ROCKINGHAM, Vt. – The proposal to combine the three fire stations of Saxtons River, Bellows Falls, and Rockingham, was up for a somewhat heated debate at the Tuesday, Nov. 19, Rockingham Selectboard meeting.
Although the selectboard retains the authority to approve this proposed merger without input from residents, because of the nature and volume of opposition to the suggestion, the board made the decision to put the proposal to a townwide vote.
At the meeting, residents Joel Love and Colin James were outspoken, complaining that people had not been given enough information about the plan, or the research that purportedly backed it up.
Board member Bonnie North said she planned to put together public presentations starting in February to communicate all the details and hear feedback from citizens.
North stated that “Saxtons River is in bad shape.” Short-staffed and underfunded, the Saxtons River Volunteer Fire Department is also in need of a new firehouse and equipment. A previous suggestion to merge Rockingham and Saxtons River was shelved because neither fire department has the money to build a new fire station.
Town manager Scott Pickup responded that “all three boards” had advised on the merger “over a 24-month period,” and cited equipment and management “deficits and concerns” across the three facilities.
Board member John Dunbar commented that when the board had asked for public participation, the response was not 100%, and often was presented in a negative and accusatory way. “The departments are trying to find a solution, positively. There are difficult decisions to be made, but when we hear from the public, it’s why they don’t want it,” Dunbar said. “I believe this board supports the merger, but the public that showed up wants to make the decision, so this board has agreed to a townwide vote.”
Love pushed for a signed agreement between the three fire departments before the board moves forward with the consolidation. He also reiterated that the residents should have more say.
James told Board Chair Rick Cowan, “This is nothing new, it has been ongoing for years. I mean enough is enough, if we’re going to do it, let’s do it.”
Cowan responded, “That’s what happening…The people will speak on March 1.”
Pickup reported on the town’s pedestrian safety efforts, mentioning that he had received an email from Windham Regional Commission (WRC) senior planner Jeff Nugent notifying Pickup that there would be pedestrian counters in the downtown Bellows Falls area. Specifically, they will be monitoring pedestrian flow around Greater Rockingham Area Services (GRAS), Hospital Court, and Access Drive, with another set up near the bank on the west side of the square.
Marty Gallagher, GRAS administrator, updated the board about the ongoing biomass heating project, and received approval to apply for a $250,000 grant to help offset costs. Gallagher told the board that, due to upgrades put in place last summer, GRAS was able to purchase a smaller boiler, saving them money, and even though fuel costs were rising, GRAS was using less fuel and benefitting from efficiency improvements.
Cowan requested that Gallagher speak to the recent closing of the Rockingham Health Center, and asked her if there was anything the board could do to support GRAS.
Gallagher told the board she had been connecting with state representatives about the issue of limited medical resources, “making sure they are aware, seeing what they are willing to do to help, making them understand that it’s not just us…and it is worthy of the state’s notice.” Gallagher said she didn’t think there would be any funding coming from the state, and she felt the solution would need to come from a “community-driven effort” to get another tenant in as quickly as possible, perhaps an urgent care provider. Gallagher stated that she’d like to create a committee to assist with figuring out the logistics of bringing in some type of urgent care to the vacant space.
“I think the best support [people] can give is sending letters, or making phone calls, and I think we have to go to the federal level at this point: Becca Balint, Peter Welch, and Bernie Sanders,” Gallagher suggested.
Rockingham has a large, underserved population, and it is “time to raise the flag,” Gallagher urged, especially since the state is currently looking at health care overall. “This is when we want to be in people’s ears.”
There are email links and letter templates posted on the Town of Rockingham website.
Finance director Scott Burbank of Vanasse Hangen Brustlin (VHB) was in attendance via Zoom to share an updated PowerPoint presentation on the Depot Street Bridge Project, first reviewed by the board in April.
The project updates include identifying which trees will be removed based on the new configuration of the parking lot, how much it would cost to remove roughly 2,000 tons of contaminated soils – up to $300,000 – and options for vehicular bridge lighting, the expense of which would be the town’s responsibility; an estimated cost of $20,000.
VTrans project manager Jonathan Griffin reported that a new vehicular bridge would be constructed, which would parallel the railroad tracks. The plan also includes new landscaping, curb lines, parking, and underground utilities on both sides of Canal Street.
As far as scheduling goes, Griffin said the project will now likely be pushed out at least three years, for various reasons, mostly based on coordinating the many moving parts, and working with multiple agencies. Details and updates can be found on the Rockingham town website, within the draft of the meeting’s minutes.
The board will meet next on Tuesday, Nov. 3.