Keene committee approves sale of small Church Street parcel, sewer repairs, airport grants and personnel pay changes

The Keene Finance, Organization and Personnel Committee met and unanimously approved a package of property, infrastructure and personnel actions affecting the downtown Church Street area, city infrastructure projects and employee compensation.

Don Luis, the city’s public works director, recommended selling a small, city-owned parcel at 100 Church Street — described in staff materials as 0.12 acres (about 5,000 square feet) — to an abutting property owner because the parcel is underused and has generated complaints from adjacent property owners. "We don't see a lot of value in continuing it as a park, and we recommend selling it to the adjacent property owner," Don Luis said, describing prior complaints about people congregating, public urination and related nuisance activity on the parcel. The committee voted to authorize the city manager to negotiate and execute the sale; the motion passed unanimously.

The committee also approved a $155,200 change order for the sewer main lining project after inspections uncovered deteriorated pipe sections that require point repairs before lining. Staff told the committee the repairs must proceed before the lining work and noted that DES has signed off and that the project is financed in part through an SRF loan with 10% loan forgiveness. The motion to authorize the change order with In SituForm Technologies was moved, seconded and approved unanimously.

On transportation and federal-funded work, staff recommended and the committee approved a not-to-exceed $300,000 contract for construction-phase engineering services with Greenman-Pedersen Inc. (GPI) for the Transportation Heritage Trail Phase 1 (NHDOT project 40653). The committee also approved accepting and expending FAA Airport Improvement Program grant funding for the airport taxiway A reconstruction project and…