The town accepted a $433,000 grant to put toward the construction of water main updates on Highland Avenue and Pleasant Street.
Following a public hearing on Monday, where no community members spoke, the Select Board accepted the United States Department of Agriculture grant to offset the $1.8 million project.
The $1.8 million includes the cost of financing road and sidewalk reconstruction, drainage and water line improvements on those two streets.
Most of the project is anticipated to be paid for by bond. Voters did approve the withdrawal of $225,000 from the Highway Capital Reserve Fund, $100,000 from the town’s unassigned fund balance for the first year’s bond/note payment or other project related items.
The conditions of the grant require it to be used specifically for the water main improvements, taking out the old six-inch water pipes currently there and updating them with larger 12-inch pipes
The water system in that area has not been updated since the 1940s, and has been on the list to be replaced for more than a decade.
The project could effect the about 40 homeowners that live in the area.
The work was originally meant to start earlier this year, according to Select Board Chair John Robertson, but has had various delays. The Select Board still hopes that they will be able to secure bids to start work before the snow flies.
“The idea was for them to be doing it right now,” said Robertson, “but we are going to at least try to get the water lines installed this fall. But that depends on the contractor’s schedule.”
The board voted unanimously to accept the grant.
In other Select Board news:
The board met with Dawne Hugron and Paul Hardwick regarding clean up at Mill Pond. The pond was dredged in the late 1970s or early 1980s, as part of a effort to make Mill Pond a town focal point, during the time of the development of the park and bandstand. Hugron and Hardwick suggested that silt buildup since that time required another dredging of the pond.
The board has taken the suggestion under consideration, but did not take a vote on the matter on Monday.
The board also appointed Anita Sorensen to the Local River Management Advisory Committee.
The committee monitors the North Branch and Contoocook Rivers, which run through Antrim.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172, ext. 234.