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Select Board presses staff on Summer Street engineering scope and timeline
Summary
Board members raised concerns about the pace and communication on the Summer Street engineering project; staff said the scope is still being defined and funding remains available because funds have not yet been drawn.
Select Board members on June 1 pressed town staff for clarity about the Summer Street engineering project, its scope, schedule and funding.
Leon Rideout asked how engineering is proceeding; Town Manager Jessica Cyr said staff are still defining the scope. Select Board member Shane Beattie said the board had not been told the project exceeded its budget and expressed concern about the time the project is taking. Jessica Cyr said staff used resources to develop presented numbers but acknowledged the board would have appreciated earlier notice.
Land Use Coordinator Robin Irving reviewed available funding sources and said there is no immediate risk that funds will be lost because the town has not yet drawn on them; she described the administrative steps that would trigger drawing on those funds. Irving also said she spoke with William Rose about pursuing New Hampshire Department of Transportation money for the northern end of Summer Street if it can be framed as a bypass to the downtown.
The board discussed technical costs including soil and water removal and the expense of constructing under the railroad on Causeway. Robin Irving said Paul Crane understands the work must be done this summer and that the town can stage the water line installation on both sides of the tracks so it is ready when permission to dig under the railroad is obtained.
Staff were asked to return with refined scope, schedule and clearer cost estimates.
