Select Board approves $16,500 reserve transfer to begin Page School sewer repair

The West Newbury Select Board approved a reserve-fund transfer of $16,500 to begin repairs on a deteriorated underground sewer pipe at Page School.

What staff said: Brian Richard explained that maintenance crews and contractors have repeatedly jet-cleaned a cast sewer pipe serving kindergarten bathrooms, but scoping showed a deflection and deterioration that is causing recurring blockages. "We found where the issue is... we're going to have to saw cut on each side of the concrete and then dig down to the pipe," Richard said, describing an excavation of roughly 40 feet of horizontal pipe and related concrete work.

Costs and timing: The repair includes excavation, replacement of the cast pipe with new piping (crew will do much of the work in-house; some plumbing contract work required), backfill and concrete restoration. Staff suggested the work could be scheduled over April school vacation if logistics allow; in the interim, recurring jetting had cost the school $1,500–$2,000 per call.

Board action: The board moved and approved the $16,500 transfer to start the project, with members asking for confirmation of remaining balances in reserve accounts and for staff to confirm the total encumbrances already applied to related items in the operating budget.

Next steps: Staff will continue scoping final costs; if actual total costs exceed the initial transfer, the board discussed funding options including reserve balances or a fall town meeting appropriation.

Public impact: The work addresses immediate operational issues affecting school bathrooms and aims to avoid recurring emergency repairs and associated disruption.

Record reference: The detailed scope and discussion are recorded in the meeting transcript and staff packet.