Department of Public Works
The Department of Public Works rollercoastered through another exciting and productive year in 2015. We conquered an arctic winter season of mass proportion, gained some much needed additional pothole and road repair money in the amount of $94,753 from the Massachusetts Winter Recovery Application Program, received a Green Communities Competitive Grant in the amount of $53,022 for the installation of some much needed building upgrades and the installation of a new PetroVend Fuel Management System and Software Program, received a Community Preservation Grant in the amount of $7550.00 for cemetery upgrades and had MassDOT finally approve the contract for the much anticipated Route 181 Reconstruction and Roadway Project. In addition, this Departments annual list of projects and routine maintenance along with the ever growing list of state and local compliance issues for the town continues to reach exceeding levels of exhaustion that requires more manpower, equating to more hours and expenses than our budget can account for.
One word defined this year’s winter season: Polar! We began our winter trek head on and knee deep trudging through twenty-eight snow events for winter season 2015; eight of those occurring during the month of January alone. On January 27, 2015 blizzard “Juno” hit the east coast of historic proportions based on predicted heavy snowfall, high winds, and power outages forcing Governor Deval Patrick to declare a State of Emergency. In February we experienced seven staggered snow events and in March we saw an additional three more which led us into springtime before old man winter finally gave up. As a result, snowbanks of volcanic height stood on nearly every street corner making this department’s main focus and operation to push back, scale down or in most cases remove and haul snow off site to ensure visually safe street corners. Total snow accumulations totaled 82 inches before winter ceased. Alongside our fleet was the town’s private plowing snow contractors who dedicated 2,385 plowing hours this winter season and to whom this Department remains grateful to year after year for their major support and assistance towards keeping our roads open and passable.
On March 20, 2015 new Governor Elect, Charles D. Baker announced the Winter Recovery Assistance Program (WRAP) in the amount of $30 million dollars statewide to be allocated through Chapter 90 process for pothole and winter recovery projects. The Town of Belchertown’s FY’15 portion was $94,753.00. Under this allocation the town was able to seek reimbursement for patching potholes and cracks, paving, resurfacing road defects and replacing damaged signs, guardrails, storm drains and line striping due to winter damage. The Department of Public Works wasted no time and quickly conducted reclamation/paving work on the following streets; all work was completed well in advance of the June 30, 2015 deadline.
Blue Meadow Road Forest Road
South Liberty Street Dressel Avenue
Lloyd Avenue Chadbourne Street
South Street Railroad Street
GREEN COMMUNITIES – This Department additionally handles all aspects of the continuing Green Communities reporting, now completing its sixth year of reporting, since its designation in May, 2010. The Department successfully submitted its Annual Report on October 29, 2014 to the Department of Environmental Resources (DOER), with its 20+% decrease in overall energy savings for the town. Belchertown was awarded for its achievement as only one of eight cities/towns to have achieved this requirement having reached its reduction goals each and every year of the programs five year benchmark.
Hence in March, the Department of Public Works was able to apply for and receive a Green Community Competitive Grant through the Department of Energy Resources (DOER). On June 30, 2015 the Department was awarded $53,022 for the following projects:
Ø Electronic Fuel Management System, Software & Behavioral Based Program -$17,706.20
Ø New Harvey Exterior Storm Windows (76)– Freedom Center -$12,274.09
Ø New Harvey Exterior Storm Windows (70)– Recreation Center -$11,373.99
Ø New Viessman Boiler w/Riello Burner –Old Town Hall - $ 9983.00
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION GRANT: The Department of Public Works also applied for and received a CPA Grant in the amount of $7550.00 for Cemetery Field Work to include setting bounds, pins and stakes located in the South, Hillcrest, and Evergreen Cemeteries.
ROADWAYS & RECONSTRUCTION: On Wednesday January 21, 2015, the Route 181 Reconstruction Footprints Road Project construction bid was finally awarded to Ludlow Construction in the amount of $8,755,739.70. The paving of 5.65 miles along Route 181 from the town center south to the Belchertown/Palmer town line finally received approval in June. MassDOT held its first supervisors construction “kick-off” meeting on July 15, 2015 followed by the submittal of a baseline schedule of work to be performed through the projects progression, as noted here.
Month – Year 2015- 2016 / Work to be PerformedAugust / September / Clear & Grubb for Utility Location
September / Clear & Grub for Roadway Widening
September thru November / Stonewall Relocation
September thru November / Excavation/ Installation of Water Lines
September thru November / Excavation /Installation of Sewer Lines
December thru March- 2015/2016 / Winter Shut down
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT: The Department of Public Works continues to review all Stormwater Management applications throughout the year, thus completing 36 applications in 2015. The Department’s Annual Stormwater Training for all divisions was held on April 14, 2015 and conducted by Jennifer Cavanaugh, project engineer from Fuss & O’Neil, who documents and records the Departments activity for the year and in order for the Department to maintain compliance .
EARTH DAY: The Department celebrated its annual Earth Day event on Wednesday, April 21, 2015 by offering town recyclable orange trash bags for residents wishing to partake in the collection of roadside trash. A total of 280 small trash bags were given out to 21 participants who collected trash in various locations throughout the town. All trash was disposed of at the towns’ Transfer Station. The Department wishes to thank all town residents who participated in this years Earth Day event and appreciates your efforts towards keeping our community green.
DEDICATION CEREMONY: On Sunday July 18, 2015 Eagle Scout Wesley Lupa led Boy Scout Troop 57 with planting a memorial garden consisting of a tree, flowering shrubs, sitting bench and plaque in memory of DPW employee Dennis Daniels, who passed away one year ago. The Department is grateful the Scouts chose our site for this much welcomed garden, which can be visited at the DPW Highway Garage located at 290 Jackson Street.
SAFETY: Our Safety Committee was active this past year as well. They organized departmental training in several topics including: Work Zone /Traffic Safety, CPR, Confined Space, Lockout/Tag out, Fall Protection, and OSHA 10. They also completed a walk through of the DPW buildings to insure safe work practices and improvements were being implemented.
SURPLUSED/SALVAGED VEHICLES & EQUIPMENT
In 2015, the Department surplused the following vehicles:
§ 1997 Ford E350 Van
§ 1987 Chevy, D-30 Pickup Truck
§ Husqvarna Tractor/Mower
§ 1997 Ford Lgtcon, 1 Ton Dump Truck
§ Highway Sander, P81
§ 9’ Fisher Minute Mount Plow
§ 8’ Fisher Minute Mount Plow
§ 7.5’ Fisher Minute Mount Plow
HIGHWAY DIVISION: On January 30, 2015, this division bid a fond farewell to its longtime Highway Supervisor Walter Bosworth who entered into retirement after serving within the Department of Public works for 20+ years. His knowledge of our town’s roadways and construction capabilities contributed greatly to this division. In May, Christopher Laurenzo was welcomed-in as our new Highway Supervisor. We look forward to his leadership, experience, and contribution in the field towards accomplishing the many tasks placed upon this Department.
The Highway Division strives endlessly towards keeping our roads well-traveled and maintained during all seasons of the year. During the 2014-2015 snow removal season our average expenditure per inch
of snow removed from the roadways was $5,415.18 approximately 30.67% higher than 2013/2014 season. The total cost for the season was $444,045.00.
The months between the snow seasons were spent performing the normal array of activities that included crack sealing, drainage repairs, clearing of brush and vegetation from the roadsides, removing debris and sediment from detention basins/ catch basins, street sweeping, sign installation,line painting and repairing equipment. In addition, the crew repaired potholes well into December, as we were relieved from an early winter.
The Division was responsible for the preparations for all resurfacing/reclamation/overlay
projects with bituminous concrete overlay and lane markings.
Street Length/Ft Cost
Orchard Street 3000’ $ 90,000
Springfield Road 4600’ $151,000
Rockrimmon Street 4500’ $135,000
West Street 7227’ $217,000 Fletcher 1025’ $ 12,000
Munsell Street 1550’ $ 20,000
Canal Drive 800’ $ 12,000
North Liberty Street 1500’ $ 25,000
East Street 3800’ $ 43,000
Totals: 9 Streets, 28,002 feet, Cost: $705,000.00
Crack Sealing
Bay Road 15,790’ $22,000 Stebbins Street 8722’ $12,000
Turkey Hill Road 5070’ $ 7,300
Chauncey Walker Street 13,741’ $20,000
Howard Street 2548’ $ 2,000
Jabish Street 4171’ $ 6,000
Totals: 6 Streets, 50,042 feet, Cost: $69, 300.00
PUBLIC WAY ACQUISITIONS: This year the Department of Public Works, working in conjunction with town council advice and Planning Board, set out to redefine the chronology and procedures necessary when releasing a subdivision/roadway and in order to assure the developers of individual projects conform to the proper release covenants and restrictions governing property. In doing so, the town would obtain full granted access to all easements prior to the release of a property.
On November 9, 2015, the Department of Public Works requested the Board of Selectmen to vote their intention to lay out both Crestview Drive and Old Sawmill Road (Hunters Ridge, Phases 1 & 11) as public ways. With approval from the Planning Board, this process was then approved to be voted on at the Annual Town Meeting, which will be held in May, 2016.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT: This year the User Sewer Charge System was amended and voted on unanimously by town residents at the Annual Town Meeting which was held on Monday, May 18, 2015. In addition, new sewer rates reflected a $10.00 per/EDU increase for FY’16 as noted below.
South End Sewer / From: $ 696.00 per EDU/Year / To: $706.00 per EDU/Year / + / $10.00Central District Sewer / From: $ 789.00 per EDY/Year / To: $799.00 per EDU/Year / +/ $10.00
The Wastewater Treatment Plant received and treated approximately (120,517,000 gallons) of wastewater this past year; lower than what was received in 2014 (156,600,000 gallons). They also had 18 new connections during the year, six of them were from within the Tri-Lakes sewer system and thirteen came from the Central Sewer area. This brings the total number of customers served to 1,724 equivalent dwelling units.
The Department also completed the ninth year of our ten-year inflow and infiltration mitigation plan that was adopted to identify areas, which are allowing groundwater to enter the collection system. During 2015, activities included visual inspections of trouble areas, video inspections, and a cleaning of approximately 9500 feet of collection system.
Other sewer maintenance included and the replacement of the entire South Main Street and Mill Valley Road sewer system during the Route 181 Redesign and Construction Project. In addition the WWTP personnel assisted the DPW on rebuilding of 9 sewer structures, completed the replacement of a distressed section of the Jackson Street sewer main, and cleaned over 1000 feet of storm sewer culverts as well.
The Department also worked on some facility and pumping station repairs and improvements to include one clarifier dismantle repair and rebuild, installation of two facility ground water relief lines, a 40 hp. motor replacement, an automatic valve actuator replacement and a decanter mechanism drive replacement.
TRANSFER STATION: This Department continues to monitor all aspects of the towns’ waste disposal activities with regards to residential permit access, proper disposal of recyclables, solid waste disposal in town purchased orange bags and all other activities that correlate to our Transfer Station Rules & Regulations. With the assistance of our surveillance cameras 50 violations were noted and letters were sent to those residents identified as not adhering to the towns’ set regulations. The annual Transfer Station Rules & Regulations can be found on the/town website located at www.belchertown.org. DPW link/page.
Our residential number of household Transfer Station users totaled 1620 which continues to vary slightly for those who participate in our disposal/recycling program. The following quantities of solid waste and recyclables were generated during the year 2015.
Recyclable / Per Unit(s) / Year 2014 / Year 2015Paper & Cardboard (co-mingled) / Tons / 465.96 / 573.20
Waste Oil (gals) / Single / 350 / 1500
Tires (single) / Tons / 5.14 / 5.67
Solid Waste (tons) / Tons / 594.56 / 720.55
Electronics (tons) / Tons / 15.185 / 14.95
Scrap Steel (tons) / Tons / 49.74 / 58.98
Textile (tons) / Tons / 3.9 / 3.93
In addition, the Department was able to maintain pricing now entering into its seventh year in a row (FY’ 09) for a Transfer Station Permit Sticker fee set at $100.00 per year and discounted for senior citizens age 65+ at $80.00. Effective FY’16 prices were increased per bundle for both large and small bags. Currently large bags sell for $19.00 per bundle of 10 (up $2.00 per bundle FY’15) and small bags per bundle of 10 now sell for $13.00 (up $1.00 per bundle FY’15). Bags may be purchased at a variety of stores, town offices and at the Transfer Station.
The Department additionally applied for and received $2800 from the MassDEP “Sustainable Materials Recovery Program” in which payments are provided to municipalities who maximize reuse, recycling and waste reduction.
The Department was able to receive $1800 from “Recycling Dividend Funds” and $1000 from “Small-Scale Initiative Funds” ($1000). Whereas municipalities receive payments according to the number of criteria points earned in the program, the Department earned a total of nine points through its “Pay as You Throw Program”, yard waste drop off, bulky items collected and its reciprocal Hazardous Waste Collection Event, held in August, 2015. In turn, this funding will be contributed towards our annual orange recycling trash bag purchase, to assist with budgetary costs.
HAZARDOUS WASTE DAY: On Saturday, August 8, 2015 we conducted a Hazardous Household Waste Collection Day event with host company, Clean Harbors Environmental, from 9am to 12noon. This year’s program was a reciprocal event that hosted anyone living within the Pioneer Valley Reciprocal Community. Belchertown households served totaled 106 with 5 attendees; one from each of the following cities/towns from: Whately, West Springfield, South Hadley, Chicopee and Granby. Official household totals consisted of: 41 Full Households, 40 Half Households and 29 Quarter Households served. As always, this event is most welcomed by our town residents, as it gives them an opportunity to dispose of their collected hazardous waste materials properly. Our next hazardous waste collection event will occur in year 2017.