Highway commissioner reports culvert work, fuel-tax paperwork and shared-use path extension review

Dave Sears, town road commissioner, told the Select Board July 15 that crews replaced a culvert on North End Drive in Westridge Terrace and have begun roadside mowing after recent equipment returns from repair. He said reclamation work on East Pittsford Road encountered unexpectedly thick asphalt (about 8 inches) and that contractor cutting tools broke and delayed the job. Sears said he discovered the town is paying tax on fuel and gasoline because the town had never completed paperwork to claim its tax-exempt status; he is working through state and federal forms to secure exemption. He also said work is under way to secure easements needed for a sewer project; the town has contacted property owners (one owner in Florida and another in Syracuse) and expects notarized easement documents returned by mail. On broader projects, Sears said the planners showed an extension of the shared-use path to Moores Drive; the plan will be submitted to VTrans for review and may be adjusted to satisfy state rules on intersections and distances from signals. He also said the Stratton Road culvert grant has been approved but that some towns report the granting agency is holding funds and projects because fiscal-year timing is changing, leaving the project in limbo for now. Sears described discussion of adding a bulk fuel tank at the highway garage to capture volume pricing for diesel and to provide easier refueling for highway and fire vehicles; he noted the tank behind the public safety building contains diesel for the generator but is not a full solution for highway vehicles because some trucks cannot be maneuvered into that location when fitted with plow wings. Sears said the town will open bids for a fence at the shared-use path later in the week and that two bids had been submitted as of the meeting.