Plympton Board of Selectmen approves street sweeper purchase, waste removal services
Highway department to use Chapter 90 funds for equipment, road improvements
PLYMPTON - May 1 - The Plympton Board of Selectmen has approved the purchase of a new street sweeper and the implementation of waste removal services at town parks during their May 1 meeting.
Highway Superintendent Rob Firlotte presented details on Chapter 90 funding, which provides state grants to towns for road projects and equipment purchases.
"Chapter 90 is a state-run program that grants towns funds for road projects, and to a certain extent, equipment," Firlotte explains. "Last year, this program enabled us to pave two roads, West Street and Parsons Road."
The department plans to use accumulated Chapter 90 funds to purchase a new street sweeper at a cost of $308,050, replacing a 30-year-old donated machine that is no longer safe to operate.
"The sweeper as it sits right now currently will not pick up the brooms, and it has no brakes," Firlotte says. "We ran it last year with no brakes, because we had no choice, we cannot get parts for it."
The town has accumulated $362,314 in Chapter 90 funds, which will allow the purchase without requiring additional town meeting appropriations.
After the purchase, approximately $50,000 will remain in the Chapter 90 account, with an additional $160,000 expected from the state this year, bringing the total available for road projects to about $210,000.
Firlotte identifies Maple Street as the worst road in town, with an estimated repair cost of $370,000.
"It is the worst road in town, and the price was like $370,000," Firlotte notes. "I think I'll be able to swing that, even if we can't afford it, which I really hope we can, because there's more patch than actual asphalt on Maple Street."
When asked about splitting the road project into phases, Firlotte expresses concerns about proper bonding between layers if the work is done in separate years.
The board also receives an update on the Winnetuxet bridge project, which appears to be slightly ahead of schedule with potential completion in early August rather than late August or September.
In other business, the board approves a proposal for waste removal services at town parks and sports fields. Town Administrator Liz Dennehy presents pricing from Ghost Scoopers for a one-time cleaning of Holt Field and Harry Jason Park at $200 each, with ongoing biweekly waste station service at $22 per station.
"I feel like it's affordable," Dennehy says of the approximately $88 monthly cost for the service during warmer months.
Board member Mark Russo supports the proposal as a pilot program. "Give it this season, this warm season, let's say six months," he suggests.
The board unanimously approves the motion to implement the waste removal service at Holt Field and Harry Jason for a six-month trial period.
Dennehy also updates the board on town meeting preparations, noting that warrants have been printed and are being prepared for mailing. Final motions for the annual and special town meetings have been vetted by town counsel.
"Town council noted that things coming from a special purpose stabilization fund, so like capital, for example, apparently no longer require a two-thirds vote," Dennehy reports, adding that she will seek clarification on this change.
Russo expresses concern about the change in voting requirements for capital stabilization funds.
"When we formed that capital stabilization, it's when the Cisco money was coming in, we were fastidious in doing what we could to arrange that it wasn't just all spent," Russo says. "I hope this selectboard or selectmen or board of selectmen and future board of selectmen will remember the intent that we didn't want that money spent frivolously, which was the point of the two-thirds vote."
Other items addressed during the meeting include:
* Approval of the Plympton Garden Club's request to use town property for their annual plant sale on May 17
* Recognition of $4,572 in insurance participation credits secured by town staff
* Reminder about upcoming Memorial Day events
Board Chair John Traynor concludes the meeting by recognizing volunteers who organized the town's recent trash cleanup effort.
"I have a rave for the people who put together the trash cleanup in town, Vicki and Dave Alberti, who have always been the leader, Alan Wheelock, Stephanie Teran, and Gabby Falconary," Traynor says.
Firlotte confirms the cleanup's success, noting that his department collected "three heaping dump truck loads" of trash from around town.
The next Board of Selectmen meeting is scheduled for May 19 at 2 p.m., with a special open meeting planned before the town meeting on May 14 at 6:30 p.m.