WESTFIELD – The Finance Committee will give a positive recommendation to a transfer of $3,450,000 for the Gaslight District construction project that will replace underground infrastructure in one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods.
The committee discussed the appropriation from the sewer undesignated Inflow-and-Infiltration account to the Water Resource Department sewer construction account with City Engineer Mark Cressotti and Water Resource Superintendent Dave Billips last night.
Committee members expressed initial concern because there were two sewer appropriations on the committee’s agenda, the one submitted in January by Mayor Daniel M. Knapik and a second from July of 2012 for $2,750,000.
Cressotti said the funding issues are both related to the Gaslight District project, but that the 2012 funding appropriation is no longer valid.
“The City Council voted to put that $2,750,000 in place, but since we didn’t encumber that money before the end of the fiscal year you have to re-vote to appropriate it,” Cressotti said. “It’s higher because we have a clearer idea of the cost.
“The sewer does need to be replaced. They are falling apart,” Cressotti said. “The water lines are not capable of supporting development in that area.”
Billips said the four-inch water lines are clogged because of mineralization.
“There’s no fire protection in that area,” Billips said. “Those four-inch lines have an inch and a half internal diameter now. If there was a major fire we’d be in trouble getting water to it.”
At-large Councilor Robert Paul Sr. said that the co-operation between city departments has improved, especially between the public works, water, engineering departments and the Westfield Gas & Electric Department
“I’m seeing in the plans where you’re all doing this together,’ Paul said. “That you’re putting all of the infrastructure in at once to support future development, the sewer (natural) gas lines, conduit for broadband service, water, drainage, instead of digging it up again and again.”
Cressotti said that last year the City Council approved a $2 million water bond, used for the Elm Street water main improvements, and that the remaining funds will also be dedicated to the Gaslight District project which encompasses the neighborhood between Elm and Washington streets and between Franklin and Court streets.
Cressotti said that the inclusive construction approach means that sewer, water, drainage line and conduit for fiber optic cable, will all be installed at one time.
“That joint infrastructure upgrade is what you’ve been working to get to,” Paul said. “Let’s make it visible.”
“This will be the first time we’ve done (mulch-departmental coordination) this,” Cressotti said.
The committee voted 3-0 to give a positive recommendation to the full City Council Thursday night.
