Select Board reviews 10‑year sidewalk plan, prioritization and $170,000 leftover appropriation

Scott, the town’s DPW director, briefed the Select Board on a March 2023 sidewalk inventory and condition report covering roughly 33 miles of sidewalks and granular condition ratings ranging from excellent to poor. He reminded the board that the town’s Complete Streets policy generally requires sidewalk replacement only when a road undergoes full reconstruction, not for mill & overlay or chip seal operations.

Scott said the town has received $2.3 million in recent capital appropriations for drainage and sidewalks, and that roughly $430,000 of a drainage appropriation has been spent fixing two culverts, leaving about $170,000 remaining. He explained culverts take precedence because failures can close roads and require far costlier repairs than proactive lining. "Culverts are critical," Scott said, noting that a cured‑in‑place lining can avoid full excavation.

The board asked whether the remaining $170,000 should be spent on design work to make Maple Street or other prioritized projects shovel‑ready for large grants such as Safe Routes to School (typical grants $2M+). Scott recommended using the town’s prioritization plan to identify feasible projects and then applying the $170,000 for targeted design or low‑cost construction on 'low‑hanging fruit.' He said Maple Street design is underway (previous design cost just over $200,000) and that design money is typically a municipal responsibility for most grant programs.

Board members asked for the packet to be posted for public comment and for staff to return with a prioritized list of projects where the remaining funds would be most effective. The board directed staff to consult the prioritization plan, identify a short list of candidate projects, and recommend where the $170,000 should be allocated for either design readiness or small construction items.