to finish the road.

The board ultimately voted to provide exceptions to the existing policy for the 2024-2025 winter season. Post Court and Cobb Avenue will be plowed if fences are moved by October 2025. Meadowbrook Road, Podbury Lane, and Bradford Road will receive material to fill potholes. Country Club Way, Cedar Street, Russell Pond Road, and Stagecoach Drive must complete necessary repairs by Nov. 1 to receive plowing.

The board also discussed potential future steps, including bringing a bylaw to town meeting to create a clearer process for private road acceptance. Selectman Tyler Bouchard noted, "This has been something for a long time nobody's wanted to tackle and we're here to tackle it."

Kingston officials are considering a proposal from John Guilfoil Public Relations for PR services at $1,499 per month. The firm would help with content creation, media relations, and crisis management for various town departments.

Town Administrator Keith Hickey presented the proposal, highlighting its potential to improve how the town shares information with the public.

However, board members have concerns about adding this expense without going through the normal budget process.

Selectman Kimberly Emberg expressed hesitation, saying, "I can't tell department heads we can't increase their budgets while adding an $18,000 expense that didn't go before town meeting. If we want to bring it to the finance committee as part of our future budget, that's fine. But right now, I can't vote yes on this."

Selectman Tyler Bouchard agreed, stating, "If this was a line item in our town meeting, I'd be for it. We need help, especially for police and fire. Not because they're not doing a great job, but because it's not their main job."

The board decided against entering into a contract with Guilfoil for now, choosing instead to bring the proposal forward at a future town meeting.

Ben Paulin, senior vice president of John Guilfoil Public Relations, explained that the firm works with about 300 clients across 14 states, mainly municipalities and public safety departments. He emphasized their round-the-clock availability and ability to handle both routine communications and crisis management.

Emberg expressed concern over adding expenses during a tight budget year, saying, "With a year leading up to what I'm going to try to avoid, a Prop 2.5 override, I can't, in good conscience, say yes to something that adds something to our budget right now."