Highway staff outline summer work; town pursues FEMA BRIC money for Western Ave slide

Leo, a highway department staff member, told the Board of Selectmen on July 14 that crews have spent the summer replacing 17 cross culverts, removing bedrock to widen several tight corners, and doing grading and calcium applications on a number of roads including Butter Road, Mount Hunger Road, Peaslee Road and sections of Tanglewood Drive.

He said recent work included culvert replacement and reclamation on Tanglewood Drive and planned repaving work on French Pond Road, and noted Mill Pond Road received an overlay last year. Leo described efforts to reprocess crushed stone from the town pit to limit external purchases and said he had purchased pipe earlier in the spring to avoid price spikes.

During the discussion he noted public commodity pressures: liquid asphalt prices have risen and are publicly posted monthly by the State of New Hampshire; he cited a range figures near $6.50–$7.25 per ton as examples of recent market movement. He said material cost fluctuations affect when paving can be scheduled and how projects are scoped.

Diane, the town administrator, and Leo also briefed the board on a FEMA BRIC grant application to address a slide on Western Avenue. The application, as presented, listed an estimated project amount (presented in the staff report as $1,111,138) and staff discussed a federal share estimated around $908,000 with a 25% local match carried by the town’s expendable highway trust (about $353,000 at the time of discussion). Board members discussed timeline and the possibility of cost escalation; staff said the town would know whether it was awarded the grant before the 2027 budget season and would hold a public hearing to accept funds if awarded.

The board did not take a formal vote on construction scheduling at the meeting; staff said they would proceed with planning and keep the board updated if the BRIC award is made.