West Cornwall sewer at June 28 public hearing

CORNWALL — Septic alternatives for West Cornwall will be the subject of a public hearing in June, following discussion at the Tuesday, May 21, meeting of the Board of Selectmen.

The public hearing has been scheduled for Friday, June 28, at 7 p.m. at Cornwall Consolidated School.

On Wednesday, May 22, a group of residents including members of the septic committee visited Old Saybrook, Conn., for an informational tour and overview of two of that town’s systems.

“It’s time to get people’s input and to describe what is being proposed,” First Selectman Gordon Ridgway said.

After the public hearing, there will be a town meeting which is scheduled for Friday, July 26. The purpose of that meeting would be to seek authorization to apply for grant funding. 

Selectman Richard Bramley noted that the Board of Finance would eventually need to approve any funding.

“At the July 26 meeting, we would be authorizing the town to expend $10,000 or so to do more study so we can determine what we could get in grant funding,” Ridgway said. “It will not be the final vote on whether to go forward with a sewer project.” 

Also discussed by the selectmen was a project to repair the Hollenbeck River culvert, which seems to be slowly collapsing. The town’s bridge consultant, Roger Kane, described the 72-inch culvert that was installed after the 1955 flood. 

“It’s been there for over 60 years,” he said. “We would put in a better foundation for both ends,” Kane said, indicating that test borings would be a good idea. “Back then, they probably did not do borings.”

Only twice in the past 40 years was the road over-topped by water, the selectmen noted.

After consulting with the state, Ridgway said that the test borings should cost about $10,000.

“If we change the design from what is there now, it could trigger regulatory review which could delay the project,” Ridgway warned. He recommended replacing what is there now, treating it as a town maintenance project.