Winchester commissioners press for cleanup and better enforcement after Main Street riverfront excavation

Commissioners used the Other Business portion of the May 21 meeting to raise concerns about a Main Street riverfront parcel (parcel ID 101‑101‑12) that was excavated without full permitting, leaving concrete and other debris on the riverbank and presenting a potential hazard as river levels rise.

Vice Chair Russ Stavenport and multiple commissioners said the site remains a mess despite earlier commitments to remediate the area. Commissioners recalled prior direction that riverbed material should be removed by hand or by reaching over from above rather than by driving equipment into the channel; they also said the contractor had not completed agreed‑upon hand‑removal and that staff had been delayed by competing workloads and personnel constraints.

The commission discussed enforcement limits, noting that the town budget request for additional enforcement capacity was denied and that staff are stretched. Several commissioners suggested volunteer monitoring or ad hoc area assignments to improve follow‑up, while others stressed that enforcement of private contractors and town projects alike requires timely staff action. Commissioners recommended rescheduling the on‑site meeting with the contractor and reiterated that any material in the riverbed needs to be removed in a manner that avoids further sedimentation and stabilizes slopes.

The commission did not vote on a new enforcement action in this meeting but directed staff to keep pursuing scheduled inspections and to press the contractor to complete hand‑removal and site stabilization in the coming weeks.