Town Council members unanimously agreed to approve a contract with BL Companies for a State project to reconstruct Pepper Street Monday night, then set a Town Meeting date for residents to vote on a $5,050,000 bond on Jan. 27 in the Council Chambers of Monroe Town Hall at 7 p.m.
The project includes better pavement management and safety improvements for the road and a portion of the Rail Trail. The federal government will fund 80 percent of it with Monroe and the State each pitching in 10 percent of the cost.
While the town would bond for the entire cost of the project, Councilman Tony Unger said it will be reimbursed as the project moves along.
Though the Town Council vote was unanimous, Councilwoman Dee Dee Martin expressed concern over the fact that the vote was taken after she had just gotten a copy of the contract on Friday. Rule 27, which Unger had drafted, calls for more details on projects for the Council to have a two week period to review contracts before voting.
Martin pointed out that the council "ignored the rule" on two previous occasions, voting on contracts immediately, and asked when Rule 27 will be followed.
Town Council Vice Chairman Frank Lieto and Unger both said the process for the Pepper Street project got underway a year ago, before Rule 27 existed. Unger also said the State believes the project is already eight weeks behind schedule.
Town Attorney Jack Fracassini also reviewed the contract before the Council vote.
Council members agreed the governing body has come a long way in vetting projects and Unger said compliance with Rule 27 needs to be done earlier in the process going forward.
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