This year saw many accomplishments, changes, and some significant savings to the Town. I wish to express my thanks to the Board of Selectmen and the Town Manager for their support through the year. I also want to give a HUGE thanks to my whole crew for a great year! They have done an exemplary job!
Our highway foreman left us in mid-summer and we decided not to replace him. We excavated part of Piper Hill Road West of the Aldrich Road intersection placed under drain covered with crushed rock, fabric and gravel. We did the same on Hughes Road at the Route 145 intersection and regular road maintenance was ongoing at the same time, grading, ditching etc. Piper Hill Road entrance off Route 3 was paved 250'. Hughes Road was paved 2000' from Route 3 East. Pleasant Street was also paved from the bridge to Cross Street. A new Sterling plow truck was added to our equipment and we sold the Ford 450 plow truck. Ross Riley moved on to work with the state of Vt. DOT. Good luck Ross! Brad Hann retired after almost 15 years of service with the town. We wish him well and hope he enjoys himself. Gary Gebhart and Richard Norris were hired as
replacements.
The Water Department has had its ups and downs. We have drilled the new production well and have submitted an application to NHDES for a groundwater withdrawal permit. Water rates have been increased due to the department running in the red the last couple of years. There have been two water main breaks in the river crossings in the Mohawk River. The Pleasant Street crossing was repaired by Sheldon Gray Construction and the Public Works crew doing the pipeline work. The Parsons' St. Crossing was put out to bid and SCI construction is performing the work.
The Sewer Department has been running smoothly. Jimmy Gates was welcomed aboard to help mainly in this department with lab work and maintenance. We test for Nothumberland/ Groveton's sewer plant also. The lagoon treatment system has been upgraded with solar powered aeration. We were able to shut off 120 HP of aerator motors which will save an enormous amount of energy costs. PSNH funded the project so we have no additional costs to the department. Our payment is what we were paying in electrical costs over the next 7 years.
The landfill closure project is nearing completion. This year the south side of the landfill was capped with a huge plastic liner covered with loam and grassed over. We have now pumped over 7 million gallons of water and treated it. Most of the contamination is within acceptable limits now. The landfill capping will be completely done by summer of 2009.
April Hyde has been made Chief Operator of Water, Sewer & Landfill. She has been writing our reports for the state and EPA with a substantial savings to the town. Prior to this, we had an engineering firm writing landfill reports, which is no longer needed.
Sincerely, Kevin F. McKinnon Public Works Director |
