Mayor’s Update
May 24, 2021
MAYOR DONNA D. HOLADAY
COVID Update – We continue to see very few new COVID cases in our community. In the last state report, there were only 13 new cases in the last 2 weeks, and the positivity rate remains low 1.49%. Because of the successes we have collectively achieved, including following all of the state COVID guidelines and getting vaccinated, the original target date of full opening was August 1 and is now May 29th. Beginning May 29th, the state will end all remaining COVID-19 restrictions in Massachusetts. We are now more than two months ahead of the original schedule. All industries will be permitted to open to 100% capacity, and gathering limits will be rescinded.
The Governor’s State of Emergency will end on June 15, followed by a 60 day sunset, and we are awaiting clarity on this transition. In particular, we are looking to see whether the state legislature will take action on some of the positive outcomes of the COVID emergency executive orders, including remote participation of public meetings and expanded outdoor dining.
Vaccine Update: The Lower Merrimac Valley Collaborative completed the last weekend vaccination clinic on Saturday. The Collaborative will host two second dose clinics and then will remain on hold and will reactive if additional clinics are needed in the future. To date, the Collaborative administered nearly 27,000 doses and over 91% of the population within the collaborative age 65 or older has received at least one dose. Congratulations and thank you to all the volunteers who helped make this collaborative so successful.
As of last week, 74% of Newburyporters had received at least one vaccination dose and 62% were fully vaccinated.
FY2022 Capital and Reserve Funding Requests: In your agenda packet today is a funding request that addresses the city’s highest priority capital needs and makes important allocations into the city’s major reserve funds. These capital needs were derived from the five-year Capital Improvement Plan that was approved by the City Council at the last meeting, with adjustments based on the feedback from the City Council. The request would fund 25 projects from the CIP.
I should note that included in this funding request is funding to cover the cost to repair the concrete wall and complete the fence on Hale Street near Squires Glen Drive.
Parks Field Office at 50 Parker Street: Also included in this request is funding for the first year of a lease for a Parks Field Office at 50 Parker Street. It is a 5,100 SF space that could accommodate all the department’s needs, including workspace and a breakroom, storage, and a loading dock. The space is also conveniently located near the Rail Trail. Lease payments after year one would be included in the operating budget starting in FY2023. We are currently in negotiations with the landlord and plan on submitting a lease agreement to the City Council for approval at the next meeting, June 14th. I will provide more information on this opportunity for the Council for your next meeting.
Phillips Drive Neighborhood Loan Order: Order 252 is a borrowing request to appropriate $3,850,000 to pay costs of the Phillips Drive Neighborhood Drainage, Water, and Roadway Improvement Project. DPS has been working with our engineering consultant BSC Group, for nearly a year to develop plans to address the decades of drainage issues that have long plagued this neighborhood. The project would include replacing the water lines in the neighborhood and paving of the streets. I am pleased to submit this loan order for the residents of the Phillips Drive neighborhood to correct long standing issues. I thank them for their patience and look forward to bringing this project to completion.
Waste Water Treatment Plant MVP Revetment Project: The contractor is approaching substantial completion with final paving, hydro seeding, and other items to be completed by the end of this week. We are currently working to relocate a portion of the fence along the berm, which should happen over the next few weeks. We have scheduled a ribbon cutting event to celebrate the completion of this important resiliency project as well as officially open this section of the Rail Trail Wednesday, June 9th at 4 PM. Please save the date and a formal invitation will follow.
Plum Island Reservation Terrace and Short-Protection: Certification from MEPA was received by GZA today for the short-term protection on Reservation Terrace- wood pilings and coir bags that would be in place hopefully in September in preparation for hurricane season.
Merrimack River Dredge: Army Corps of Engineers final report on the 204 study and Environmental Assessment on North Point were sent to the North Atlantic Division for review and approval.
High Street SRTS Update – With the final paving and striping completed earlier this month, the state contractor is now at substantial completion. Planning and DPS will be working with the MassDOT on final punch list items and issues in the next few weeks.
Merrimac St Paving – Paving starts tomorrow on Merrimac Street from Forrester St to Broad St and is expected to be completed by Wednesday. This section of roadway was milled last week.
Crosswalks Repainting – Our striping contractor Markings Inc. has been repainting crosswalks citywide over the last few weeks. With the exception for Merrimac and High St, all of the crosswalks in the City will be repainted. There are about 100 left to complete, and the contractor will be out this Wednesday night and may need to finish next Wednesday night. Markings Inc. will then proceed to repaint the double yellow lines on our roadways.
Columbus Ave Water Main Replacement – DPS will be holding a pre-construction meeting tomorrow with our contractor, Five Oaks Construction. The schedule of work and start date will be announced shortly after.
5 Year Road Improvement plan – Chief of Staff Matt Coogan will be reaching out to set a date for Councillors to review the 5 Year Plan either the week of June 14 or June 21. We expect to host a public presentation the last week of June.
CSO Pilot Notification Project: The City has been working with Merrimac Valley Planning Commission, the Merrimack River Watershed Council and Brown & Caldwell to develop the CSO notification system. Unfortunately, there has been insufficient rain events for direct sampling of the river following a CSO event upriver to validate direct sampling with the tool created by Brown & Caldwell. Preliminary data is very promising and we hope to be able to launch system this summer.
DEI Community Conversations – The DEI Alliance will be hosting virtual Community Conversations June 8, 15, 29, from 6 to 8 PM.
Upcoming Events
- June 9 at 4 :00 PM – WWTP Berm & Revetment/ Rail Trail Ribbon Cutting
- June 10 at 3:30 PM – Minco Ribbon Cutting of One Boston Way
- June 18th time to be determined – Juneteenth commemoration