The Middleborough Planning Board on Jan. 7 voted to issue a certificate of completion for Holton Estates and to reduce the performance guarantee held for the subdivision to $5,000 to allow final acceptance steps to proceed.

Attorney Michael O'Shaughnessy, representing Malek Construction Company, asked the board to issue a certificate of completion and release the surety held by the planning board. "On November 22, 2024, I submitted a certified letter to this board as well as the town clerk stating that, in our opinion, the roadways are complete," O'Shaughnessy said.

Pat, the town peer reviewer, confirmed that construction was largely complete other than sediment in a catch basin that needed removal, and recommended retaining $5,000 of the bond to ensure final cleanup and the acceptance process went forward. "I recommended that Bush just hang on to $5,000 of the bond, just to see the completion of the acceptance process...and also account for the sediment removal," Pat said.

The board moved, seconded and voted unanimously to reduce the surety to $5,000 and to issue the certificate of completion dated Jan. 7, 2025. Members also voted that, pending acceptance of the roadway by the town or if town meeting does not accept the roadway, the board will release the retained funds back to Malek Construction once the roadway acceptance process is complete.

Ending: With the certificate issued and the $5,000 retained until acceptance processes complete, Malek Construction may proceed with a request to the Board of Selectmen to lay out Holton Way as a public road.