Public Works staff presented a proposal Oct. 21 to replace the city’s aging garage with a new DPW facility on the Bridal Avenue campus, immediately behind existing National Grid buildings. Staff said the plan would: provide indoor storage for 20–25 heavy vehicles to reduce winter wear; include a salt/sand shed and secured fueling station usable by police and fire; and allow future expansion by eventually incorporating adjacent leased National Grid parcels when available.

The DPW presentation described operational benefits (turning radii for heavy equipment, improved security, indoor mechanic bays and utility bays), asset‑preservation rationale (heavy vehicles costing $200,000–$300,000 each that suffer winter damage), and site logistics (moving an existing composting pad). Staff said the design shown was schematic and subject to value engineering and noted the existing campus is approximately 4.2 acres while the proposed layout would occupy about 4.6 acres.

During the presentation council members and residents discussed potential acquisition of the National Grid buildings (staff noted those buildings are under lease and would require time if the city were to secure them) and the project’s financing strategy. Staff said a likely plan would build the new facility first and then sell or repurpose the existing DPW property; sale proceeds could offset debt service.

Council later approved several DPW‑related procurement and contract items on the consent and regular agendas. Of note, the council voted to approve change order number 1 with Wind Construction to extend the Loughberry Lake dam‑rehabilitation contract to June 1, 2026 (date-only extension; no additional budget appropriation). The change‑order motion passed on a recorded vote.

Residents used the budget and DPW portions of the meeting to raise infrastructure concerns: multiple speakers called attention to damaged sidewalks across the city, saying broken or missing sidewalks pose tripping hazards for seniors and families and asking the city to accelerate sidewalk repair. Public-work staff noted that under current city code adjoining homeowners are responsible for maintenance and repair of sidewalks, and the city has a missing‑links/Complete Streets program that identifies candidate projects and allows use of planning‑board payment‑in‑lieu funds for certain sidewalks. Staff urged residents to report missing links to Public Works to be considered for program inclusion.

Why this matters: The DPW facility proposal would change where heavy equipment is stored and maintained, affect the city’s capital plan and create potential future redevelopment options for the current DPW site. The Loughberry Lake contract extension keeps the dam rehabilitation project active into mid‑2026. Sidewalk repair procedures are of practical concern to seniors and families who walked in public comment.

What’s next: DPW staff will continue site and design refinement and potential value engineering; council and staff signaled interest in exploring options for the leased National Grid parcel when the lease nears expiration. Loughberry Lake contractor work will proceed under the extended schedule; the city will pursue sidewalk projects through the missing‑links, ADA and Complete Streets lists and consider planning‑board payment‑in‑lieu funds where appropriate.