Mitchelltown Road Bridge repair project makes gains

SHARON — The Mitchelltown Road bridge repair project appears to be on course to proceed after many months of negotiations between the selectmen and Mitchelltown Road property owner James Metz, who attended the selectmen’s meeting on Nov. 9.Selectman John Mathews reported that he, Selectman Meg Szalewicz and contractor Florien Palmer had met with Metz and his wife that morning. The biggest concern voiced by the Metzes was what would be visible when the bridge is rebuilt. They said they can live with a finished bridge that does not show any more concrete than the bridge that is there now.Palmer suggested another engineer be brought in to look at the project because, in his view, it could be completed for no more than $150,000 — not the $300,000 currently budgeted for the bridge repairs.Metz said he and his wife are happy to go along with any plan that makes sense. A motion was passed that a meeting be scheduled between all interested parties including the selectmen, the Metzes, Palmer and the other engineers to reach a final design, so that work can begin after the winter.The selectmen passed a motion to contribute up to $5,000 to the cost of laying blacktop over culvert work done by contractor Nick Mancini. The town agreed with Mancini that he did extra work on the culvert to repair storm damage. He said he was not compensated for the work and his insurance would not pay for it.First Selectman Bob Loucks announced that a DSC Energy company program to provide free solar electricity panels to town governments, in return for the towns giving up their federal tax energy credits to the company, has been canceled. An electric company filed objections to the program and it was canceled by DSC. Sharon had not yet signed up for the program.Loucks announced the town office needed a new computer server. The current server is six years old and breaks down and replacement parts are no longer available.The first selectman said a new server could be purchased for $14,326, or one could be leased. A motion was passed for the selectmen to present this need to the Board of Finance.Marshall Miles, a partner in WHDD Robin Hood Radio, suggested the selectmen seriously investigate the leasing option. He said outright purchase makes the owner responsible for all maintenance and repairs, whereas leasing includes those costs. He also said, “With computer technology changing so quickly, it often makes better economic sense to lease rather than purchase IT equipment.”Loucks said there is $852.69 left in the dog pound budget, but there is still work to be done to complete the project. Loucks and other volunteers are sealing the floor. Waters Construction will donate blacktop for the handicap parking area.Mathews said a resident suggested compiling a list of unemployed individuals in Sharon who might be willing to work for the town part time as needed, for example as traffic controllers where road crews are working. Loucks said the town had trained four people for that this year. Szalewicz and Loucks agreed it is important to cross-train town crews to make them more productive and reduce overtime.