Green Level awarded $400,000 Environmental Enhancement Grant to assess assets for water connection; administrators report project updates

Town Administrator Barrett Brown reported several administrative and infrastructure updates at the March 14 meeting, including a $400,000 Environmental Enhancement Grant award and progress reports on local projects and town operations.

Grant and water-line planning: Mr. Brown said the town submitted a letter of intent for the Environmental Enhancement Grant program and was awarded $400,000 to perform an asset inventory, which he described as the first step toward connecting a water line to Burlington. He said the grant could support up to $500,000 in funds if additional inventory (manholes and valves) is completed.

Infrastructure projects: Brown reported the ACC Public Safety Training Center groundbreaking attracted more than 300 attendees and the center is scheduled to open May 2025. He also said he was cautiously optimistic Yates Construction would finish the pump station project by May 2024 and that no change orders or pay applications had been submitted; staff have been checking the site daily.

Utility billing issue: Brown described a billing-system glitch that affected returned ACH payments for NSF (nonsufficient funds). Of $11,146.00 in returned payments, $7,176.00 had been paid and the town sent letters to affected residents and set payment arrangements for the remainder.

Why it matters: the grant-funded asset inventory and pump-station progress are tied to water infrastructure and service improvements; the utility-billing issue affected residents’ accounts and required staff follow-up.

What’s next: inventory work to support more grant funding, continued site oversight of the pump station and follow-up with residents affected by returned payments.