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Community Corner

Cleanup from Storm Progressing in Portland

Most of downtown area is completed.

 

Public Works Director Rick Kelsey briefed selectmen on progress in the ongoing efforts to collect and clear the dense piles of broken limbs and leaves left by October's early snow storm. Property owners have stacked piles of branches along the sides of the roads across town.

Kelsey reports his department is about a third of way through, and that most of the downtown area has been completed. But Kelsey believes it may be another month before all the piles are gone. He said the concentration of work yet to come will be in the hilly east side of town where there is a far greater amount of tree damage because of the density of trees in the area.

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Town crews in the next few days will work to finish High and Bartlett streets and begin Summer Street. Another team has been working on the east side of Route 17 and is currently working on Breezy Corners as well Ames Hollow Roads. Kelsey wanted to convey thanks to town residents for their patience and understanding. 

Selectmen, including Mark Finkelstein, noted there were damaged and cracked limbs high in trees that could still come down.  Kelsey agreed and expects more limbs to fall the next time a storm packs high winds.  

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It's been a very costly operation. Kelsey estimates his department has had to spend $40,000 for outside contractors needed for special equipment such as high capacity grinders, and trucks with high telescoping booms. Another $45,000 to $50,000 has been allocated for overtime with more to come. He said the crews have been working Saturdays and will work again this coming Saturday.

But town officials are hoping for FEMA funding will be available because Middlesex County was declared a disaster area. First Selectwoman Susan Bransfield has signed a formal application that could cover 75 percent of what the town spends on the clean up. 

In another matter, the town has also applied for up to $140,000 in state aid to help improve Quarry Heights housing complex on Main Street. When that funding is added to the already approved federal Community Development Block Grant, and money from the Housing Authority, the total will exceed $700,000.

Bransfield said the grants will clear the way to install a state of the art fire alarm system, improvements to staircases and railings and upgrades to help disabled residents. Quarry Heights has apartments for low income residents who are senior citizens as well as adults with disabilities. The additional funding will also cover new kitchen cabinets. It will be the first major improvement at the housing complex since it was built in the early 1980s.

Also, in the theme to improve Main Street and the town center, selectmen agreed to study a possible ordinance to force improvements to blighted buildings. Selectman Mark Finkelstein said he has collected ordinances used by towns and cities across the state. Bransfield promised to review the town and state laws and hopes to have a proposal that could go to a hearing early next year.  

Bransfield and other board members have said they want to bring about further improvements in the town center. Bransfield let it be known there was new hope for the project to build stores and residential units on the old Elmcrest site. She said the developer has gotten a new proposal for an anchor store, and was hoping to learn more.

The town is also moving to knock down one of it's own buildings at 5 Main St. that was once used for Youth Services programs. The roof of the structure next to the Arrigoni Bridge caved in because of the weight of snow early in the year.  Inspections determined it could not be saved.

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