Westfield approves $150,000 highway repair plan and authorizes $273,480.44 East Route 5 water payment request

The Town Board of Westfield on Jan. 7 approved infrastructure spending measures, including a $150,000 allocation for general highway repairs and authorization of Payment Request No. 5 for the East Route 5 Water Benefit District No.2.

Resolution No. 7, offered by Councilmember David Brown and seconded by Councilmember David Spann, allocated $150,000 (state-levied and state-received highway funds under Highway Law §284) for general repairs — including sluices, culverts and bridges — and named sealing (oil) projects on Ogden Road, Jones Road and Martin Wright Road. The resolution also noted potential blacktop projects (Parker Road between Jones and Pigeon Road; Coon Road or Prospect Road) if Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) funds are received. The resolution requires certification and signatures from at least three board members and the highway superintendent and was adopted with recorded ayes from Supervisor Martha Bills, Councilmember David Brown and Councilmember David Spann.

On the water project, Resolution No. 15 authorized Payment Request No. 5 and Form E #6 (Rural Development budget/cost certification and tabulations) for East Route 5 Water Benefit District No.2. Warrants presented and audited included vouchers for the Route 5 Water Benefit District totaling $273,480.44; the board approved drawing the necessary checks as audited. Supervisor Bills and Councilmember Spann noted that Clark Patterson Lee engineers reported construction along East Lake Road (Route 5) is nearly complete and will next focus on McKinley and Hawthorne; engineers discussed a chlorination station vault and other project components and scheduled monthly project meetings.

The board also approved several budget journal entries (Budget Revision #12) moving modest sums between contingency and contractual lines to cover overspends for Forest Park sewer operations, justice contractual, records management, assessor contractual, highway contractual and safety inspection items. All votes on the infrastructure and budget items were unanimous.

The board moved to executive session at 8:40 p.m. to discuss a personnel history and potential litigation, returned at 9:15 p.m., and adjourned the meeting.