Groton City Will Fix Two Roads

The city will spend $250,000 set aside for paving at Groton Heights to fix two other roads instead.

Groton City Mayor Marian Galbraith said the money was approved two years ago for Groton Estates, but wasn’t spent because it wasn't enough to cover the project.

Galbraith asked to resurface West Elderkin Avenue and Mitchell Street between Baker and Park Avenue instead. She said Mitchell Street is coming up as it’s plowed.

The Town Council approved the reallocation by a vote of 7-0 Tuesday, with two members absent.

Councilors also heard from Groton Long Point, which asked for an $82,700 supplemental appropriation to cover damage from Tropical Storm Irene.

The council didn’t vote on the request but opted to wait for more information and a decision from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The town has a $350,000 contingency fund to draw from.

City Paving

The paving on Elderkin Avenue and Mitchell Street could be finished this fiscal year, Galbraith said.  If there’s money left over from the $250,000, the city could pave another road nearby, with the understanding that it will pave Groton Estates in the future.

 “Our cue is backed up quite a bit, and we’d like to get some things out of the cue that we could cover,” Galbraith said.

The repaving project at Groton Estates was estimated at $600,000 two years ago, but didn’t include curbing and drainage work. The project is now estimated at almost $1 million.

Town Manager Mark Oefinger said it’s more cost effective to do a project at once than in phases so it makes sense to wait.

He said the $250,000 was already approved by the town. “It’s not a new appropriation,” he said. “It’s money that’s being spent for something else.”

Storm Damage

Groton Long Point asked for the $82,700 to cover damage from Irene.

Oefinger said the subdivision also asked FEMA for assistance and is awaiting a response.

Bob Congdon, president of the Groton Long Point Association, said he was told FEMA is a last resort and the subdivision should ask for money from insurance companies and the town first.

But Mayor Heather Bond Somers said she had a hard time with the request.

“A lot of the damage looks like it’s on individual property owners' homes,” she said. “If a tree fell on my house, I would think I’d have to deal with an insurance company myself and I wouldn’t ask the town.”

She also said the invoices lack details and she'd be surprised if FEMA would accept them.

Congdon said he would provide more information, but added that many properties were affected, the tide was high and storm debris was blowing all over the place.