Although the current shutdown of government activities on Block Island has interrupted several projects in various stages of development, the Water Commission and Supt. John Breunig are taking steps to ensure that one of the most important projects that was initiated earlier this year stays on track.
That project is the replacement of 3,700 feet of 10-inch asbestos concrete pipe in the High Street/Payne Road water main, which is the main feed into the downtown area. The $2.3 million project was always slated to begin in the fall, according to Breunig, but when local government was shut down last month, and the town and the state restricted gatherings to fewer than five people, a special Financial Town Meeting to vote on funding was cancelled.
The other discussion that was interrupted was the formation of the department budgets for both the Water and Sewer Companies. Although the fiscal year for all town departments ends on June 30 each year, the Water and Sewer Companies hold separate budget discussions and have their own Financial Town Meetings later than all other town departments. While budget discussions were to begin in late April, they’ll now begin on May 18 for both departments.
