By Ruth Melville

The Board of Selectman began their meeting on Sept. 6 by approving a request from Greystone Electronics to use Town Hall as a staging facility during this year’s 24th annual 10-mile road race, on Dec. 16.

The town treasurer, Chelsea Dewitt, attended the meeting to seek clarification on two financial questions.

First, the Economic Development Commission transferred money from the general fund into the City Meadow account to pay for music events in Robertson Plaza. First Selectman Matt Riiska said that City Meadow has always been funded by private donations and that no money from the general fund should go into the City Meadow account. In the future, funds for special events on the plaza or on the deck in the meadow will be covered through the EDC’s budget or through a special account for these types of activities. Second, the Board of Selectman confirmed for the treasurer that any money the Department of Public Works receives for the sale of scrap metal should go into the general fund.

In response to a question from selectman Sandy Evans, Riiska said that Tobey Pond, which closed for the season on Labor Day, has $21,196 left in in its budget out of a total of $50,466, with the last two payrolls left to be paid out. Funds for Tobey Pond need to be held in reserve for next summer’s season, which starts before the beginning of the new budget year.

The initial topic in the selectman’s report was the flood damage caused by the July storms. So far the town has spent $520,000 dollars in repairs, which does not include the two bridges (at Smith Road and Old Goshen Road) that were wiped out in South Norfolk.

Both of those bridges are federal bridges, so the town will receive full reimbursement. However, the town does have to pay to hire an inspector, which will cost about $125,000 to $175,000. The design and engineering process could take a year and a half.

The town has asked the state Department of Transportation for a temporary bridge at Smith Road, but there are none available. One option is to rent a bridge from New Jersey, but that would cost $20,000 to $30,000 per month.

A culvert on Roughland Road bridge also needs to be replaced, at an estimated cost of $151,000. 

Riiska has asked Rep. Maria Horne and Sen. Lisa Seminara for help in getting state funds. The Town currently has $209,557 in LoCIP (Local Capital Improvement Project) funds that perhaps could be used to reimburse the money that has been spent so far. FEMA funds are not available. Although the Town of Norfolk suffered over $4 million in damages, the state itself did not qualify for emergency assistance.

Lodestar Solar is selling the rights to build the town solar field on the former landfill site to the New Jersey Resources Corporation. The terms of the original contract with Lodestar will not change, and Lodestar will continue to work on the construction. The plan remains to start putting in the panels this fall. The board voted unanimously to sign the agreement transferring control of the project from Lodestar to NJR.

The work on Maple Avenue will not be finished this year and will resume in the spring. Work has been slowed because a sewer line had to be moved. Three construction companies are currently working on the site: ESI is removing contaminated soil; Brennan Construction temporarily moved a sewer line so that ESI could access a contaminated area; and Guerrera Construction will be installing the new storm drainage system.

In addition, several large maples trees had to be removed because of contamination under the road. Riiska has talked with the town tree warden, Matt Klimkowski, about replacing these trees.

Riiska acknowledged that residents are frustrated that the project is taking so long and is proving to be so disruptive. But he said that all the parties involved in remediation and construction continue to meet every other Thursday to keep abreast of the project. Once Maple Avenue is finished, some further excavation will be required on Route 44, and approximately 400 feet of road near the spot where the tanker overturned will be milled and repaved.