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Roads commissioner warns of salt shortages; board discusses salt-shed options and vehicle maintenance overruns
Summary
Roads Commissioner Dave Sears reported supply delays for road salt, vehicle-maintenance overruns and proposals to relocate liquid tanks and consider a larger salt shed; the board discussed local solutions, grant barriers and potential joint facilities but took no formal votes.
Town Road Commissioner Dave Sears told the Select Board on March 11 that salt supply constraints have left the department with limited inventory despite ordering additional tons; the town received one load of a previously ordered 200 tons and expects it could cover only a few light events or one large storm.
Sears said contractor call volume is high and vehicle maintenance costs have run about $16,000 over budget this season due to multiple equipment failures. He is pursuing low-cost mitigation measures: moving liquid tanks outside the salt shed, building a small covered roof for tanks and considering whether increasing storage capacity (example: a 50'by'100 building) would be worthwhile. Sears noted that federal grant routes for a larger, covered salt shed involve extensive EPA processes and matching costs that may exceed the town's local cost of construction.
Board members also discussed the possibility of regional cooperation with neighboring towns that have newer sheds, and asked staff to research comparative costs and whether existing nearby facilities could be shared. No formal action or commitment to capital spending occurred at the meeting; the board discussed using carryover funds if necessary and to continue planning at future committee meetings.
