Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Property Management topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board clears trees, improves access at 50 Pleasant Street while environmental bids proceed
Summary
Staff received authorization to remove trees and improve access to the town-owned building at 50 Pleasant Street; board members emphasized that full demolition or intrusive soil work should wait for Phase 2 environmental bids and asbestos remediation estimates.
The board authorized limited site work at 50 Pleasant Street — specifically tree removal and creation of a temporary access ramp — while staff completes the procurement process for a Phase 2 environmental site assessment and asbestos abatement. Town staff framed the vote as a safety and access measure to reduce liability and prepare the site for possible future demolition.
Select members debated whether to conduct full Phase 2 borings now or wait until demolition is imminent. One board member suggested digging a test trench along the foundation with the town's excavator as a lower-cost alternative to a full Phase 2, while others pressed for a formal RFP and consultant input. Town staff said the tree work can be done with public-works force-account funds and will not draw from the previously approved $60,000 budget allocation for the larger project. "I would advise you to... tear it down, but that's not where we're at," one staff member said during the discussion.
