Rutland’s Public Works Committee reported on multiple infrastructure projects at the Aug. 4 meeting, recommending engineering agreements and planning-loan applications for downtown utility upgrades, a wastewater system evaluation and a water-disinfectant modification project; the board recorded committee recommendations and authorized staff to circulate documents for signatures.
Center and Whale Street utilities: The committee reviewed an Otter Creek Engineering service agreement to prepare design, permitting and bid-ready documents for water, sanitary and stormwater upgrades on Center and Whale Street. The consultant’s design scope would also examine private property connections that currently tie into an existing sewer main beneath north-side buildings and consider redirecting roof drains into new storm infrastructure. The preliminary design cost was presented as $222,500 and the committee recommended using the capital improvement reserve fund for design with the intent to reimburse from the TIF bond proceeds if the TIF vote succeeds.
Wastewater and water projects: The board heard that a required 20-year evaluation of the wastewater treatment facility and collection system will be conducted under an engineering services agreement (estimated $73,100) and that the department will pursue a DWSRF planning loan application. The committee also recommended signing a Weston & Sampson agreement for a water-supply disinfectant modification project and circulating the associated planning loan paperwork for signatures.
Merchant’s Row safety: The committee recommended—and the board supported—low-cost, in‑house measures for a midblock crosswalk on Merchant’s Row. Proposed changes include granite-curb bump-outs to shorten crossing distance from roughly 50 feet to about 33 feet, new pavement markings, reduced travel-lane widths to calm traffic and yield markings to improve driver awareness. Committee members noted sufficient in‑house materials and labor to implement the work without an additional funding request.
Why it matters: The Center/Whale design work is linked to a downtown hotel and the city’s tax-increment financing (TIF) plan; officials said design expenses from capital reserves would be reimbursed by TIF bond proceeds if the bond is approved. The wastewater evaluation and water‑treatment projects are tied to regulatory permits and state loan programs; committee votes authorized staff to sign agreements and circulate planning-loan applications pending legal review.
Discussion vs. decision: Committee recommendations to authorize agreements and loan applications were forwarded to the full board; motions to circulate documents and to authorize signing were recorded as passing in committee with direction to complete legal review before execution. No final construction contracts or loan awards were approved at the Aug. 4 meeting.