Spurred on by requests from Cornerbrook subdivision residents, Windham officials are consulting the town’s attorney to determine whether the town is responsible for performing winter road maintenance in the Cornerbrook neighborhood.

Representatives of the Cornerbrook Commons neighborhood association and neighbors crowded the Windham Council Chambers on Tuesday night to request the town plow the road that leads through the neighborhood, located off Varney Mill Road.

While debating whether the road should be plowed by the town, Public Works Director Doug Fortier and the president of the association encountered some legal ambiguities regarding an 800-foot section of road, owned by land developer Ralph Vance. While Mr. Vance has signed a release form, granting the town permission to enter the section of Provost Drive, there is a stipulation stating that “The developer will be responsible for maintaning the roads and drainage facilities, including plowing, until such time as the road is taken over by the homeowners association.”

Because of the ambiguity, the Windham Town Council has decided to contact the town’s attorney in order to help sort out the matter to ensure proper proceedure is followed.

The law prohibits the distribution of public funds to tend to private properties. The bulk of the Cornerbrook community has signed easements to the roads, turning the property over to the town. However, until the 820-foot stretch in question (beginning from Roosevelt trail) is answered, the request is at a stand-still. Some residents are a little worried, but tension is far from surfacing. The council plans to have the matter solved before next week’s meeting and vote.

Also on Tuesday night’s agenda was a session on site map reading, intended to inform the council on how to assess situations involving complex site-map questions such as in the continuing matter of Peter Busque’s quarry permit request in the area. Busque and his wife were the only community members present. The decision for the quarry is set for Sept. 26. The council plans to do a site walk before then.