SOUTHWICK – Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Randy Brown updated the Board of Selectmen this week on several topics, including winter preparedness and grants.
The town was awarded several Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Sustainable Materials Recovery Program Municipal Grants, including one in the amount of up to $33,000.
Brown said he applied for four different grants and received confirmation last week that the town was successful in all four applications. Three of them are small grants, and one has the potential to be very large.
One of the grants will be used to purchase new recycling bins and another will help purchase new recycling equipment.
“The Pay As We Throw grant could award up to $33,000,” said Brown. “We need to do our homework and make sure this is a program we want to go with.”
Brown told the board Tighe & Bond is about 75-percent complete in its design of Congamond Road, including the addition of sidewalks, which was not part of the original design.
Brown said because of this, the Department of Transportation (DOT) suggested having a meeting and include the public.
“A meeting has been set for Nov. 19 at the Town Hall auditorium and the public [is invited] to come in and see the plans and give us their feedback,” said Brown.
The event is not a public hearing, but a public forum, stressed Brown.
The sidewalk would extend from College Highway to Crabby Joe’s on the southern side of the road.
“I think it will be a nice tie-in from the Rail Trail to College Highway and local neighborhoods,” said Brown.
“One thing the state didn’t consider when doing sidewalks on College Highway was crosswalks,” said Board Chairman Russell Fox, who pointed out “that one of biggest complaints I hear is there’s no place to cross.”
Brown said the DOT has already said they want to include crosswalks at Sheep Pasture, close to Berkshire Avenue, College Highway.
Brown said the DPW is preparing for winter and requested, and received, approval from the board for the purchase of salt and plow contracts.
“We solicited applications from local contractors to provide supplemental snowplowing,” said Brown. “I have a list of eight – all have plowed in the past. A few have added a couple of trucks.”
“For the most part it’s the same crews and the rate hasn’t changed since last year – $75 3/4 ton and $80 for one-ton vehicles,” Brown said.
Brown said while the cost of plowing hasn’t increased, salt is another story.
“At the end of last year there was a global shortage of salt and we were lucky to get through the season,” Brown said.
This year prices have increased drastically. Last year, salt cost the town $55 per ton, and Brown said the lowest bid this year is $78 per ton from Cargill in Westfield.
The board approved the purchase and Brown said he would meet with plow crews in the next few weeks to review the town’s plans to clear snow and ice.
