Department of Public Works

Post date: May 10, 2019 6:28:38 PM

Highway Department

After a particularly brutal mud season the Highway crew was out in full force restoring the 14 miles of gravel roads. It required the use of approximately 4,600 tons of gravel to complete the project. We will soon be contracting to crush additional stockpiled blacktop into 1 1½” minus gravel to replenish our supply.

The Highway crew has nearly completed the installation of a 90' x 90' gravel parking area at the end of Berlin Road to support recreational activities on the mountain.

The crew has rebuilt 5 catch basins located on Frenier, Henderson, Meacham, Thornliebank, and Whitman.

Two culvert pipes on Northwest Hill Road and one on Stone Hill Road have been replaced.

All traffic control lines and crosswalks have been painted.

Crew has begun annual catch basin vacuuming.

Two of the three seasonal workers in the Parks Department returned on 5/6.

Marilyn Kirby will return on 5/13 as the Park Ranger at Margaret Lindley Park.

Upcoming Projects

South Street sidewalk extension.

Installation of solar powered Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFPs) at eight crosswalks on Main and Park Streets.

Replacement of drain pipe that drains east end of Gale Road from Water Street to old river channel behind the Grange.

Milling and paving, Lower Luce Road, Candlewood, Holly Lane, Elm, Hall, Linden and Maple Streets.

Asphalt preservation to Short North Hoosac, Short White Oaks, Public Works and Transfer Station Roads.

Driveway apron replacement requests.

Water and Sewer Department

On Friday the 10 of May we celebrated Drinking Water Week with a presentation to the children in grades K-6 on where their water comes from and why they should drink tap water vs bottled water. We talked about the global problems with plastic recycling. The culmination of our presentation will be providing each child at WES with a new red stainless steel 17 oz water bottle complete with a carabiner on the lid to clip on their back packs. In April during school vacation the Water Department had a plumber go into the school and replace two handicap accessible fountains with new Elkay handicap accessible fountains with water bottle filling stations on them.

We will be flushing water mains from May 13 until Friday May 24 as part of our bi annual flushing program to clean dirt and debris from the Town's water system.

Dave Caron completed competent person training to bring the Department into a better state of awareness on responsibilities of supervisors and their role in providing for workplace safety.

We have less than 400 meter heads left to replace out of 1753 covered by the warranty replacement program in total.

Nathan Cardinal has successfully completed his six month probation and we look forward to what he will add to our already talented staff in the future.