Stoughton Planning Board delays pump station construction

The Planning Board delayed plans to complete construction of the Ledgebrook pump station on Thursday after learning the Department of Public Works is performing repairs on the unfinished station.

Town Engineer Ben Fehan said the maintenance work by the DPW was done without his knowledge and board approval. 

 "I was going to ask for approval for work on the pump station under the bond," Fehan said.   He said he could not start construction and pay for it without the board's approval.

 Stoughton took ownership of Ledgebrook Estates, which includes residences and the pump station, in May 2011 at the annual Town Meeting after the owner, Khan Realty, defaulted on the agreement with the town.

 Fehan said in an interview that residents of Ledgebrook Estates worked with the Planning Board for several years to have the town take control of the land and finish the construction Khan Realty failed to complete.

 A bond of $66,000 was designated to complete the unfinished construction of Ledgebrook Estates, including $22,000 for the pump station.

Planning Board Chair Joseph Scardino said one of the provisions of the warrant voted by Town Meeting states anything that is repaired or replaced in the pump station cannot be paid for with the bond.

"We can't legally charge against the bond the repairs," he said.

Scardino said the purpose of the bond is to bring the station to town standards for pump stations by finishing the construction Khan Realty started.

Fehan said he was given a report by the DPW that included a list of planned repairs, including replacing a pump, but did not know when repairs would be completed.

 He was confused by the DPW doing maintenance work because he was under the impression that he was the supervisor for the construction of the pump station.  He said the pump station was the first priority for spending the bond money.

"They think the money's coming out of a cookie jar," Fehan said.

Scardino said the money needs to come from "the right cookie jar."

Vice Chair Lynn Jardin said the board needs to find out "who gave the DPW authority and what is their expectation to be paid."

 Town Planner Noreen O'Toole said she would research to find out why the DPW went in with repairs and under what situation the repairs were ordered.

 The board decided to meet with the DPW and get information on the repairs and how to pay for them.

 In other business, the Planning Board held a joint public hearing with the Zoning Board of Appeals for a Honey Dew Donuts that plans to move to 724 Monk St.  The Planning and Zoning boards reviewed revised site plans to address traffic issues with the proposed site.

Both boards had issues with cars exiting the doughnut shop's drive-thru and attempting to merge on Washington Street during the morning rush hour.  The boards voted out the option to have a police officer direct traffic due to the cost to the shop.

The Zoning Board unanimously approved the decision to draft a special permit with the condition for a traffic engineer to study traffic issues and require the shop to make appropriate changes to signage and traffic flow.

The Planning Board voted unanimously site approval for the Honey Dew Donuts.