Select Board chair updates committee: Route 18 sewer project bids in, meetings with developers planned

Select Board Chair Peter Magone reported during the school committee’s public comment period on May 20, 2025, that the town’s Route 18 sewer project has advanced: two grants are in place, the bidding process is active and town leaders expect to select a contractor imminently.

"The first one was the $4,000,000 MassWorks grant," Magone said, and the town also secured a $3,000,000 federal grant. He told the committee the project proposal was put out to bid and that about 27 firms viewed the solicitation; a pre-bid meeting drew three or four contractors. "We hope to be picking, the actual, contractor and I believe at our next meeting, which will be, Monday following next week," Magone said, and he said construction could begin "maybe late late June or early July," weather permitting.

Magone said town officials will be negotiating with developers who have expressed interest in connecting to the new sewer, including Equity (owners of the Howard Hanks building), Signature (formerly Compass) and Greystar. He reported an existing agreement and easement with Greystar and said Greystar has already installed some pipe at a cost the town estimated at about $150,000.

Magone asked the school committee for continued coordination between town and school officials on related planning; he also said the town will continue outreach about the project in public forums. The update was informational and no action by the school committee was requested.