EASTHAMPTON — City Council will host a public hearing Wednesday to hear comments on the ongoing Main Street reconstruction, a new skate park and water park renovations.
The hearing will be held at the start of the next council meeting, Sept. 3, at 6 p.m. to discuss the three projects. Progress is being made as City Council also approved sending these projects to the Finance Committee for review.
The next part of the Main Street reconstruction calls for an appropriation of $699,985 from the capital stabilization fund that would contribute to water and sewer utility upgrades, and the redesign of the signalized intersection on the street. The portion of the street that would undergo renovations spans from Park Street to Northampton Street.
The local funds will help keep the overall project on track to receive more than $9 million in funding from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) through 2028.
The skate and all-wheels park calls for $250,000 and the renovations to the water park in Nonotuck Park call for $264,500, with both costs coming from Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding.
Hazard plan up for comment in Southampton
SOUTHAMPTON — The town invites residents, businesses and surrounding community members to learn about and comment on its Hazard Mitigation Plan at a Select Board meeting Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Town Hall.
The purpose of the plan is to assess Southampton’s natural hazard risks and provide an action plan to reduce the town’s vulnerabilities. The plan is being completed by the town with assistance from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC), and is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Upon completion, the plan will be submitted to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and FEMA for review and approval. A FEMA-approved plan makes the community eligible for federal and state mitigation grant funding.
The meeting will include a discussion of natural hazards and climate impacts in Southampton, the draft plan and the proposed mitigation actions. Town officials and PVPC staff will be available to answer questions and respond to comments from community members about the plan.
The draft Hazard Mitigation Plan can be viewed on the town’s website.
Easthampton hires new treasurer
EASTHAMPTON — The city has hired Brooke Johnson as its new treasurer, filling a role that had been vacant for a long time.
“She comes to us at a really important time and we’re really lucky to have her on board,” said interim Mayor Salem Derby.
Johnson began work effective Aug. 4, after previously serving as the assistant treasurer for the town of Amherst. She began her career in the Amherst treasurer’s office in 2020 and was promoted to assistant treasurer in 2021.
Southampton puts out bids for Old Town Hall work
SOUTHAMPTON — The town of Southampton has opened the bidding for a project to renovate the exterior of the Old Town Hall at 8 East St., after receiving funding through a federal grant.
Funds will be used for reviving the brick facade around the lower section of the Old Town Hall, specifically in areas where the mortar is degraded. The renovations are necessary to stop the degradation of the brickwork and help prevent water infiltration. Work will be competitively bid and done according to historic preservation standards.
Southampton will receive $96,000 from the Pioneer Valley Ventures Center. The center received $750,000 in funding from the U.S. Department of the Interior, which includes the National Parks Service, originally coming through the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant Program. The program provides funding to rural communities in western and central Massachusetts, aiming to support physical improvements to properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places and if determined eligible by the Massachusetts Historical Commission.
The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission will provide management services for the implementation of the grant. Southampton, with its historic Town Hall built in 1904, is one of seven communities to receive funding through the grant.
The town will host a pre-bid meeting onsite on Sept. 8 at 11 a.m. The bid responses are due Sept. 18 by 2 p.m. Interest in the bid can be directed to the town accountant.
Old Town Hall renovations proceed in Easthampton
EASTHAMPTON — CitySpace has completed a renovation of the first floor of Old Town Hall, introducing upgrades that improve safety, enhance energy efficiency and help elevate performance productions.
The project is part of the larger effort to renovate all of Old Town Hall on 43 Main St., while construction ramps up on the building’s new elevator and entryway. This portion is funded through a $52,800 Destination Development Capital Grant from the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT), matched by contributions from anonymous donors.
The renovation includes a new LED stage lighting system in the Blue Room, which replaces a decades-old rig. The updated system is safer, more energy-efficient and versatile enough to support a wider variety of events, according to CitySpace President Burns Maxey.
Other improvements include new acoustic treatments and energy-saving LED lighting throughout the first floor to improve efficiency. Behind-the-scenes infrastructure upgrades have also strengthened day-to-day operations, ensuring the building can continue to support the many 130-plus events it hosts annually.