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Date: 11/9/2022
LUDLOW – Town Administrator Marc Strange discussed grants the town has received and some statistics he found regarding surrounding towns and their Board of Public Works (BPW) at the Nov. 1 Select Board meeting.
Strange informed the selectmen that the town received a $3 million Mass Works grant to construct 1,800 feet of new road and infrastructure for the proposed Ludlow Mills business park. The property represents almost 40 acres of developable land, and this grant can help with economic development.
Strange said, “This is a great opportunity for the town, Ludlow mills and a revenue raiser.”
The town also received $75,000 from Department of Housing and Community Development to design street scape enhancements for East Street like lighting, pedestrian signals, traffic calming, benches, landscaping and parking improvements.
Board of Selectmen Chair Tony Goncalves was thrilled to hear about how much money the town was receiving for economic development.
He said, “That is going to give us the ability to complete the roadway from First Avenue out to the trestle and that section of State Street that has already been cleared. It makes that project more profitable for the town every time it is worked on.”
Member Derek DeBarge added, “I was up with Marc in Pittsfield with the other communities and out of all the money distributed, this $3 million grant was one of the largest awarded to a community. From the $6.6 million we have had in state and federal grants that have gone to Riverside Drive and now this extending road out, I do not think our residents realize how big the development of these mills can mean for the town.”
Strange changed the topic of conversation and talked about the information he discovered from surrounding towns current structure and dynamic with their DPW and BPW.
At their last meeting on Oct. 18, the board voiced their concerns over Ludlow’s DPW and BPW situation.
Strange said there is a statute that allows towns to elect BPW that consists of three members. It also establishes the board’s powers that includes authority to manage the DPW operations.
He added that in the past BPW has been used by smaller towns that do not have the ability to hire a full-time managerial staff.
Out of the 10 towns that Strange researched, only one has a BPW appointed by the town manager. Three surrounding cities have BPW consisting of three members appointed by the mayor and do not have authority over the day-to-day operations of the DPW.
Strange added, “In Hampden and Hampshire County, Ludlow is the only town or city that has an elected Board of Public Works and only one of four in the entire state. Ludlow is also the only town whose BPW still has authority over the day to day operations.”
DeBarge added that Ludlow being the only town with BPW having authority and the loss of multiple DPW directors over the years is the reason the town may be heading toward a special town meeting to discuss getting rid of the BPW.
Debarge added, “Other communities work well without a [BPW] and we have shown that we do not work well with a [BPW] and the answer to me is clear.”
Vice Chair James Gennette said that there is nothing the Board of Selectmen can do, and it is up to the residents.
Last Town Meeting there was an article that included getting rid of the BPW, but the town voted against it. The board said they will look into the process of being able to add a past article back at Town Meeting for another vote.
Gennette added, “At this point there is nothing we can do. It must be the community and precinct members. 90 percent of the people who tell me about problems they have in town, it has to do with public works. If this is something you are interested in, you must eliminate the BPW.”
Selectman Bill Rosenblum echoed his fellow selectmen and said that there is barely enough staff in DPW who have stayed and that there needs to be change.
Board of Selectmen discuss with Town Administrator Marc Strange about the grants the town is receiving at their Nov. 1 meeting.