A New Roof for the Parks Dept. & More Project Updates

To the right of the Department of Public Works (DPW) Garage, there is a shorter building with a flat roof, and it's been a problem for roughly a decade. According to Selectman John Whetton, the building's roof has been leaking since approximately 2015. At the June 6, 2025, Board of Selectmen meeting, the selectmen voted to award a bid so the roof can finally be fixed.

Source: Google Maps

While this project has often been pushed out due to budgetary concerns, it's finally coming to fruition. The Park Department roof project is going to the lowest bidder, Macri Roofing, Inc.. The bid was $99,990, roughly $50,000 less than the next lowest bid. DPW Director Devin Cowperthwaite says the roof has been leaking since he's been in Stafford. Soon, the longstanding problem should be remedied.

Other projects were on the selectmen's agenda. Here is a quick rundown of the issues addressed at the meeting.

More Project Updates

• ADA Upgrades at Town Hall—You may have noticed some new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) upgrades at Town Hall, including a better accessibility ramp from the bank-side parking lot and metal plates inside the doors. These upgrades were prompted by a lawsuit filed by the federal government and have been in the works for some time. An elevator is the big ticket item on the ADA checklist. In 2024, the town was awarded $500,000 in congressionally directed funding with the help of Congressman Joe Courtney. That funding has been in limbo as federal spending has been in flux. Still, Amber Wakley-Whaley, Stafford's Community Development and Grant Coordinator, said she had finally been "reassured that the funding is secure and available and slated for us." She said she was apprehensive about moving forward until a contract was signed promising the funds. It's also worth noting that though this program typically requires a municipality to match funds, Stafford got that requirement waived.

• Old Springfield Road—Residents and commuters will be happy to know that Old Springfield Road is on this summer's paving schedule. While prep work has been underway, milling is set to begin on June 12. According to Cowperthwaite, one road portion must be elevated, but paving is scheduled for June 23. For the first time, people attending via Zoom could ask questions, and Derek Dimmock asked how much would be left in the paving budget after July. Cowperthwaite said that he expected nothing would be left and that he would need to dip into the '25-'26 budget to finish Old Springfield Road.

  • STEAP Grant for Hampden Rd.— On a related note, the town applied for a STEAP Grant to help pave Hampden Road, but did not win the competitive grant. Morrison noted the town's intention to apply again next year.

• Old Ambulance Facility—First Selectman Bill Morrison says there is a longstanding agreement between the Stafford Springs Cemetery Association and Stafford Ambulance Association, Inc. for the former ambulance garage on Route 32. From mold to a crumbling foundation, Morrison says the building has problems. While the police have been storing some equipment there, the Cemetery Association wants a new memorandum of understanding. Morrison thinks it might be time to let the building go, as he does not think it's worth maintaining. He began looking into the costs to remove it, and those quotes came in at between $30,000 and $50,000. That figure, he says, is more than he expected. Whetton asked if someone else could take over the building and rehab it. Morrison said anyone interested in doing that could contact the Stafford Springs Cemetery Association. Selectman Rick Hartenstein said the building had outlived its life expectancy, and Whetton said he favored reducing the number of buildings the town has to care for. Via Zoom, resident Marnie Hofmann asked several questions about the ownership of the building and why the town was involved if it belongs to the Ambulance Association. Morrison said the Ambulance Association originally erected the building, but the town now funds the ambulance and is responsible for the building. No action was taken, but keep an eye on this issue.

• Witt School—If you've been following along over the past couple of years, you know the town is working to revitalize the Witt School. As that project moves along, the town wants to apply for a DECD Community Investment Fund grant. This fund awards up to $175 million each year. Wakley-Whaley, who manages the Witt School project, says these funds could help close remaining funding gaps to support environmental remediation and structural repair. For instance, the roof must be repaired to protect against any internal changes that will eventually occur. The DECD grant accepts submissions twice a year, and Wakley-Whaley asked to remove the item from the June agenda so she could gather more materials and submit a more complete application for the September deadline.