Long road ahead to repair town's extensive infrastructure

SHARON — It might take a little while longer for the roads in town to be improved.

According to First Selectman Bob Loucks, a bonding package he is putting together that would fund road repairs is still in the works.

Loucks first announced that he is putting together a bonding package at a public hearing on the fiscal 2010-11 budget, held in late April.

At the hearing, Loucks was asked by a resident if $200,000 in the budget was enough to cover the needed road repairs.

Loucks said it was not, and said he would be putting together a bonding package estimated at $4.5 to $5 million. He said taxpayers would be asked to vote on the package at a special town meeting.

Loucks said last week that he is still putting together the package.

“Nothing is set in stone as of yet,� Loucks said. “It all depends on what we get in for bids for the projects. The town has not put out anything to bid yet because we’re still designing [the bid package] and getting it ready to go out.�

Loucks said the projects mainly consist of the resurfacing of roads in town.

Even after the projects go out to bid, Loucks warned that there is still some red tape that has to be dealt with before anything gets started.

“There is just so much that needs to be done,â€� Loucks said. “First, the Board of Finance needs to approve the bond package, then the town’s Bond Council needs to approve the package, then it goes to the Board of Selectmen who need  to approve it and will then send it back to the Board of Finance. Finally, if the Board of Finance approves everything, then it gets sent to a special town meeting for residents to either approve it or vote it down.

“We’re moving as fast as we can on this.�

Loucks said if all of the details cannot be ironed out with the bonding package by late fall or early winter, then construction would not take place until sometime next year.

Meanwhile, other infrastructure projects around town are still being planned.

Mitcheltown Road bridge

Loucks said the Mitcheltown Road bridge replacement project is still in the pipeline. The town is waiting for reports from hydrologists before any construction is started.

At a special town meeting on April 16, residents approved a plan to replace the bridge with a box culvert, which has a life expectancy of 75 years, at an estimated cost of $240,000. The funds for the work will come from the town’s undesignated fund and will be reimbursed by a state Local Capital Improvement Program (LoCIP) grant.

King Hill Road runoff

Work on a project to mitigate the runoff of water onto Margaret Keilty and Mark LaMonica’s property on King Hill Road has started, according to Loucks.

At a selectmen’s meeting in November 2008, both Keilty and LaMonica, who co-own the property, threatened to take legal action against the town because of the runoff.  

They believe that the water descends onto their property from Sharon Hospital.

At a Board of Selectmen’s meeting in May, the selectmen approved a plan that should, when completed, mitigate the runoff.

The total cost of the project to the town is estimated to be $69,656 and will come out of the town’s Bridges and Culverts budget line.

Seeking books

SHARON — The Hotchkiss Library is now accepting donations for the used book sale to be held in August. Books may be dropped off, preferably Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Ackerly Brown, 25 West Main St. in Sharon (the book storage area is one flight up).

On Saturdays, books may be dropped off at the Hotchkiss Library from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For further information, call the library at 860-364-5041 or Sue Norris at 860-364-8091.

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