The Russell Select Board discussed several grant opportunities at Tuesday’s meeting. Board Chairperson Nancy Mezger said the timing was perfect to apply for a STRAP (Small Town Road Assistance Program) grant for Carrington Road, the repair of which is a priority for the town.
“I plan to fill out the application,” Mezger said. She was told that towns in western Massachusetts have received as much as $400,000, while towns in southeastern Massachusetts have received as much as $1.3 million from the grant.
“We have to push the public safety issue,” Mezger said. “Carrington Road is the only alternate route if Route 20 is closed.”
The Select Board has been collaborating with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission on the project, and engineering recommendations have been made.
“We’re on the hunt for grants,” Mezger said.
A question was asked about collaborating on the project with the Town of Montgomery for their portion of the road.
“We have to do that project together. But for the grants, we want to be treated individually, because we may qualify for money that Montgomery doesn’t,” Mezger said.
“We have six-tenths of a mile, and the most damage. Montgomery has over two miles, and the least damage. It depends on how they judge it. Montgomery is not ready to do the project. They haven’t done the engineering work – we have,” she added.
Russell Select Board member Pandora Hague is also applying for a recycling grant. Hague said the paperwork to be filled out includes a recycling solid waste survey. Brooke Nash from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection will assist with the survey.
“At least I’m getting the forms that need to be filled out, and help doing it,” Hague said.
Select Board member Keith Cortis brought up the MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether) water contamination settlement money.
“Last week, we decided not to transfer the money to the Water Department. We should bring them in before we completely say ‘no’,” Cortis said.
The settlement money was from a class action suit regarding chemicals from the road that got into the aquifer. Originally, it was offered to the Water Department, who turned it down, according to Mezger.
Mezger said the Select Board signed onto the suit, and on the last Friday of December, they received a check for $56,000, which, after lawyer fees, leaves $33,000 to put into the general fund for the town.
Recently, the Water Department gave the Select Board a wish list for $22,000 of the $33,000 settlement, Mezger said.
A resident who lives by the turnpike suggested that wells be tested with part of the money.
“Down here you get water, we’ve got to pay for that. Septic is also expensive to be replaced and pumped. It would help a lot of people up there at least to know their wells are not polluted,” the resident said.
Mezger said she signed on to the suit for the entire town. It was agreed to take up both requests at the next meeting.
In the public portion of the meeting, Bill Hardie of the Conservation Commission gave information on trail cameras for the watershed areas to videotape the license plates of dirt bikes, off-road vehicles and SUV’s. Hardie said there are also dummy cameras available.
A suggestion was also made to display a sign on Pine Hill Road that reads: “Trail Cameras in use – violators will be prosecuted” as a deterrent.
“It’s against the law to use an internal combustion engine on land that is posted,” Hardie said.
In other business, Jim Cortis of the VFW spoke about continuing efforts to put on this year’s Memorial Day Parade. Currently, they are looking for a band to play, because the high school band is not available. They also need a bugler to play taps.
Cortis said the VFW would be holding a tag sale/flea market on Sunday, June 3 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with setup from 6:30 to 7:00 a.m.. He asked if they needed a permit for the tag sale. He was told tag sale permits are $2 per day.
