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Select Board approves engineering contract to advance drainage and dam‑related plans; advisory committee to review
Summary
The board authorized contracting MSK and Turner Group for the next engineering phase of a major drainage/bridge/dam project, citing previously approved funds and the need to have shovel‑ready plans should federal appropriations arrive; an advisory committee will review plans and suggest cost‑saving options.
Madison — The Select Board voted June 23 to move forward with contracting MSK and Turner Group to complete the next engineering phase of a drainage/bridge/dam project that the town has been planning, citing prior voter authorization for funding and the desire to be shovel‑ready for potential federal funds.
A board member moved to sign contracts and proceed with engineering because the town has already allotted money for that phase; members discussed timing to ensure the project could be ready for a possible FY27 federal appropriation. “We will have plans…and we can start as soon as that federal money comes,” a board member said, urging the town to advance plans so the project can go to RFQ (request for qualifications) and be ready if funding arrives.
Board members also authorized an advisory committee (the dam/drainage committee) to review engineering deliverables and seek potential cost‑saving options; the board emphasized the committee’s advisory role and that professionals’ recommendations will govern final technical decisions.
The contract discussed includes engineering, oversight and project management tasks and references an estimated cost range presented by staff. Town leaders said some contract funds are for oversight tasks that will be expended during and after plan completion. The board asked staff to organize a kickoff meeting for the advisory committee, provide the project charge and circulate engineering reports to committee members.
Members stressed fiscal caution: if federal grant requests do not come through, they said they would not ask the town at large to fund major construction and would return to voters with cost estimates. The board approved the motion to proceed with the engineering contract and directed staff to convene the advisory committee and return project schedules to the board.
