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Board hears plans for Western Ave embankment stabilization and highway equipment needs
Summary
Highway director outlined equipment purchases, silica testing costs for sand screening, and a proposed embankment stabilization project on Western Ave that will require DES permitting and being 'grant‑ready' for Homeland Security mitigation funds.
The Select Board reviewed highway needs including equipment replacement, sand screening and a long‑term plan for embankment stabilization along Western Avenue.
Highway Director (speaker 5) told the board that silica testing requirements for sand‑screening operations will impose recurring costs (an estimate given was about $2,500 every three years for respirator‑type testing). He recommended completing screening before regulatory changes take effect and noted the town’s screening approach to reduce costs by using rental contractors when feasible.
On capital, the director recommended buying a vibratory roller (currently rented each season at about $2,500/month) and discussed extending the service life of trucks and other heavy equipment through increased preventive maintenance. He said heavier maintenance budgets and some targeted capital purchases could reduce lifecycle costs.
The biggest long‑term item discussed was a vulnerable embankment on Western Ave near the river that would require moving the roadway 6–10 feet to create a safe slope. Director and town staff said the project is not immediate but that the town should be prepared to apply quickly if FEMA or state Homeland Security mitigation grants are announced; preliminary engineering and DES permitting will be needed.
Board members asked for an estimate of capital reserve balances and for staff to prepare grant‑ready materials; no vote was taken.
