Demolition could begin this week at Bridgeport's former Testo's, 177 apartments planned for site

Brian Lockhart

BRIDGEPORT  — Demolition of the former Testo's restaurant, where Bridgeport's long-time Democratic Party chief for years cooked for patrons and concocted political recipes for the city, could begin this week to make way for a 177-unit market rate apartment complex.

The municipal building department on Monday issued the $4,440 worth of necessary permits to tear down the Italian eatery and catering hall on Madison Avenue in the North End, and two neighboring homes.

Testo's, run by Democratic Town Committee Chairman Mario Testo and his nephew, Ralph Giacobbe, shuttered last New Year's Eve with the sale to out-of-town developer Amit Lakhotia pending. Lakhotia closed on the deal, announced last November, in April.

Lakhotia's contractor, Bridgeport-based John Guedes, in an interview Monday afternoon said he hoped the demolition would begin as soon as Tuesday.

"The equipment has been moved in," he said.

But there is a major unknown. The municipal law department, at the request of close Testa ally Mayor Joe Ganim, has been reviewing the zoning permit issued for the four-story development, which has been criticized by some neighbors, City Council members and activists as too large for that section of town.

Law department head Mark Anastasi last week said he expected his office to release its highly-anticipated opinion this week but has made no other comment on what it might contain. He and his staff have also consulted with outside counsel on the matter. 

Ganim had in early May taken the unusual step of initiating the thorough legal analysis of an already approved development following the public outcry about the 177-unit, four-story apartment building with underground parking planned for the former Testo's.

On May 2 Hearst CT Media reported that because the plans were submitted in late 2021 by Testa and Giacobbe before new, more-restrictive municipal zoning regulations took effect Jan 1, 2022, the apartments were reviewed under the obsolete design guidelines and a zoning permit was provided without a public hearing and subsequent vote by the zoning commission.

A couple of days later, Ganim, who is seeking re-election, announced that he agreed with critics' concerns about the project's height and density and would have his legal staff look into the zoning process. 

Besides the three demolition authorizations issued Monday, the building department on May 17, just days after Ganim announced the legal review of the zoning permit, approved a permit for Guedes to build a foundation for the 177-apartments. Hearst CT Media obtained that Monday morning.

In an interview earlier Monday before the announcement of the demolition permits, Raymond Rizio, the Bridgeport-based land use attorney whose office in 2021 sought the zoning approval for Testa and Giacobbe, said the May 17 foundation permit should be a meaningful piece of evidence.

"That basically tells you the city department in charge of that (foundation) permit reviewed the plans and they're consistent with the earlier zoning approval," Rizio said. "It's a confirmation that everything was done correctly."

And now, Guedes argued, so too are his demolition authorizations.

"This thing of Ganim having the law department review. I can't figure it out. Review what?" Guedes said. 

Asked what happens should the Ganim administration announce that something was found to stop the Testo's project, Guedes said, "I don't foresee the city getting into a situation like that"

"It would open up a major lawsuit," he added. "You can't issue permits and then take them back. You can't do that."

Guedes also said that even though construction has not begun behind the scenes supplies were being purchased and subcontractors hired.

"You're talking millions of dollars of contracts that were issued as soon as the foundation permit was issued," he said. "The city would need to be justified (in halting the project) and I just don't see any justification. It all went by the book."

City Councilwoman Jeanette Herron, who represents the  neighborhood and has also come out against the apartments as designed, said Monday, “We’ve been waiting for that legal opinion for almost two months and I’m disappointed it hasn’t been done yet. I was told it’s coming this week. I don’t like the fact that demolition permit was issued before the legal opinion, but time will tell.”

Guedes said the permits should have been issued sooner and blamed the controversy for the holdup. But Ganim's communications director Tiadora Josef said Monday the city attorney's office "has not told any departments to put a hold on issuing any permits/approvals for the Testo's apartments."

Ridgefield Route 7 sewer project deadline delayed, costs rise 15 percent

Sandra Diamond Fox

RIDGEFIELD — The town is roughly a year behind on its upgrades to its sewer system, a project that when completed would improve the water quality in the Norwalk River. 

The project cost has grown 15 percent to $57.1 million due to inflation and supply chain woes, and involves decommissioning the Route 7 treatment plant and upgrading the South Street plant.

"At the end of the day, when this (South Street) plant is in full operation and operating, filtration, is at a maximum, it’s going to be one of the cleanest, most environmentally positive plants, in Connecticut," First Selectman Rudy Marconi said. 

COVID-19 related supply chain delays and a workforce shortage onsite have pushed the completion dates from 2022 and 2023 to next year. 

When the Route 7 plant is decommissioned, the town will go from two wastewater treatment plants to one, Marconi said. A bigger pump station will be constructed at the Route 7 site, and wastewater will be pumped from there to the South Street plant. 

He added all the work was state mandated and the town will not increase any of the capacity of the sewer plant.

The activity for last week involved testing the pump line on Limekiln Road, he added. “There (is) fiber optic cable installation on Lee Road, Limekiln and Haviland,” he said.

Marconi said the plant on South Street is 30 years old and many of its parts are outdated and are due for upgrades.

“The quality of the effluent that’s being discharged aren’t as good as they could be under current technology," he added.

Timeline, costs

Greg Kabasakalian, a member of the town’s finance board, said the South Street upgrade was expected to be completed in August 2022 and the Route 7 upgrade was expected to be completed in August 2023. 

Now, the South Street upgrade is scheduled to be finished in January 2024, and the Route 7 project in April 2024.

South Street's cost has risen from $45.8 million to $46.9 million, while Route 7 work increased from about $9.7 million to $10.2 million. 

The $1.68 million annual operating cost at South Street is expected to increase 15 percent once the plant is complete, according to Amy Siebert, chairman of Ridgefield's Water Pollution Control Authority, in a letter that was shared with Hearst Connecticut Media.

The sewer project is with the WPCA, which is a separate authority from the town, Marconi said. 

In the letter, Siebert wrote the operating cost can vary based on several factors, such as weather.

"Wet weather can lead to high flows and increased costs associated with treatment; equipment issues ... that result in the need to procure repairs, parts, etc, changes in supply costs ... (such as) chemicals and other routine supplies," she wrote.

She added the plant will have new treatment processes in place "and we will see how actual operations shake out as this all comes together."  

Marconi said the town bonded the project and invested about $8 million in the project. He said the rest of the costs are being born by the customers that the system serves, and the rates have "gone up substantially."

Project benefits

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection told the town it would need to upgrade the Route 7 treatment plant if it were to remain in operation, Marconi said. Those improvements would cost at least $12 million to $15 million — millions more than the current project, he said. 

"From a capital project perspective, it’s less expensive and we’re still treating (the plant)," he said.

A second benefit, Marconi said, is by decommissioning that plant, which discharges the treated wastewater into the Norwalk River, the quality of water in the Norwalk River will improve.

He added that’s a “huge benefit, not only in Ridgefield, but all downstream.”

Flood-prone Meriden spared from heaviest rainfall during weekend storms

MERIDEN — Heeding forecasts that called for heavy rains and thunderstorms that could bring about flash flooding last weekend, city officials braced for the worst.

Fire Chief Kenneth Morgan said his department planned for a potential 10 inches worth of rain between Saturday and Sunday. Actual totals, reported by the National Weather Service, were 1.3 inches.

“I think in all honesty, we dodged a big bullet,” Morgan said. So fire crews relocated the fire engine from the station on Pratt Street, where there tends to be significant flooding, and relocated the reserve company to another station. The department also had its tactical rescue unit relocated, with boats on both ends of the Meriden Green. 

“We had equipment repositioned in case we needed it,” Morgan said. 

As it turns out, those resources were not needed.

“We prepared and planned for the worst. Fortunately, we didn’t have to enact any of it. It was a fairly uneventful day,” Morgan said. 

City Public Works and Engineering officials similarly reported the storms’ rainfall had little impact on city roads. 

Meanwhile, according to statewide news reports, other communities, including Bristol and Waterbury, did experience flooding in some areas. 

Mayor Kevin Scarpati said his office did not receive any complaints of flooding that he saw. 

“I did check in on a few areas that are known to flood,” the mayor said. “We seem to have been spared from the significant rainfall that other parts of the state received.”

Flooding during significant rainfall events historically has been an issue in Meriden. But officials say ongoing efforts during the yearslong Harbor Brook flood control project, which is ongoing, have reduced the severity of those such storms. 

The Meriden Green is a cornerstone of those efforts, as it is capable of storing some 58 acre feet of water during a 100-year storm event, officials said. One acre-foot equals 326,000 gallons. 

“We did not experience a 100-year storm or even a 50-year storm,” said John Lawlor, the city’s director of Public Works and Engineering. “We’ve gotten heavy rain recently, but nothing as significant as what we should and need to design for.”

He added, the Meriden Green is designed for those significant storms.

City Engineer Brian Ennis described the Meriden Green as a bowl flood storage facility that is slightly elevated along its perimeter. 

The Green allows for smaller brooks that feed into Harbor Brook to have places to drain more freely, instead of topping over onto roadways, Ennis explained. 

Smaller storms, like those that occurred over the weekend, will be more frequent than 100-year storms. And they can be just as catastrophic based on how many occur within a specific timeframe. 

Ennis referenced a series of heavy rain storms that occurred in the mid to late 2000s over a three-week period, in which the city amassed roughly 15 inches of rain. 

“When you combine them, they turned into a catastrophic storm, just because it was storm after storm after storm. They just kept coming. That’s the kind of thing, when you look at what we’re trying to do with the Harbor Brook project, that’s what we’re trying to alleviate. Storms like yesterday are going to come. We’re going to get more than we have in the past, just because of the changing weather patterns,” Ennis said. 

During those storms, there will continue to be street flooding, because the city’s stormwater catch basins are designed for 10-year storms. 

“When you look at what happened two years ago, when we had heavy storms that came, we had water on Pratt Street, we had water on State Street. But when it stopped raining 20 minutes later, everything drained out,” Ennis said. 

Improving those catch basins is a project officials are planning for when the Harbor Brook project is complete. 

The current phase underway is a project to replace the Cedar Street Bridge span. The former 35-foot long bridge has already been removed and will be replaced with a new span that is more than 50 feet long, and six inches higher in elevation. The city received a $4.7 million grant from the South Central Regional Council of Governments, toward the project. 

Officials expect the project will be completed by December of this year, at an estimated cost of $4.1 million. 

While the Harbor Brook project is underway, the city has other infrastructure needs to address to alleviate other peripheral flooding problems as they occur. An example was the flooding of the Stoddard Building on Miller Street, which houses Health & Human Services Department offices, two years ago. That issue, Ennis explained, resulted when a drainage pipe from the building had broken, causing the water to backflow into it. That issue has since been fixed.

Lawlor described projects like that, and another recently discovered compromised storm line at the Kennedy Building, on Catlin Street, as smaller projects “that help mitigate the flooding problem.

“Obviously there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done. We’re not out of the woods yet,” Scarpati said of the ongoing flood control efforts.

Manafort Bros. up for $3.6M contract to clear massive industrial building from Waterbury center

Michael Puffer

Waterbury officials are asking the city’s Board of Aldermen to sign off Monday on a contract paying Plainville-based Manafort Brothers up to $3.6 million to demolish a former brass factory in the heart of the city.

Waterbury paid $2.3 million for the 138,304-square-foot building on 6 acres at 170 Freight St. in December, planning to demolish it, clean the soil and market it for redevelopment.

The city had already acquired a neighboring 14-acre plot and demolished various industrial buildings on the site. Together, the properties at 130 Freight St., 000 West Main St. and 170 Freight St. had previously hosted an industrial complex for brassworking giant Anaconda American Brass.

Later, a portion of the site was used by an industrial waste processing outfit that ran into economic and environmental compliance problems. The building at 170 Freight St. was rented to several commercial, industrial and retail tenants before its sale.

Combined, the properties will offer a flat, 20-acre development site on one corner of the downtown, right at the nexus of Route 8 and Interstate 84, a short distance from a passenger rail. Mayor Neil O’Leary has made redevelopment of that site – seen as key to revitalizing the larger Freight Street corridor – a major priority.

Manafort was the lowest of three bidders for the demolition work at 170 Freight St. Stamford Wrecking and Bestech also applied.

The company will have 154 days to complete the project and will be paid using a portion of the city’s federal American Rescue Plan Act grant funding.

“I’m very pleased with the Manafort bid,” Mayor Neil M. O’Leary said. “They have done great work for us on many other projects. This is an exciting time. The interest on this piece has been amazing.” 

Off shore wind project to supply CT energy gets environmental green light from federal regulators

EDMUND H. MAHONY 

Revolution Wind, the offshore wind farm project southeast of Block Island that could power more than 350,000 southern New England homes, moved significantly closer to completion Monday when the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced it had completed the project’s final environmental review.

“BOEM used the feedback we received from Tribal Nations, industry, ocean users, communities, and stakeholders to help inform our decisions throughout the environmental review process and ensure that we are addressing potential impacts,” Director Elizabeth Klein said. “This milestone represents another important step forward in building a new clean energy economy here in the United States.”

Revolution Wind, a joint venture by regional electric utility Eversource and the North American division of Orsted, a Danish multinational and global leader in offshore renewable energy, proposed a 100 turbine project capable of generating up to 880 megawatts of electricity.

The bureau said in its announcement Monday it had developed a “preferred alternative” that meets the power production goal, but utilizes 65 of the towering wind turbine generators.

There has been opposition to the wind projects for a variety of environmental and aesthetic reasons. Simulated images produced by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management suggest the turbines, hung on 300-foot towers, will be visible from southern Rhode Island, as well as Block Island and Martha’s Vineyard.

The bureau said it balanced “the needs and interests of everyone who may be affected by the development” when preparing the final environmental analysis. It said its preferred alternative would “meet energy needs by installing fewer wind turbines to reduce impacts to visual resources, benthic habitat, and allow for ocean co-use.”

The construction and supply base for Revolution Wind, and two other offshore wind projects, is the State Pier in New London, which has been rebuilt at a cost of more than $300 million.

The Eversource-Orsted partnership called issuance of the environmental analysis a “major milestone” and praised the administration of President Joe Biden for “its unwavering commitment to building the critical renewable energy infrastructure necessary to achieve our clean energy goals.”

“This essential project is already benefiting local communities, establishing a new, homegrown supply chain, and creating job opportunities for workers in the industries of tomorrow, today,” said Julia Bovey of Eversource.

Revolution Wind is one of three offshore wind projects being developed by the Eversource-Orsted partnership. The other two, planned for the same general area south of Rhode Island, are South Fork Wind and Sunrise Wind.

The three projects are among about 20 now planned by a variety of groups on the continental shelf between Virginia and Maine

South Fork Wind is on track to be operational later this year and, if so, will be the first completed utility-scale offshore wind farm in federal waters.

South Fork Wind and Sunrise Wind will deliver electricity to New York by cable to East Hampton on Long Island. Revolution Wind’s energy will reach the New England electric grid by cable to Quonset Point, Rhode Island, and produce power for homes in Connecticut and Rhode Island, according to Eversource.

Last month, Eversource announced that it is selling part of its share of the joint venture to partner Orsted for $625 million in order to concentrate on its core business, the distribution of electricity.

Eversource and Orsted have signed a 10-year, $20 million lease to use State Pier in New London as a supply base for offshore construction of their three wind farms

Late last month, turbine towers began to arrive in New London in pieces by ship. Most of the assembly is to take place on the 40-acre pier and the components will be shipped offshore.

Agency Begins Scrutinizing Federal Contractors for Compliance On ILJA Projects

LUCY PERRY

Many of the infrastructure improvement projects that resulted from the mega bipartisan IIJA program will be under scrutiny this year by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). The agency is increasing its focus on companies receiving those IIJA federal monies. That means contractors on those projects need to don their best audit gear.

The OFCCP released a list of 250 construction contractors and subcontractors that the agency has on the audit radar. Those contractors will be sent an official scheduling letter as advance notice of their respective audit, to ensure companies are in compliance before the audit.

Keeping an Eye On the Audit

"The construction industry should monitor OFCCP's regulatory requirements for construction contractors," wrote Lisa Marsh, Jackson Lewis Law, which specializes in workplace law.

She said now is the time for contractors to review their company's compliance program with an eye to making improvements where necessary.

"Noncompliant contractors may face technical or discrimination violations and, in extreme circumstances, contract cancelation and debarment," said Marsh.

The OFCCP has a list of 16 mandatory affirmative action steps, contained in a guide published by the agency. Marsh points to five major categories included in OFCCP's Construction Contractors Technical Assistance Guide. These categories are recruitment practices, training, implementation of EEO policy, analyzing personnel activity and solicitations/contracts with subcontractors.

Specifically, diversity recruitment is one of the most frequently cited OFCCP audit violations, said Marsh.

"Many contractors rely on unions to fill construction jobs, and many are unaware of their requirement to separately engage in diversity recruitment."

She said in working closely with unions to engage diversity organizations, contractors can neglect their obligation to demonstrate compliance. These companies also must analyze their personnel activity to conform with Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures.

The goal should be to ensure one race or gender is not adversely impacted by the contractor's hiring practices.

"This requires the contractor to not only solicit and maintain the gender and race of its employees, but to also track its applicants, including demographic information," said Marsh.

Other contractor requirements include posting notices in employee areas, and notifying OFCCP of certain subcontracts within 10 days, she said.

"Contractors with a $50,000 and $150,000 non-federally assisted contract must comply with OFCCP's regulations related to individuals with disabilities and protected veterans."

Mega Projects Under Microscope

The OFCCP also has certain high-dollar projects on its radar. The agency's Mega Construction Project Program was launched in March of this year.

The program includes 12 federally funded projects with a value of $35 million or more and a timeline of at least one year. After the spring announcement, OFCCP held a public information session to outline plans for working with contractors.

The agency intends to work throughout the project with the direct and subcontractors awarded these jobs.

"OFCCP will require the employer working on the selected Mega Projects to participate in EEO Committee meetings," said Marsh. "The meetings will include relevant unions, diversity recruitment organizations, and, potentially, other relevant government enforcement agencies."

The increased industry attention is part of a move by Director Jenny Yang, to reinvigorate OFCCP's oversight of affirmative action compliance efforts. The agency plans to engage contractors and subs at the pre-bid and post-bid stages to provide ongoing compliance assistance.

OFCCP also will evaluate contractors' efforts to recruit and utilize talent from underrepresented backgrounds.

"OFCCP touts these projects as examples of how involvement early and often can positively affect the community," according to Jackson Lewis Law. "With the launch of this new program, construction contractors on Mega Projects can expect their chances of being audited by OFCCP to spike."

Dissecting Audit Process

In evaluating contractors, OFCCP looks at all federal, federally assisted and non-federal construction projects across all counties in a geographic area. Understanding the OFCCP's requirements can help a contractor prepare for an audit and reduce the risk of costly settlements.

Human resources specialist Berkshire said OFCCP exists to ensure that the selected contractor is fulfilling contractual affirmative action program obligations. The agency wants to see regularly prepared plans, plan compliance with regulations, requisite data and complete annual data analyses.

"The OFCCP also reviews whether a contractor has engaged in any discriminatory hiring, promotion, termination or pay practices," wrote Berkshire.

This is done by evaluating detailed personnel activity and compensation data about all employees covered by the affirmative action plan under review.

"The agency recovers money from the contractor at fault to repay applicants and employees for missing back pay and salary adjustments."

The agency can require that contractors establish hiring goals as part of a resolution and can debar non-compliant contractors from federal contracting work.

Qualifying contractors are required to maintain up-to-date affirmative action plans and data regarding personnel decisions and other employment records. This data should be analyzed regularly to monitor for OFCCP compliance red flags, suggested Berkshire.

"Each employee must be included in the affirmative action program of the establishment at which he or she works."

Covered contractors have detailed recordkeeping obligations and must perform annual analyses of their personnel activity, according to Berkshire. That includes applicant, hiring, promotions, terminations and compensation systems. And contractors must evaluate workforce representation against expected availability to determine if annual placement goals should be established.

"Specific analyses also must be completed to evaluate a contractor's progress in meeting government-established utilization goals for individuals with disabilities and hiring benchmarks for protected veterans," said Berkshire.

Companies may conduct the necessary analyses and reports internally, or they may seek outside assistance.

"If you have limited resources or knowledge, our recommendation is to obtain guidance," said the labor law specialists. "Since these laws can be complex, expert interpretation is often needed."

Are You in Compliance?

Under its frequently asked questions section, the DOL explains the good-faith efforts construction contractors are required to take.

To increase participation of minorities and women in skilled trades, contractors must maintain a harassment-free work environment.

These good-faith efforts also include recruiting minorities and women, and developing on-the-job training for these workforce sectors. Contractors should develop and disseminate EEO policies and evaluate minorities and women for promotional opportunities.

Unintended discriminatory effects resulting from personnel practices should be constantly monitored.

"Contractors must document their good-faith efforts fully, which consist of the actions and steps they take to ensure the requirements are met," according to DOL.

Another question asks if a contractor is meeting all participation goals for minorities and women, can it assume it's not engaging in any discrimination. DOL's answer is "not necessarily." Participation goals are an important aspect of recruiting and developing a more diverse workforce, according to the agency.

"Contractors that meet these goals still need to assess their practices for possible employment discrimination," wrote the agency.

In determining whether employment discrimination has taken place, OFCCP examines how each minority group is affected by a contractor's practices.

"Executive Order 11246 prohibits discrimination on sexual orientation, gender identity, religion and on inquiring about, discussing and disclosing pay," said the agency.

Regulations prohibit contractors from discriminating on the basis of disability and protected veteran status if they hold a direct federal construction contract.

"Whether a contractor is meeting its participation goals for women and minorities has no bearing on whether it is engaging in discrimination on these other bases."

If employees or applicants experience discrimination in association with a federal construction contractor, what are potential scenarios for the contractor?

According to DOL, employees or applicants can file a complaint with OFCCP, EEOC or a state or local civil rights agency with jurisdiction. Additionally, if they are enrolled in a registered apprenticeship program, they can file a complaint with the apprenticeship registration agency.

"The registration agency may refer a complaint to OFCCP or to another enforcement agency, as appropriate," according to DOL.

What if a contractor fails to meet participation goals — is it in violation? "Not necessarily," is DOL's FAQ response. "Contractors must engage in outreach and other good-faith efforts to broaden the pool of qualified candidates to include minorities and women."

Good-faith efforts include monitoring the effectiveness of outreach and recruitment strategies in attracting diverse applicants.

Linking with different or additional referral sources in the event that recruitment efforts fail to produce a diverse pipeline of applicants is another positive move.

"The participation goals are not quotas, and no sanctions are imposed solely for failure to meet them," said DOL. "A contractor's compliance is measured by whether it has made good faith efforts to expand employment opportunities and break down barriers to employment for minorities and women."

Something else to think about: Accommodation request records required by contractors to maintain. Contractors are required to maintain records of requests related to pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions and religious practices and observances. In addition, direct federal contractors are required to maintain records of requests related to disabilities, including those from disabled veterans.

"Specifically, contractors should maintain documentation on requests made, relevant meetings and discussions held and final dispositions. OFCCP regulations require contractors to grant reasonable accommodation requests unless they can demonstrate that doing so would impose an ‘undue hardship' on the operation of its business." CEG

Blumenthal seeks funds to repair roads

John Mckenna

GOSHEN – U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., on Monday pledged to do his best to secure federal funding for three Northwest Corner towns where roads sustained heavy damage in flooding July 9-10.

Blumenthal stopped in Colebrook first, followed by Norfolk, where several roads and two bridges on Route 272 were damaged, before moving on to Goshen and a tour of town roads led by First Selectman Todd M. Carusillo.

In Goshen, Blumenthal, state Rep. Maria Horn, D-Salisbury, and Democratic State Central Committee member Audrey Blondin of Goshen stood on a bridge on North Goshen Road and viewed damage caused when the Hollenbeck River rose quickly and flowed over the road, tearing out chunks of asphalt and base material on either side.

“I’m astounded by the amount of damage and the cost it is going to take to rebuild,” Blumenthal said. “For a small town like Goshen, the burden of cost would be enormous and that’s why I’m ready to fight for disaster relief.”

Once Gov. Ned Lamont, as expected, issues an official request for federal disaster relief, Blumenthal said he will be poised to present information he collected during Monday’s tour to President Biden to show the president how badly aid is needed.

In addition to towns affected by flooding, Blumenthal said farmers and businesses that suffered losses in the deluge also deserve financial relief.

“The catastrophic impact is just stunning and unfortunately these kinds of storms are now becoming the new normal,” he said.

The estimated cost of rebuilding the North Goshen Road bridge is between $800,000 and $1.3 million, according to Carusillo, a cost Goshen can’t afford on its own. Fortunately, traffic can still cross the bridge, beyond which there are 16 to 18 homes.

“We need funding, and we need it now so we can get this done right,” Carusillo said.

Carusillo also showed Blumenthal, Horn and Blondin washout damage on Hageman-Shean Road and East Street North. Goshen public works crews filled in washed out areas and regraded sections of roads following last week’s storm, only to see some of the improvements washed away by heavy rain on Sunday.

“Everything we fixed last week got washed out,” Carusillo said at the stop on East Street North. “All that is having to be fixed again.”

Public works, Carusillo said, has had to dip into its budget for several tons of gravel to repair washed out areas. The two sections of East Steet North that sustained washouts were undermined to the point where they will have to be rebuilt, he said.

Carusillo thanked Blumenthal and Horn for taking the time to see the damage in Goshen.

“It shows the residents of Goshen that they care and are here to help,” Carusillo said. “Hopefully this puts us on track to getting the funding we’ll need.”