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USDA funding moves Buck Lake Brook stabilization forward; Woodbury faces $25,000–$35,000 town match
Summary
Road commissioner Michael reported that USDA will fund engineering and about 75% of construction for two EWPP projects (Buck Lake Brook/Cabot Road and a County Road site); the town estimates a combined match roughly $25,000–$35,000 and is exploring donated stone and in-kind road crew work to meet requirements.
Woodbury’s road commissioner told the Select Board on March 9 that the town’s long-dormant Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWPP) projects are moving ahead after a USDA engineering visit was scheduled.
"The USDA is paying for all of the engineering work, and they'll be paying covering 75% of the construction work," Michael (speaker 3) said, describing two projects: a larger Buck Lake Brook/Cabot Road stabilization and a smaller County Road location near Dog Pond Road. He told the board an engineer would inspect both sites the next day.
Michael said the town’s share — the local match — is currently estimated at roughly $25,000–$35,000 for the two projects combined. He described possible sources for in-kind match credit, including donated riprap or stone from Swenson and road-crew labor to contribute to the town’s match. That approach would require an amendment to the award to document the fair-market value of donated materials and ensure bids exclude donated stone to avoid double-counting.
The commissioner said earlier timelines had expected engineering to complete later in the year, which could have pushed contracting into winter and complicated hiring a contractor. Because USDA appears to be advancing engineering sooner, Michael said he would follow up with USDA contact Bob Thompson about the possibility of a one-year extension if the town needs more time to find a contractor and budget the match.
Board members and staff asked practical questions about stream-alteration permits and RFP roles. Michael said USDA would handle engineering and that the town (with technical assistance from the regional planning commission) would prepare RFPs for construction; he suggested using technical-assistance funds (about $3,707 noted in the packet) to pay the regional planner for help navigating federal requirements.
Next steps: Michael said he would forward USDA responses, any extension decision, and updates on the fair-market valuation process for donated stone to the select board and town treasurer.
Quote - "The USDA is paying for all of the engineering work, and they'll be paying covering 75% of the construction work," Michael said.
Why it matters The projects are intended to prevent road collapse onto brook channels and address recent flooding-related damage; USDA funding reduces the town’s construction burden but still requires a material town match and administrative work to meet federal grant rules. How the town documents in-kind contributions and whether USDA grants an extension will determine whether work can be completed before winter.
