Pownal Select Board flags salt shed repairs after engineering report; groundwater risk raised

An engineering report presented to the Town of Pownal Select Board on July 14 found the town's salt shed requires repair, and Chair Jon Morris said the board must prioritize fixing the structure because of potential groundwater concerns.

"If there is any possibility that we are continuing to pollute the ground water here, it's unacceptable," Morris said after reading the report and urging the board to expedite corrective work. The Town Administrator, Becky Taylor-Chase, told the board that two items requested by the town's insurer had been budgeted and that contractor Paul will be asked to schedule the approved fixes.

Chair Morris said the Future Facilities Committee should prioritize the salt shed within its broader facilities review, and he suggested the board may need to bring a focused warrant article to a future town meeting to fund repairs. Town staff emphasized that the town's obligation to pay contractor invoices remains and that insurance and grant eligibility may shape how the work is funded.

The board did not approve a remediation plan at the meeting; rather, members agreed the matter requires immediate attention and coordination with the Future Facilities Committee. Select Board members discussed options including removing the salt shed from the committee's broader scope to advance a targeted warrant article and noted past small-scale soil remediation work in the town in response to contamination.

Next steps: the Select Board will convene with the Future Facilities Committee to prioritize tasks from the engineering report and determine whether a warrant article or separate funding measure is required. The town administrator will coordinate scheduling the initial repairs identified by the insurer and report back to the board.