Mechanicville announces $1.5 million CDBG award for water‑plant upgrades; contract and project manager not yet in place

The Mechanicville City Council announced it received a $1.5 million Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to fund upgrades at the city water treatment plant.

The award was conveyed by state notification dated Dec. 11 and discussed in a Jan. 8 webinar, but the council said at the Jan. 14 meeting that the city has not yet signed a contract with the state or named a project manager to oversee work on the plant. The council voted to enter executive session to discuss water‑plant issues later in the meeting.

City officials said the grant is intended for water‑plant improvements and that the notice of award is the first formal step; officials did not identify a project timeline or contract-execution date at the meeting. Council members emphasized that details such as the project manager, scope of work and procurement steps remain to be determined before construction or upgrades begin.

The council also discussed related finance items during the same meeting. One commissioner reported that the city collected $288,381 in back taxes covering 2016–2025 and that staff are continuing collection efforts. Separately, staff told the council they are working with Edmunds software for tax and utility systems migration; an anticipated training/go‑live window was discussed as July, with a possible earlier rollout.

The meeting closed the public portion with questions from residents and a reporter about whether the city still receives water from the county; council members indicated the city is no longer on county water and that the city’s drinking water supply is now managed locally. The council then moved into executive session to discuss water‑plant matters.

What happens next: Council members said they will provide updates as the city finalizes a contract and appoints a project manager. No binding procurement action or construction contract was approved at the Jan. 14 meeting.