Highway Superintendent Mark presented his capital requests and operational updates to the Select Board. He proposed three warrant articles for spring town meeting: the routine Chapter 90 highway account, a 60‑inch bagging mower to absorb additional acreage once Thornton Burgess property needs are added, and a compact wheel loader (quoted with optional plow and pusher) to supplement an aging loader used for both snow operations and truck loading.

Mark said the current John Deere loader has limited trade‑in value but is more useful to keep on site for loading sand and assisting snow operations; he recommended replacing the Volvo or supplementing the fleet to maintain versatility in winter response and to handle the larger parking lot expected with Thornton Burgess operations. He said the loader purchase includes a $16,000 optional snow‑pusher for large parking lots and that a modest trade‑in value (~$8,000) is expected for the older unit; final numbers will depend on contract timing and vendor quotes.

Separately, the board voted to authorize an overdraft of the Snow and Ice account after recent weather activity exhausted the current appropriation. Motion to authorize the overdraft was made and passed with the customary “Aye” votes recorded.

Mark also briefed the board on a state‑driven process to have a surveyed "layout" accepted for part of Rock at Dundee Road so the state can proceed with a bridge replacement; he explained the town’s obligation was to commission a professional survey and that accepting a layout starts a process that may require temporary construction easements and town meeting acceptance. The board agreed to start the petition process and to forward survey materials to the planning board for required public hearings and eventual town meeting action if the planning board recommends acceptance.

No final purchase votes for capital items were taken; Mark said he would coordinate timing with advisory and return with finalized prices and trade‑in values.