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Select Board prioritizes downtown sidewalks, patent‑park planning and unified capital policy
Summary
Board members urged steady progress on downtown sidewalk repairs and Asbury connector work, advancing a Patent Park master plan and updating the town’s capital‑planning policy to include facilities condition assessments and clearer five‑year reporting.
Several board members urged a sharper focus on capital planning and pedestrian safety at the June 29 workshop, asking staff to better unify the town’s five‑year capital plan, deferred‑maintenance assessments and project priorities.
Discussion highlighted downtown sidewalk improvements and a longstanding intersection problem at Asbury and Highland that has been repeatedly pitched for state grants. Staff said the town has a near-term estimate for town-side downtown streets; the state-owned segment (Bay Road) remains outside municipal control and complicates a complete streets approach. Members recommended phasing projects into smaller, fundable chunks when state grants are unavailable.
The board also discussed connecting the Asbury Street affordable-housing site with downtown sidewalks, conservation-level permitting and a developer contribution that could help the town fill a missing link. Town staff said some sidewalk work has been completed (e.g., a recent Asset/Forest/School Street connector) and that they will continue phased work each year.
Board members recommended strengthening the capital-planning policy to include standardized facilities condition assessments, a consistent cadence for those assessments and better public reporting of the five‑year plan so voters can see multi‑year priorities. Staff said the town already maintains a five‑year plan and uses consultants for pavement management and building condition reviews, but they acknowledged communication of the plan to the public can improve.
