Residents press council to reconsider consultant role on Potter Hill dam; council approves grant‑funded community engagement

WESLEY — Dozens of residents told the Wesley Town Council on Sept. 29 they oppose further reliance on the consulting firm Fussin O'Neil for the Potter Hill dam aquatic‑connectivity project, urging the council instead to hire an independent project manager and to require clearer contract language that would not bind the town to dam removal.

Multiple speakers criticized earlier modeling and wetland assessments prepared as part of the project and said previous study options had, in their view, understated downstream flooding or mischaracterized the role of the river in maintaining wetlands. “This is the same Fussin O'Neil whose wetland study totally misrepresents critical roles of the river...They should not be considered for additional work with the town,” one resident told the council.

Other residents urged constructive alternatives, recommending modern fish ladders and modest structural repairs rather than full dam removal, and flagged potential liabilities tied to well replacements and water quality if the project proceeds without additional mitigation. Kyle Rosen, who described his experience in water‑well and filtration work, warned that drilled replacement wells can introduce contaminants and that town leaders should consider maintenance costs before committing large sums.

Town staff and the town manager said the community‑engagement work under consideration is a grant‑funded requirement and that the consultant’s scope is focused on outreach, website content and facilitating public conversation required by the grant. “This is strictly just for community engagement...it is funded 100% by the grant we received from NOAA,” the town manager said. Several councilors pressed the manager and solicitor on whether the grant obligates particular substantive outcomes; the manager said contract awards for construction or other major work would come back to the council for approval.

Even so, several councilors and members of the public called for the council to request a project‑management RFP to put a town‑hired manager in place. Councilor LaPietra and others asked the town manager to prepare an RFP and to bring back funding options; the manager committed to producing the information and to return with options at a subsequent meeting.

The council approved an amended resolution to proceed with the consultant‑funded community engagement component required under the grant, but debate over a town‑hired project manager and additional transparency around the grant application and its terms remains unresolved.

What happens next: the town manager will draft procurement materials and investigate whether grant funds can support project management; the council directed the solicitor to work with the planning board and administration to provide further documentation on the grant and a proposal for project management options.