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Massena Town Council weighs taking over new roadway near Highland Road

Posted 10/21/16

By ANDY GARDNER MASSENA -- The Town Council has been asked to take over a new road near a new apartment complex off Highland Road, but the highway department head is reluctant. Scott Lemay, who owns …

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Massena Town Council weighs taking over new roadway near Highland Road

Posted

By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- The Town Council has been asked to take over a new road near a new apartment complex off Highland Road, but the highway department head is reluctant.

Scott Lemay, who owns the apartments and road, approached the Town Council on Wednesday and said he built the road to Massena’s specifications.

“My concern is budgets are getting harder and harder and harder every year,” Highway Superintendent Frank Diagostino said. “I’ve got four roads due sometime to get rehabilitated and we continue to cut the CHIPS budget. I don’t think the town should take roads on.”

Lemay said once his project is complete, it will add about $900,000 to the tax rolls. It now has 20 apartment units and will have 28 when finished.

“I think we should be developing that, encouraging it,” Councilman Steve O’Shaughnessy said.

Lemay said he installed water and sewer lines, also per town specifications.

The supervisor and another councilman said that could be a problem.

“I’m concerned about water and sewer. We’re not in the water business,” Councilman Albert Nicola said.

Supervisor Joseph Gray said Lemay will need to do soil core sampling. Gray said they are finding some pipes in town that were supposed to last 40 years are breaking down before their time due to the chemical composition of some of the local soil corroding the iron.

They ultimately did not rule out taking over the road.

Diagostino said he would meet with DPW Superintendent Hassan Fayad to see where to go from here.