Clarksburg Chapter 90 Funds Cut in Half
 This section of Route 8 has been dipping for some time. |
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Town officials had greeted an expected bump in road aid with relief a month a ago.
Now they, like other towns and cities across the state, are wondering how they'll complete road repairs with half as much.
"All I can do is shake my head," said Selectmen Chairman Carl McKinney on Wednesday night.
Clarksburg had been in line for $113,000, up from $75,000 or so. Last week, the town was notified it would get $56,000 and some change, said Town Administrator Thomas Webb.
At issue is a record $300 million in Chapter 90 road funds passed by the Legislature, half of which is being held back by Gov. Deval Patrick until later this year — or possibly next spring — because the tax hikes he called for to fund it didn't pass.
"The Administration continues to work with the Legislature on transportation financing, but it is clear that we will need to make hard choices about where to devote available resources," said Transportation Secretary Richard A. Davey in a letter to the town.
So instead of getting a 25 percent increase, municipalities are shouldering a 50 percent reduction at the height of the roadwork season.
North Adams City Councilor Lisa Blackmer, who attended a meeting of the Local Government Advisory Commission at the State House on Tuesday, had likened the cuts at City Council to the governor "basically taking half his toys and going home until he gets his way."
Town officials have frequently commented on the dire needs of the town's nearly 16 miles of roads, one of which is a state highway and a major connector to Vermont. Route 8, as well as Middle Road, were heavily used in the period after Tropical Storm Irene because of the damage to so many Vermont roads.
The town is already facing the potential of hundreds of thousands of dollars to replace a culvert on Gates Avenue; it also needs about $10,000 in engineering work done to prepare for yet another attempt at a MassWorks grant (formerly Small Town Road Assistance Program).
Town meeting had begun matching the amount of Chapter 90 funds each year to bank up for extensive road work. This year's amount on the town meeting warrant is $70,000, close to the orginal Chapter 90 funds expected.
McKinney said afterward it would be up to town meeting to determine if it wanted to save that amount.
In other business:
• The board approved a sewer hookup for the North Adams Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses. The proposal still has to go before the Conservation Commission because of wetlands issues. The congregation is planning to construct a building on a field at the corner of Cross and Middle roads.
• The board approved a one-day entertainment license for Michael Milazzo to host a wedding at his home, the former Mountainview, on July 4. Webb said it was not really necessary but Milazzo wanted to make sure there were no issues.
• A request for an R.K. Miles account for the town Highway Department was delayed until McKinney had a chance to speak with the foreman. The town had had an account at Greenberg & Sons, which has closed.
• Webb was appointed representative to the Berkshire Regional Transportation Authority.
Tags: Chapter 90, roadwork,
