Amherst DPW in Trouble

DPW Director Bruce Berry is very concerned about his department going into the next fiscal year.

His departmental review at the Board of Selectmen meeting on Monday revealed how a lack of funding has weighed down his department’s ability to properly provide services to the town.

Voters had passed a $2.1 million road bond for road reconstruction, but Berry said that good roads are becoming bad roads due to lack of funding support.

He said in his report that unless his department gets an additional $1.1 million in funding that was recommended by the Road Funding Analysis Committee, he cannot properly perform preventative maintenance to keep good roads from becoming bad roads.

Selectman George Infanti agreed and said that if road projects are not funded, it will just be more expensive in the long run.

“We are so far behind the eight ball right now,” said Infanti. “This is one department that gets the short end of the stick, it doesn’t get its fair share in my opinion.”

Berry said that because his department is 66 percent goods and services, it has become an “easy target” for spending restrictions that are then used to fund budget shortfalls in other departments.

He added that there is no effective plan to replace worn and rusted vehicles in his fleet that are breaking down and costing more money to maintain. This could have a significant negative impact on winter road maintenance, according to Berry.

In addition, work on the three “red listed” bridges in danger of closing down has been put on hold by directive of the state Department of Transportation, pending an interpretation by the Attorney General’s office and Department of Revenue on the legality of committing reimbursement funds to future city and town projects.

This could lead to closure of these bridges if the issue is not addressed.

EPA mandated storm water requirements have created a need for additional funding, which will have to come out of the funding for road repair if another $13,200 isn’t added to that line item.

Multiple town buildings are also in need of maintenance and repair, according to Berry.