Lanesborough Promises to Expand Water Line By Year's End
 The Board of Selectmen agreed that they'll get the work done this year. |
On Monday, the Board of Selectmen approved signing a letter with the state Department of Environmental Protection stating the project will be completed by the end of the calendar year.
The DEP is waiving its previous requests for a study of alternatives in return for the commitment of the town that the line will be done.
"They just wanted a letter from us basically committing to getting the water line in this calendar year," said Town Administrator Paul Sieloff.
"We will probably have to get additional funds. We think we'll need a little bit more than the $199,000 we got approval at last year's town meeting."
The town is planning to add on to the existing water system from the intersection with Balance Rock Road to just past the landfill. Voters allocated just short of $200,000 for the expansion at town meeting and Sieloff hoped town crews could do most of the work.
"We're trying to do as much in-house as possible," Sieloff said.
However, early estimates indicate that the town will not have enough money so voters will likely see a warrant article requesting more funds. Sieloff said the project is only in scope and hasn't been fully estimated and planned, so how much more is needed is still unknown. The Water Department will be taking the lead in planning the project, he said.
"Essentially it is a basic water line. Fortunately, most of it isn't on paved roads," Sieloff said.
Staff from both the highway and the water departments will do the majority of the work. But, there is some directional drilling that will have to be contracted and there may be some engineering consulting needed, Sieloff said.
The line is only going to connect about a dozen residents but is expected to relieve some annual budget costs and reduce financial risk.
In 2011, the Department of Environmental Protection found a resident's drinking water was contaminated and suspected it came from the landfill. The town has been paying for increased monitoring of the water in that area to pinpoint the source. Additionally, the town has been filtering water for that property owner.
In fiscal 2014, the town budgeted $20,000 for testing. But then the state found a chemical that hadn't been detected before and ordered additional emergency testing. The town dipped into reserves twice to accommodate the additional testing, costing $54,000 in total.
The water line will remove the responsibility to test inside all of the homes near the landfill as well as reduce the risk of needing emergency testing.
"We're not going to eliminate all of our bills but we will take the main issue off the deck. And there is a safety issue," Sieloff said. "There are a number of benefits so let's get it done."
The administrator said he has been working diligently with the Water Department to scope the project and it has become a top priority. He expects the work to be completed by the fall.
In other business, Sieloff reported that the budget season has begun with department head budget requests being due on Monday. In the first week of February, Sieloff expects to have a first draft for the Selectmen and Finance Committee to review. That month, he also hopes to schedule meetings between the Selectmen and the heads of the Fire Department, Police Department and the Department of Public Works - the three largest budget sectors.
"We don't get the school budgets until March or April," Sieloff said.
This year, the Finance Committee is asking to hold its own meetings with department heads instead of doing it jointly with the Board of Selectmen.
Sieloff says he doesn't expect to see "gigantic" changes to the department budgets. Instead, the major changes will be in the capital items the Board of Selectmen opt to fund. For example, this year Sieloff expects to purchase a fire engine at a cost of nearly a half-million dollars. The town put some money aside for it already and will be asked to put more at town meeting. Half of the cost would be borrowed, Sieloff said.
The town will also see an additional $110,000 in state Chapter 90 funds, which were released by Gov. Charlie Baker last week. Sieloff said it will help because the town should be putting more aside for road repairs.
"That was very big news. I do want to suggest putting more money aside for road projects," Sieloff said.
Tags: drinking water, fiscal 2016, water line,
