East Lyme looks to bond $1.7 million for road repairs, capital projects
East Lyme — Residents will vote at a special town meeting Wednesday whether to approve nearly $2 million in bonds for road and sidewalk repairs, as well as other capital projects — part of what Public Works Director Joe Bragaw said is typically financed for department projects annually.
Wednesday's special town meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at Town Hall. Residents will be asked to vote on two separate questions. A bond for $950,000 is requested for various road repairs throughout town, while another $830,000 would be for miscellaneous capital improvements.
The capital improvements include $150,000 for fence replacements at the Little League complex on East Society Road, Veterans Memorial Field and Peretz Park; $600,000 for accounting software for both the town and the school district; $30,000 for repaving the main parking lot at the middle school; and $50,000 for sidewalk repairs at both the middle and high schools.
As outlined in its 10-year Capital Improvement Plan, the town typically borrows $950,000 to use toward road repairs, but that number is set to decrease in coming years now that the town has completed more costly road reconstruction throughout other parts of town, Finance Director Anna Johnson said by email.
"The town has historically included road work in its capital improvement plan," Johnson said.
According to Bragaw, road improvements are planned to start as soon as next week, with sealing set for roads off Lovers Lane, including the Heritage neighborhood, Charter Oak Drive, Islanda Court, Pattagansett Drive and Sleepy Hollow Road. Sealing roads is a two-part process, Bragaw said, and will extend road work in those areas into August.
Bragaw said his department is also planning to repave the Laurel Hill and Sleepy Hollow neighborhood throughout late September and early October, as well as Greencliff and Stonecliff drives, South Ridge Road and Ichabod Lane.
In September, public works will also finish road work financed from last year’s budget in the Saunders Point area and at Oswegatchie Hills Road. The $950,000 bond would also include some sidewalk replacements throughout town, Bragaw said.
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