Town of Marlborough, Connecticut

October 3,2019

The cool wet spring and the first half of summer allowed the grass playing fields in Marlborough to come in thick and healthy. After a dry spell in early August, however, the Town became aware of a problem with the irrigation system at Blackledge Field (next to Firehouse #2), where kids aged 10 and under play soccer.

DPW did extensive work to repair the system, replacing the sprinkler heads and working on the pump, but failed to resolve the issue. Electricians were then brought in to inspect the electrical controls that operate both the Blackledge Soccer Field irrigation system and the tanker fill system for the Fire Department apparatuses housed at Station #2. The electricians concluded that the electrical equipment and controls, which were installed in 1992 and are housed below grade in a concrete vault, needed to be replaced.

On September 18th, the Town Engineer was on-site to inspect and evaluate the current control set-up and water supply valves which are located in a vault below grade. The Town Engineer’s inspection confirmed the electrician’s recommendation that a new above-ground electrical control system needs to be constructed, and the existing piping and valves in the current vault need to be replaced. The Town Engineer’s proposal for Project Engineering Services to replace the 27-year old electrical box and controls is $43,160. Please note: The cost of construction is not included in this proposal.

The Board of Selectmen unanimously voted to request a transfer from the General Government Reserves to the Capital Projects account to get the ball rolling on the design and bid process, and the issue will be on the agenda for the next Board of Finance meeting on Wednesday, October 9th at 7:00pm in the MES Media Center.

I encourage interested residents to attend this meeting to gain a better understanding of the scope, financing and timing of this important and needed capital upgrade to service the irrigation needs of Blackledge Field and the needs of Fire House #2.

September 27,2019  An update on the removal of dead trees:

Our Tree Warden has been coordinating with Eversource, the State DOT and with private contractors to identify, mark and take down as many dead trees as possible, as quickly as possible. However, due to the unprecedented number of trees that have been affected - especially in eastern CT - the removal of the affected trees will likely take several years. There simply are not enough crews or hours in the day to get to them all as quickly as we’d like.
Several people have commented to me and posted about the trees that need to be taken down, notably on Parker Road and on South Main (near Florence Lord Senior Housing). Please know that those trees must be removed by Eversource, due to their proximity to the power lines. Eversource was notified in January, and again when the trees leafed out in the spring. We recently contacted them again, but were told that the crews that cut the trees are fully booked out on primary routes until after the new year, but they will be in as soon as they can.
We continue to coordinate with the State as well. The DOT is responsible for taking down the trees along state roads (Rt. 66) and on state owned properties.
The Town has been also been removing the trees in the Town’s rights of way that were killed by the gypsy moths, emerald ash borer and the drought conditions from two years ago. We’re working with contractors as often as we can get them, and are prioritizing the trees considered to be most dangerous.
Homeowners are responsible for removing any dead trees from their own properties. If there is a question of whose property the tree is on, please call DPW at (860)295-6229 to arrange an inspection by the tree warden.
Please be patient - these dedicated crews are working as fast as they can!

 Amy Traversa, First Selectman

Good morning. Our customers spoke and we listened!

This week, Eversource launched its new mobile app. Our customers now have the option to download and use the new Eversource Mobile App to do business with the company. The free app, for both Apple and Android phones, makes it easier than ever to manage an Eversource account from a smartphone.

Customers can view and pay their bill (with no credit card fees), report or check on an electric outage, contact customer service or view the outage map. The app is available now in the Apple App Store or Google Play for customers with an Android phone. Download and try it today or click on the You Tube link below for more information.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuLQc-RAa6A&feature=youtu.be

Finley Hill Road
The remaining culvert repair is almost complete, and DPW will reset the catch basin tops. Paving is expected to take place in the next couple of weeks, and one lane of the road will remain open for traffic.

South Main Street Culvert Replacements: This work is in progress, with four (4) major culverts (headwalls and pipes) being totally replaced this year. The road will remain closed to thru traffic until completion which we expect in October. We will repair the headwalls of another four (4) culverts next spring before paving. We don't expect any road closure due to these additional culvert repairs. These culverts are being replaced using $450K of Town funds from Capital & Road Materials.
Next year we anticipate using $1.1M of LOTCIP (Local Transportation Capital Improvement, a state grant) to replace the roadway from the intersection of South Road (the "V") to approximately #163 South Main. Approximately $95K of Town funds will be used towards design of the road and replacing the guardrail system. Due to the length of this road, and the complexity of repairs and funding sources, the repairs and replacement must be done over time. It will be worth the wait!
  

MES Parking Lots: The paving, striping and curbing of the main parking lots and the turn-around at the entrance to MES is nearing completion. We were able to add in having the west lot paved due to a lower-than-expected bid by Annelli Paving. This $289,855 project at MES looks great! 

The Town has engaged Priority Landscaping, LLC to replace the underdrain on the south side (even numbers) in the shoulder of the road, install 6 underdrains laterally across the road at the catch basin location, and repair and install catch basins. The work area is from 32 Williamsburg Road east to the end of the cul de sac. We anticipate work will begin on August 9th or August 12th, and we anticipate completion of the project by October 15th.

The contractor will close the road when installing the underdrains across the road between the catch basins during the work day, with each crossing taking 1 day to construct. The contractor will give advance notice to the residents below the closure point at least 24 hours in advance, so arrangements to move your vehicles can be made. There will be a steel plate on site in case there is a need for emergency vehicles or service vehicles to provide access below the closure point, if need arises.

Construction Plans are available for inspection in the Building/Land Use Department during normal Town Hall business hours. The Town anticipates paving Williamsburg Road in the Summer/Fall of 2020.

Marlborough residents are required to have a current town sticker in order to have access to Blish Park or to use the town’s Transfer Station. Stickers may be obtained at no cost for vehicles registered in Marlborough. To obtain a sticker, please visit the Town Clerk’s office or complete an application form (available on the Town website) and return it to the Town Clerk’s office with a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Upon verification of the vehicle’s registration, your sticker will be mailed back to you at no charge.
Please call the Town Clerk’s Office (860-295-6206) or the Transfer Station (860-295-6218) with any questions. All stickers must be adhered to the lower left corner of the car’s windshield to be accepted; loose stickers are not valid.

Any vehicle parked at any Blish Park lot without a valid sticker is subject to ticketing, regardless of residency.

Temporary parking passes for Blish Park are available to active participants of the triathlon series obtainable from the Parks and Recreation or Town Clerk's Office, and must be applied for in person.

Parking passes are not for sale and are not available to non-residents.

To view the PowerPoint Presentation from the June 8, 2019 Public Forum, click here.

Marlborough’s Town Charter is the key document that defines the organization, powers, functions and essential procedures of our town’s government. The Charter is, therefore, the most important legal document of Marlborough. Originally adopted almost 40 years ago, and despite two Charter Revision Commissions being seated and charged with revising the document, the efforts in 1997 and 2002 resulted in no changes being adopted by the Town.

In mid-May of 2017, the Board of Selectmen committed to another effort towards a partial Charter review and revision, and we seated a nine-member Commission who worked together for four months to address a few key portions of the Charter. The resulting recommendations included instituting a referendum which allows for all-day voting and the use of absentee ballots to vote on the annual budget, and also requires a full review of the Charter at least every ten years. The voters of Marlborough overwhelmingly approved the recommended changes, and in May of 2018, we were able to vote on the budget at referendum!

However, we have still have more to do to update the Charter to reflect the societal and economic changes that have happened over the past 40 years, to adjust for inflation, and to make our procedures less ambiguous and compliant with state statutes. Recognizing the need for such changes, the Selectmen and I have again committed to support a full review of the Town Charter. As the first step, we engaged Mark Pellegrini as a facilitator to hold interviews with personnel, Board and Commission members, and the public to help define which portions of the Charter would benefit most from careful review and possible revision. Mr. Pellegrini’s report, which was presented to the Board of Selectmen at our meeting on April 16th, click here to view report in its entirety. 

If, after our discussion, the Board of Selectmen determines that a full Charter review is warranted, we will follow the state statutes to seat a balanced and objective Commission. We are fully committed to support the necessary discussions and deliberations that will improve how the Town of Marlborough functions in the years ahead. We intend to minimize the political “noise” that so often accompanies change in a small town, to allow for public participation, and to keep citizens informed as we move forward through this challenging, but worthwhile process.