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City manager details water‑tank rehab, $80,000 trail grant, airport director retirement and volunteer outreach plans
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Summary
City Manager Elizabeth Furland reported that a 3,000,000‑gallon water tank has been rehabilitated and will return to service next week after testing; the city won an $80,000 RTP grant (80/20 match) for a deteriorated trestle bridge on a city pathway; airport director Dave Hickling retired and Rebecca Landry will serve temporarily while candidates are interviewed; staff plan a new volunteer landing page on the city website.
City Manager Elizabeth Furland used the City of Keene in Focus podcast to summarize several operational updates from last night’s council meeting, including utilities, grant awards, airport leadership and volunteer coordination.
Water system: Furland said the city has nearly completed rehabilitation of a 3,000,000‑gallon water tank on Roxbury Road and expects it to be back in service next week following additional tests. She described a brief water‑quality notice earlier in the week for East Keene customers after a leaking isolation valve allowed a small amount of disinfected water (chlorine) into the distribution system; staff flushed the system and, according to Furland, had not received complaints.
Trails and grants: The city was awarded an $80,000 Recreational Trails Program grant to address deterioration at a trestle bridge on a city pathway used mainly as a campus connector. The grant covers 80% of the project cost with a 20% local match; Furland said the city is coordinating matching funds with Keene State College and partner organizations.
Airport leadership: Furland announced the retirement of airport director Dave Hickling. Rebecca Landry will serve in the airport director role while the city interviews two candidates, and the manager said Hickling will be available under a limited contract through December to assist with transitions. Furland explained that FAA funding typically supplies the majority of airport project funding (about 90% federal, 5% state, and 5% local), and the city is aligning its capital plan with those funding streams.
Volunteer management: The city manager described efforts to centralize volunteer coordination, including a planned website landing page and a fillable form so residents can register skills and interests; officials said staffing capacity to manage volunteers remains a challenge and the new system aims to simplify agreements and seasonal work.
Other business: Furland also noted routine approvals of grants and contracts and said staff will proceed with procurement and implementation steps as directed by the council.
