RANDAL BROWN
SOUTHWICK – Department of Public Works Director Randy Brown met with the Board of Selectmen this week to discuss his priorities for Chapter 90 funds.
“Typically we get about $360,000,” said Brown. “The projects that are top priority are the most urgent needs.”
Brown said Coes Hill Road, George Loomis Road, Kline Road and North Loomis Road are the streets most in need of repair.
“Other needs could be funded under Chapter 90,” he said, citing a new salt shed and culvert repairs and replacements among those needs. He also said there are bridges that need help in town.
“That’s $7.5 million in infrastructure projects that are pretty critical,” Brown said. “At some point we need to address these problems in detail.”
Board Chairman Russell Fox said the board understands the needs.
“We are aware and we’ve talked about bonding as an option,” said Fox. “We will have to have a work session just on roads and I would like to do this fairly quickly and have the Finance Committee on board with us.”
The Chapter 90 Program was enacted on March 23, 1973, by vote of the Public Works Commission to entitle municipalities to reimbursement of documented expenditures under the provisions of General Laws, Chapter 90, Section 34, Clause 2(a) on approved projects. The funds provided from transportation bond issues authorizes such capital improvement projects for highway construction, preservation and improvement projects that create or extend the life of capital facilities
Gov. Deval Patrick’s proposed FY2015 budget included an increase in Chapter 90 funds.
The administration’s transportation plan includes an additional $100 million per year for local roads and bridges (bringing the Chapter 90 program to $300 million annually) and an additional $40 million per year in capital funds for the Regional Transit Authorities.
“This is a growth budget that makes investments in education and transportation to grow jobs in the near-term and strengthen our Commonwealth in the long-term,” said Patrick. “Each of us has a stake in promoting opportunity and prosperity throughout the Commonwealth, and each of us should contribute to improving it. And the number of new reforms we have also proposed continues our work to improve government performance and achieve savings.”
The board agreed to meet later this month to discuss roads more specifically.
