Dolores has completed some larger projects the past couple of years, and town officials now say it's time to address routine maintenance, put money aside and create time for grant-writing.
Between 2012 and 2014, town officials found grant funding for their portion of the Overlook Trail west of town. They built blocks of sidewalk and completed a master-trail plan.
During the monthly board workshop Monday. town officials focused on plans for Dolores.
"We want to take next year and maintain what we already have," said town manager and treasurer Lana Hancock.
She said that there are several areas that need attention.
On the river trail several access points to the river bank have become overgrown, and stone steps need repair.
"We want to open up access points, get some nice simple signs pointing the way, and make our own map of fishing access points in town," Hancock said.
Eventually, the sewer plant needs to remove sludge, a major project. Central Avenue will need repaving. Town officials want to set aside money for the big projects so they can meet the match requirement.
"One of the qualifiers for grants is to show you've done your part in preparing for the costs," Hancock said.
Points of discussion
The concession and bathroom building at the baseball fields in Joe Rowell Park is in disrepair. The unheated bathrooms are open only during mild weather, but even so, a late freeze broke pipes and created mold. Insurance paid the town $12,000.
An estimated $20,000 in repairs on the building might be spent replacing the structure with a cinder-block bathroom like the one at the playground.
Requests for proposals are planned. One idea is to replace the concession stand with a shaded structure to accommodate a food vendor; another is to add heated, year-round bathrooms.
The town is considering outsourcing park maintenance and bathroom cleaning to free up staff for work on roads, sewer and water lines.
"If requests for proposals come in within a certain price range, then it could make sense for us," Hancock said.
Festivals and parks put pressure on bathroom and park maintenance, leaving less for infrastructure repairs and upgrades.
Water and sewer rates are expected to rise to keep up with maintenance costs. The previous increase was two years ago.
The board said that funding for water and sewer plants needs to be sustainable from fees that also allow for a repair budget.
"It is in our best interest to raise rates more often to keep up with costs and not get caught" with a shortfall for repairs, Hancock said.
Some towns go the other way, raising rates at once, an unpopular strategy with the public.
Sludge in the main cell at the sewer plant eventually will have to be removed, at more than $100,000. A sludge-eating bacteria product has been working well, but it's a short-term fix.
Applications are being accepted for a vacant town maintenance position. The town pointed out that reasonable wages and benefits can help prevent costly turnover.
A healthy workforce by town staff resulted in a $20,000 rebate from the insurance company. The vacant town manager position saved $80,000. Former manager Ryan Mahoney is contracted for town business on an hourly basis.
At Hancock's request, the board will put off hiring a new manager for a year.
Hancock was praised for taking on the duties of town manager while doubling as full-time treasurer.
"You've done a wonderful job, thank you," said board member Sandy Lauzon.
"I've hit a groove, and we have a good staff working well together," she said.
The town plans to spend more time researching and writing grants for town improvements. The board noted that projects such as new trails come with a lifetime of maintenance.
"Generating sales tax revenue by attracting new businesses will help pay for improvements as well," said board member Santiago Lopez.
