MONTAGUE — The drain that brings stormwater from the streets and avenues in Turners Falls to the Connecticut River is leaking and in need of repair and on Monday, voters will decide whether to spend tax dollars to get the work done, or risk waiting for costlier repairs to materialize in the future.
If approved by voters, the power company Eversource will pay about $250,000 to clean out the drain beneath the canal, which has collected sand for many years. If not removed, the sand could cause flooding.
The town will be charged with picking up the rest of the tab for other drain repairs that could cost up to $500,000, said the Department of Public Works Superintendent Tom Bergeron.
Constructed in the late 1800s, the main drain is beneath Avenue A, and takes a sharp turn at the Food City Plaza and continues beneath the power and spur canals exiting at the river.
The drain beneath the canal is leaking and in poor structural condition. Bergeron said that it’s better to take care of the drain fixes now to prevent a catastrophic failure, which would shut down the canal and power plants.
Reconstructing a failed drain would be significantly more expensive than the rehabilitation, he said.
The estimated impact on the average residential tax bill starting in the fiscal year 2019 is approximately $16.65 annually for a 20-year period, based on a median house value of $200,100.
The May annual town meeting OK’d spending money to fix the drain, subject to the Monday election to authorize the town to take on debt and thus increase the tax rate.
If approved, the Proposition 2½ debt exclusion would allow the town to increase the tax levy to pay the annual debt service for the project.
You can reach Lisa Spear at: lspear@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 280