LUDLOW — The Ludlow Board of Selectmen approved six projects to pay for through the town’s leftover American Rescue Plan Act money, but more than $160,000 remains unencumbered. If not appropriated by Dec. 31, it will be forfeited.
Like all municipalities in the state, Ludlow received funding through ARPA, a federal law passed in 2021, designed to boost post-coronavirus pandemic economic recovery. Of the $6.34 million the town received, $550,000 was left unused and not earmarked for projects at the start of this fiscal year on July 1. Under the restrictions attached to the funding, all money must be contracted for by the end of the 2024 calendar year and expended by the end of 2026.
At their July 9 meeting, the selectmen and Town Administrator Marc Strange brainstormed a list of needed projects that were eligible for ARPA funds. Among them were water damage repairs and storm mitigation at Hubbard Memorial Library, repairs to the high school tennis courts, and design plans for upgrades to Whitney Park and Veteran’s Memorial Park.
At the July 23 meeting, the board approved $110,000 for survey and preliminary designs for Whitney Park and an additional $34,500 for feasibility design work for the Whitney Park building. Board of Selectmen member Manuel Silva was taken aback by the cost of these preliminary designs, particularly because there is no guarantee that the construction work will be approved by Town Meeting. Strange said the quote was in line with the current market cost for such plans. Silva suggested not doing the early design work until Town Meeting approves the park upgrades, but Strange explained that firms will not bid on a project without designs that show them the scope of the work to be done.
The library will receive $85,000 to improve the parking lot and extension. The board also discussed the installation of larger drains around the building to divert water to the street. A canopy to redirect water away from the building was considered but Board of Selectmen Chair Derek DeBarge said, “The library staff isn’t too hot on the awning because of the historical nature of the building.” As for the existing damage, DeBarge said the interior is covered by insurance, but the exterior is the town’s responsibility.
Munis, the software used by the town for administrative operations, needs to be updated to receive the full capabilities that the program can offer the town. The cost for this project is $40,000. The board approved $110,000 for Town Hall parking lot and sidewalk repairs, which Strange called a “trip hazard.” Strange also advocated for a crisis communications plan, which is estimated to cost $9,500.
The total for these projects is $389,000, leaving $161,000. Two pickup trucks, one for the DPW and another for the Veteran’s Officer with a price tag of $45,000 each, were considered, but Board of Selectmen member William Rosenblum suggested they be managed through the capital improvements budget.
There was discussion of making the 1783 meeting house on Church Street, also known as Grange Hall, operational. DeBarge questioned whether the building would need an elevator to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act if only the first floor is used. “That prices everything out,” he said of the elevator. Board of Selectmen member James Gennette posited that, as an existing and historical building, the equipment may not be required. More information was needed for further discussion.
Park use policy
The board has been debating a policy on the use of town-owned parks for a few months and again picked up the discussion. Board of Selectmen member Anthony Goncalves said the policy needed to require event insurance be purchased by the organizers to remove any liability from the town. He said the policies cost about $150 and generally cover up to $1 million in damage or injury.
Goncalves also asked for rules dictating post-use cleanup of the parks and a fee, should the organizers not follow through. The board discussed an upfront fee for non-resident organizers, as they would be more difficult to locate if the cleanup did not occur. Assuming the post-event condition of the park is satisfactory, the fee would be refunded.
Gennette took issue with some of the language in the document, noting that outdoor areas such as the Riverwalk are not parks and would not be covered under the policy. He suggested making it an “open space” usage policy. He also disagreed with language in the policy that would allow the town to cancel an event within two weeks of its date for unspecified reasons. DeBarge said the town needs a mechanism to force people to disperse from the area in an emergency, but Gennette was adamant that the language was too broad.
The board was split on excluding Veteran’s Memorial Park from being used for private events. Goncalves, Silva and DeBarge felt the exclusion was appropriate, but Gennette and Rosenblum disagreed. Resident Kelly Kapinos said she had recently driven through several towns in Western Massachusetts and took note of several being used for picnics and parties. She suggested cordoning off the memorial statue to make the space immediately surrounding it off limits.
Rosenblum said the town needs to codify the names of the parks and there has been a lot of confusion from the public and even among the selectmen. He said the area commonly known as Veteran’s Memorial Park is officially named Memorial Park, while the space people refer to as Memorial Park has no actual name. The policy was again tabled to a future meeting.
Reclassify custodian
Human Resources Manager Erica Dixon and Council on Aging Executive Director Jodi Zepke requested the board reclassify the custodial position for the Senior Center to a high pay. The two explained that the building, which recently was handled by a cleaning service, requires a full-time custodian. “Accidents happen all the time,” Zepke said, adding that the role was a “vital” “part of the team.” Zepke said that without a custodian she personally cleans the building twice a week.
Dixon said the position is “key” to maintain hygiene, “especially for people who have compromised immune systems.” She said the town is saving $2,000 per month by no longer using the cleaning service. They requested a compensation range between $19.87 and $26 per hour, up from $16.47 to $19.97 per hour.
“It probably will be a wash,” Goncalves said. “It’s not a lot of money by any means.” He noted that the town was struggling to find employees for certain positions. The rate increase was approved.
Helen Garrow
Late Selectman Helen Garrow was honored by family, colleagues and officials for her decades of service to Ludlow. Not just a selectman and chair of the board, Garrow, who died in May, was also the town treasurer, executive director of the Ludlow Housing Authority, Finance & Safety Committee secretary and a precinct member.
State Sen. Jake Oliveira (D-Ludlow) recognized Garrow on the floor of the state Senate with a memorial adjournment on June 27. Oliveira spoke about Garrow at length, calling her “unparallelled.” State Rep. Aaron Saunders (D-Belchertown) attended the Board of Selectmen meeting to read a commemoration of Garrow from the state House of Representatives, which had conducted a moment of silence in her honor. He personally delivered his condolences to her family, who were among the more than a dozen people who came to mark her passing. Saunders said she was a “role model” to him when he was on the Board of Selectmen and described her as a “pioneer in community service.”
Several former selectmen also attended the meeting or sent statements to be read to her family, sharing their memories of Garrow. One person described her as “all class.” DeBarge said Garrow was “an incredible trailblazer” for other women in municipal leadership. He recalled that she was one of the selectmen who hired him for the Ludlow Police Department and expressed his gratitude. A plaque with Garrow’s photo and accomplishments now hangs in the Board of Selectmen conference room.
