The Easthampton City Council met on Aug. 5 to discuss Manhan Rail Trail upgrades and Council on Aging happenings.
Photo credit: E-Media
EASTHAMPTON — During a relatively quiet summer season, the Easthampton City Council approved funding for repairs to the Manhan Rail Trail and received a report on the work of the Easthampton Council on Aging and Enrichment Center.
In a unanimous vote, the council voted to appropriate $102,080 from the Capital Stabilization fund to the MassTrails Grant Program. The funds, part of the city’s required match for the grant, will be used to expand previous work on the bike path, including repair and repaving between Ferry Street and Route 5. Members of the council explained that the work will fix the damage done from tree roots growing underneath the trail.
Mayor Salem Derby added that taking the funds from Capital Stabilization is fitting because this is a project where the work will last longer than five years.
The approval of these funds comes weeks after the city was awarded a $500,000 MassTrails grant that will help remove hazardous trees and roots that are causing “unsafe surface conditions on the trail,” according to DPW Director Greg Nuttelman.
“It will closely resemble the work that was completed last summer, which included point-to-point pavement repairs, root barrier installation and pavement crack sealing,” Nuttelman told Reminder Publishing in July.
Nuttelman said the repairs will improve trail safety and accessibility by fixing damaged pavement and uneven surfaces. The work will help reduce fall risks and create a safer experience for all trail users.
He also explained that this grant-funded project will help maintain the trail’s condition as the city Trail Maintenance and Repairs transitions from a volunteer-run group to a city department and ensures the trail is ready for the change in management.
Construction is expected to begin in late fall or early spring and must be completed by June 30, 2027. During the construction, sections of the trail will be closed, with most closures occurring between Ferry Street and Route 5/East Street.
The grant Easthampton received is part of $7.6 million that was awarded through the MassTrails program.
Other City Council business
Council on Aging Director Cynthia Tarail provided a report to the council on the many ways that the COA benefits the community. Offering data and numbers, Tarail explained that the COA’s recognition of National Senior Center Month in September and its theme of “Flip the Script” truly describes the work the COA does, noting that “aging is a normal part of life, not a problem to be solved.”
Among the report highlights were that the center supported 1,400 people in 23,000 instances over fiscal year 2026, including work to help residents with health benefits, counseling, tax preparation and rides to appointments and the center. Although the COA focuses on senior citizens, it also offers assistance with SNAP benefits and fuel to people of all ages.
Tarail added that the physical space will see improvements as mini-splits are added to the lower-level classrooms, making those spaces much more comfortable.
After much debate during the last couple of City Council meetings, the council will hold a special meeting on Aug. 12 to discuss a $1,200 transfer from the reserve fund for a licensing clerk stipend. That meeting will begin at 6 p.m.
