Brookfield weighs bonding or tax increases to fund failing Moose Mountain Road bridge

The Brookfield selectboard discussed options to fund repairs to the failing Moose Mountain Road (also referenced as Goose Mountain Road) bridge after an engineering review. The town has about $200,000 available to cover engineering and permitting costs, but the engineering estimate for construction was put at approximately $500,000 and that construction money is not yet in hand.

Board members outlined two primary options to cover construction: raise the tax rate over several years or issue a bond (a 10-year bond was discussed). The board gave a numerical example for residents: "Every $100,000 we spend in our budget is about 50¢ on the tax rate," a selectboard member said, and noted that a half-million-dollar project could shift the local tax rate materially. The board also warned that delaying repairs could force the state to require a temporary emergency bridge at higher cost.

Board members said they investigated federal and state funding but noted trade-offs: federal or state grants often require building to higher specifications and might increase the town's local match. The board agreed the bridge is a high-priority warrant-item topic for the upcoming budget discussions and urged public input on whether to bond, band together warrant articles, or consider alternative funding sources.

Next steps: the bridge will be a focal point in warrant-article planning for January; the board said it would present options and estimated tax impacts in upcoming public budget meetings so voters can weigh the trade-offs.