McTaggarts Pond Dam Alternatives Analysis

McTaggarts Pond Dam Alternatives Analysis has been completed.
We have two feasible options: Remove the Dam or Rehabilitate and Maintain the Dam.
Option 1: Dam Rehabilitation
Cost: $3.4M plus about $7k per year annually for operation and maintenance.

Option 2: Removing of the Dam
Basic Removal: $1.39M
Complete Removal: $2M
Unlikely but a Possibility of Active Sediment Management needed: $861k

What are your thoughts?

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McTaggarts on the Public Works Committee 2.25.2020: the vote was 4-1 to give leave to withdraw at the Public Works Committee; Schultz, Fleming, Van Hazinga & Beauchemin voted to give Leave to Withdraw (basically vote against the petition), Couture voted against giving it leave to withdraw (essentially voting in favor of repairing the dam)

 

Photo by Marcel Trembley

McTaggarts Abutters

Salt Shed Ribbon Cutting

Attended the ribbon cutting✂️ for the opening of the most amazing brand new "salt shed" this side of the Mississippi. $539k new building.
Our Fitchburg DPW stores our sand/salt mix safely in here to load trucks for our steep streets in the snowy season...⛄❄ Will be a much nicer job for them now! 🚧🚚

🚧🚦River st and Wallace Rd Traffic LIGHT Update from DPW

🚧🚦River st and Wallace Rd Traffic LIGHT Update from DPW:
DPW Engineering and the FPD reviewed operations at the signalized intersection of Wallace Road and River Street. Our contractor, Pine Ridge Technologies (PRT), met with us at the intersection to review proposed changes to the phasing of the signal. In order to relieve congestion, the River Street traffic will have concurrent phasing – meaning both approaches will have a green light at the same time. The video detection will be realigned to serve only Wallace Road approach and the commercial driveway at the drycleaners. This means that River Street traffic will always have the green light until a vehicle is ‘seen’ by the cameras on Wallace Road or at the commercial driveway, at which time the traffic signal will give red lights to both River Street approaches and green light to the Wallace Road approach. The pedestrian signal will continue to be an exclusive phase – meaning when the ped button is pushed, all vehicle approaches will receive a red light and the pedestrian(s) will be free to cross in any direction.

Heritage park is finally full of flags!

Heritage park is finally full of flags!
🇨🇮🇳🇱 We are still taking orders for 2020/2021 Flag season!
We get a discounted bulk rate on the best Quality 3x5 flags we can buy from Central Flag thanks to Operation service.
🇺🇾 How do I get my Flag?
1. Comment HERE on this post if you would like to donate for a flag (or message me) and I'll let you know how much $ to donate. Flags are between $20-60.
2. Flag donations will be made to Operation Service, a 501c3 Organization. Note "Heritage Park Flag: (Name of country)" on the check or online donation.
3. All flags fly on an alphabetical, rotating basis, usually for 1 season they fly (April-November).
4. There are approx 20 flagpoles, so we cannot guarantee exactly when your donated flag will fly (should be 2020/2021)
5. Current list of donated flags to fly:
Armenia (x2)
Brazil
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Italy
Finland
France
Macedonia
Norway
Philippines
Poland (no eagle)
Qatar
Sweden
Uruguay

Coggshall Swan Necropsy Results & Update:

Coggshall Swan Necropsy Results & Update:
I discussed with the Parks Director and was given a copy of the Autopsy Report for our ill-fated 1st Coggshall Swan that passed away on August 4, 2019.
➡️The synopsis of the report was that the Swan's cause of death was due to 'peracute sepsis' (Sudden or Violent onset of Sepsis) to an infection from a 'common' bacteria in birds/animals they believe to be Pasteurella multocida septicemia.
➡️ Was the Swan sick already?
Per the Parks Director's discussion with the Veterinarian; they cannot conclusively state whether the Swan was sick before it arrived to the Park (July 30th), or if the moving of the Swan to Coggshall park may have 'shocked' its system and allowed this common bacteria to cause a peracute sepsis.
➡️ The second Swan
There was no necropsy performed on the second swan that passed away on August 16th, as its death was clearly indicative of an animal attack.
➡️ Are we getting new swans?
There are no plans in place to acquire new swans at this time.

CRACKSealing! More preventative ROAD Maintenance!

CRACKSealing! More preventative ROAD Maintenance being done in FitchburgMass.
Roadways throughout the city received preventative maintenance this past week in the form of crack cleaning and sealing.
By filling pavement cracks, water and debris is prevented from entering into the pavement and subbase, thereby extending the pavement life for about five to seven years. The work is being paid from the MassDOT Chapter 90 account.
Superior Sealcoating, Inc.has a $75,000 budget with 8000 gallons of sealant! They have completed approx 22% of the work so far and will continue to work throughout the city in the coming week.

Micro-surfacing coming SOON!

Micro-surfacing coming SOON!
The micro-surfacing project will apply two thin 3/8 inch layers of polymer-modified asphalt emulsion and aggregate pavement to seal and smooth out the roadways. This micro-surface extends the life of a roadway for seven to nine years. The following roadways will be scheduled for the micro-surfacing treatment in the end of August.
1️⃣ Rindge Rd (remainder) length: 4873’ cost: $95,235
2️⃣ Cortland Ave length: 675’ cost: $14,951
3️⃣ MacIntosh Ln length: 1240’ cost: $30,397
4️⃣ Broad St 1183’ length: cost: $27,481
5️⃣ Upham St length: 1620’ cost: $32,833
6️⃣ Skyview Dr length: 580’ cost: $10,735
Total Microsurfacing: $211,632

Paving list coming soon... Streetscan analyzing streets at over 60% complete.

2019 Heritage Park Flag Order

2019 Heritage Park Flag Order
We are partnering up with Operation Service and Central Flag & Gift- Primitive Decor, Furniture, Gifts to bulk order 3x5 Flags for our Heritage Flag Park.
Details:
1. Comment HERE on this post if you would like to donate for a flag!
2. We are going to put all the comments together and see how many flags, and how many multiple donations for a flag. From there we can determine how much for a donation...because most flags have differing costs.
3. Donations will be made to Operation Service, a 501c3 Organization. Note "Heritage Park Flag: (Name of country)" on the check or online donation can be made here https://operationservice.net/
You can also bring your deposit to an IC Credit Union and ask for it to be deposited in Operation Service Account. Take a pic of the deposit receipt and note which country flag you are donating for.
*I'll reach out for donation info after we have a flag list.
3. All flags fly on an alphabetical, rotating basis, usually for 1 season they fly (April-November).
4. There are approx 20 flagpoles, so we cannot guarantee exactly when your donated flag will fly (2020/2021)

Roundtable listening session with Secretary Kathleen Theoharides

Councilor duties called this afternoon where I took my lunch break to attend Secretary Kathleen Theoharides Roundtable listening session at the Montachusett Regional Planning Commission. She is the Secretary of the Energy and Environmental Affairs under Governor Charlie Baker administration.
Discussing Fitchburg's $100k grant and State goals under the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program.
Our new DPW Director attended and spoke succinctly about Fitchburgs Storm and Climate change related challenges in the roundtable conveying our specific issues very well; Challenging Environmental Permiting, Our Combined Sewer Separation work, Water Bans for Fitchburg doe to a low Nashua river when we actually have an abundance of water, Ms4 program compliance and our wintertime warming causing significant snowstorms and icing damaging our roads further and faster than normal!
A breadth of great info from MRPC and surrounding towns representatives as well as to their issues and Hope's for this program.
Thank you for joining us in nearby Leominster at the beautiful Doyle Center!

A few Updates from the Fitchburg DPW 1/26/19

A few Updates from the Fitchburg DPW 1/26/19:
🚧Water Street Bridge: Design has not started. 25% design expected Jan 2020. Will be advertised in April 2021
New bridge over Boulder Drive will have 3 lanes northbound, 2 lanes southbound, bike lanes, sidewalks
🌳Rollstone Hill Rock Walk project: Approved for Student Conservation Association Crews in 2019
💦 Started researching different revenue opportunities for water department for the watershed forestland. There are several possibilities such as selling carbon offset credits or timber harvesting.
🎾CDBG reimbursement work: Continued to remove tennis courts at Goodrich Playground
💦 Shut off water at 60 Scott Road at tap (no curbstop present) following City taking possession of the property.
💦Reservoir levels as of 1/25/19: Meetinghouse=full, Mare Meadow=full, Bickford=full, Fitchburg/Ashby=full, Scott=full, Lovell=full

Detention Swale on Shea St near Cathy St was FULL Tonight!

In case you were wondering what the HUGE new Detention Swale on Shea St near Cathy St looks like when full...the full swale was overflowing onto Shea St (as designed) from a huge amount of water + plugged up drain screens... our dpw was here in the rain cleaning the screens of leaves to get the water to flow through the drainage system faster. 18" Culverts out in two locations with a dedicated line out towards the Notown. Deepest point in swale is about 8ft!
Engineer Nick Erickson said before this was built there would be 2 ft of water in the road...so it is working!

Upper Common Complete Streets planned improvements 2019

Upper Common planned improvements:
It was noted that our Complete Streets Upper Common Project has been awarded to a contractor at a cost of $300k. We were given $219k as a grant, we will be supplementing this with approx $81k of CDBG grant funding.
The proposed plan has been colored here for clarity--reworked/rebuilt sidewalks and accessible access to crosswalks are in blue, the new thermoplastic crosswalks in red.
This also includes flashing pedestrian crossing signals as well as other miscellaneous work.

Icy Streets? Need Snowplowing? DPW Hotline

Street dangerously icy? Been getting many reports.... here is the number to call to request sanding.

Paving for Pizza

Fitchburg is highlighted on the Domino's Pizza Paving for Pizza website!
Paving report: 60 tons of asphalt, 56 hours worked, 3 crewmembers

https://www.pavingforpizza.com/fitchburg-ma

Trash & Recycling- Dumping in the same truck?

Regarding Trash & Recycling pickup:
In the last year, I've gotten a number of complaints about drivers dumping both trash and recycling in the same truck--at the same time.
When I went on the recycling audit, I brought this up to the WM Public Sector Solutions Rep... and discovered WM is able to look up the truck used on the route with date, location and time. I'm told the administrators take this issue seriously.
SO---if you happen to SEE trash and recycling being dumped in the SAME truck at the SAME time... let me know address and time and I would be happy to forward this to WM and confirm if it was a split body truck---or if this was an infraction of the driver.

Oak Hill Road Bridge Closed Friday, Nov 16, 7AM to 4 PM

Oak Hill Road Bridge Closed Friday, Nov 16, 7AM to 4 PM

Repairs to the Oak Hill Road Bridge will begin Friday, Nov 16. The bridge will be closed from 7 AM to 4 PM on Friday. Additional closings are expected over the next few weeks. Details will be announced here when they become available.

Potholes --- Damage to Vehicles

Potholes --- Damage to Vehicles--- and your rights to submit a claim to the city for reimbursement for repairs.
Have you hit a pothole in Fitchburg that has obviously caused damage to your vehicle?
You may submit a claim for property damage to the city through the Mayor's Office.
Claim form: http://www.ci.fitchburg.ma.us/DocumentCen…/…/Claims-Form-PDF
Please note: You will need to provide the proof of cost or estimate for vehicle repair a description of the issue and explanation of why you feel the city is liable.
It is suggested to photograph the damage at the area of impact--- for example a photo of a flat tire on the road where the pothole impact occurred. Photograph the pothole and pothole with context as to location in road.
Additionally, the city is generally deemed 'not liable' if the pothole was not reported to the city at all, or if city did not fix the pothole within a 'reasonable timeframe'.
The burden of proof relies on the resident.
Therefore.....Reporting potholes in a timely fashion helps the city and the residents.
Potholes can be searched for reports, and reported through the seeclickfix app here:
https://en.seeclickfix.com/fitchburg_2

New Record: 8 minute long Public Works Committee Meeting.

New Record: 8 minute long Public Works Committee Meeting.
Approved Engineering study for the crosswalk at the Elec Ave Entrance to Coggshall Park.

Fitchburg Wastewater Beginning Design of Major Sewer Infranstructure Project

Beginning on November 1st, the City’s Engineering Consultant, Weston & Sampson, will begin investigative and survey work for the City as the first step in the design progress of of Consent Decree in that the City eliminate Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) to the Nashua River. The first step will include Sewer Smoke Testing. The smoke testing is anticipated to be performed over an approximate two week period, and is expected to be completed by Friday - November 16th. “Smoke testing is a non-toxic industry-standard technique to locate problems in the sewer collection system that allow non-revenue groundwater and rain water to enter the sewer system,” said Mr. Maressa,
“Although the smoke is non-hazardous to humans, pets, or material goods, residents can still minimize the chance that smoke will enter buildings by running a few gallons of water into plumbing traps within their homes or businesses to ensure they’re filled with water. A plumbing trap that is filled with water will prevent smoke from entering homes and buildings provided that the proper plumbing is installed and functioning properly.”