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| By Natasha Clark Reminder Assistant Editor LONGMEADOW On May 11, 2004, the majority of voters at Town Meeting decided to accept, as a public way or street, Dunn Road. More than a year later, the road has still not been laid out and, in the words of new DPW Director Michael Wrabel, it "is therefore not a public way," which means Chapter 90 funds can not be used to pave this road. "It's a private way and we can not pave private ways," explained Longmeadow Town Manager Robin Crosbie. "They voted to accept it as a public way and the town has never laid it out." In a memorandum addressed to Crosbie, Wrabel estimates that, "an additional $7,000 to 8,000 will be required for a survey and paperwork to increase the Right of Way to 50 feet in conformance with town standards for recording ... this may be an issue as it will be necessary to increase the existing road from 20 to 50 feet by obtaining conservation land on the east side of Dunn Road. This action will require approval by Legislature." And such an action could take up to a year to be approved. But the conversation about Dunn Road and what its residents need doesn't stop there. At the Aug. 15 Select Board meeting, residents came to the meeting to discuss water as well. Select Board Chair John Papale said he would allow residents to speak or ask questions during the meeting. "This is a special situation [and] it's a difficult problem," Papale said, addressing the audience and viewers at home via Longmeadow Cable Television. Currently, residents on Dunn Road are using well water. While there is a water line on West Road (near Dunn Road), it ends about 1,831 feet beyond the intersection of Pondside Road and Emerson Road, according to Wrabel's memorandum. "Current Department of Environmental Protection requirements for Water Supply suggest that 'dead ends shall be minimized by looping of all mains where practical,'" the memo continues. "This main would be extended by 1,111 feet on West Road to get to Dunn Road and then 2,050 feet added for Dunn Road. Potential water quality problems that might be exacerbated by the installation of an additional 3,160 feet of water main include low chlorine residual (may lead to problems with micro-organisms), taste and color on a low flow main." And the Department of Environment Protection (DEP) suggests that, if there is a dead end water line, to release the water once or twice a year. "Generally what we recommend is having a hydrant at the end of a dead end water line. It could be [released] twice a year," DEP representative Elizabeth Stinehart said. "Some areas [in Longmeadow] are dead ended, but they are not long dead ends. This would make it the longest [dead end], and that is not an appropriate practice. Mike [Wrabel] and I don't recommend it," Crosbie said. "There's not enough demand on that line." "We're going to the DEP and we're going to have to hire a lawyer," said Dunn Road resident Sandra Ottani. Ottani said residents on Dunn Road have been fighting for a road for more than 27 years. She said that there was even a period of time when her family had to drive to the post office to get their mail because two postal trucks had been damaged trying to deliver it. "There's no excuse not to give us our water or fix our road. It was voted on at two Town Meetings and it was approved at two Town Meetings by the town," she said. Having no water line on Dunn Road also means having no fire hydrant. "We don't have fire protection. If our river freezes solid, how are they going to get through the ice? Our houses are susceptible to being burnt to the ground," Ottani added . In Wrabel's report he estimates that, by the time surveys, permitting, layouts, tree removal, construction, water lines and hydrant construction are complete, the town could end up spending nearly $486,810 on Dunn Road. Ottani said money was once put aside for Dunn Road. "I doubt it's still around," she said. |