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Blackstone committee reviews capital funds, ARPA earmarks, and water-infrastructure work
Summary
Town staff reported roughly $3.7 million in stabilization funds and about $8.5 million in capital funds (preliminary FY24 figures); ARPA funds are fully earmarked with a re-appropriation review scheduled, the lead-service-line inventory grant is about halfway complete, and an EPA stormwater report is expected in December.
Lauren (town administration) provided a preliminary snapshot of capital resources and related infrastructure work. She said the town’s stabilization fund is roughly $3.7 million and the capital account is about $8.5 million while FY24 numbers are finalized. Lauren reiterated the importance of preserving borrowing capacity as existing debt falls off and urged careful use of funds so the town can meet large upcoming obligations.
ARPA and ClearGov: Lauren said the Board of Selectmen has earmarked the entire ARPA allocation for projects, and the board will hold an October workshop to reconcile exact spends and reappropriate any underspent amounts. The town used ARPA funds to purchase ClearGov, a capital- and operational-budgeting platform; Lauren said ClearGov rollout to department heads will begin after required training.
Water and environmental items: Unidentified Speaker (S2) reported the EPA requires a water-runoff report with a submission target around Dec. 13; the committee acknowledged potential downstream costs for stormwater upgrades. On lead service lines, Lauren said a grant-funded inventory is a bit more than halfway complete and replacement would depend on later grant availability.
Power-plant revenue: Committee members noted that revenue from a local power plant has bolstered the capital trust and borrowing capacity but cautioned that those revenues may decline unless a new agreement is negotiated.
Next steps: The administration will provide finalized FY24 numbers, present ARPA reconciliation at the October workshop, continue the ClearGov rollout and report back on EPA/stormwater and lead-service-line work.
