Newbury awarded MassTrails grant to advance Georgetown–Byfield trail segment

A staff member told the Newbury trail committee that the project has been awarded a MassTrails grant to cover out‑of‑scope elements of the Georgetown–Byfield/Newbury corridor, allowing design work to move toward 100% plans and preparing the way for contracting with engineering firms.

"We have received the MassTrails grant award, which we applied for in February," the staff member said, noting that the funds will help pay for portions of the work not covered by the town's existing MassDOT project. The presenter said the award is "a 1 year, grant award for fiscal year 27" and that the grant is reimbursable, so work cannot begin until the contract is fully executed and a notice to proceed is issued.

Committee members discussed how the grant money will be used. The presenter said Stantec is preparing a revised scope and contract that separates the Georgetown and Newbury segments while treating the corridor as one overall project. "A chunk of the funds will go towards recontracting with Stantec for that chunk of work," the staff member said. The presenter added that Georgetown also received a grant to support its portion of the work and that procurement and billing for the out‑of‑scope costs will need to be handled separately by each town.

Members raised funding logistics and match requirements. One committee member asked about the local share, saying, "in our case, it would be, what, like, 80,000, Kristen?" The presenter confirmed the award is structured as an 80% grant with a 20% match and said volunteer and in‑kind staff time can count toward the match; the group discussed tracking time closely. The staff member also said DCR staff indicated the scope could be amended if more funding is needed later and encouraged reapplying to MassTrails in the next cycle if necessary.

The meeting also covered contract paperwork for a related segment. The presenter reported receiving the contract documents from Kittleson with their signature in place; town signatures from the administrator and procurement officer are still required before Kittleson's project manager will meet with town staff to set a work plan. The presenter said they expect to have a draft work plan before the group's next meeting.

Committee members discussed outreach tied to the award: using Coastal Trails Coalition resources, creating a simple one‑page handout for Newbury Town Day in August, and producing modest merchandise (hats or T‑shirts) to raise awareness and collect email signups. One member noted Coastal Trails sometimes hosts a shared table and suggested using that resource rather than creating a separate nonprofit or fund at this stage.

David Bruhl, the chair, also moved and secured approval of the May 28 minutes during the meeting and the committee set its next meeting for July 30 via Zoom. The staff member said they will circulate updates on contracting and handout drafts ahead of that meeting.