BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

MASSENA -- Village of Massena Department of Public Works employees are going to have a busy summer with an extensive paving schedule, culvert repairs and other maintenance projects.

At a recent village board meeting, DPW Superintendent Marty Miller told trustees that much of the work hinges on funding from the state. Budget negotiations are nearing completion and state officials have pushed back on Governor Kathy Hochul's plan to cut funding to the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS).

Miller said he has heard both good and bad feedback regarding those proposed cuts. Assemblyman Scott Gray is slated to be in Potsdam March 29 to update constituents on the planned cuts.

“I put out a pretty aggressive street schedule. We are finishing Parker, East Orvis from Parker to Grove, Douglas from East Orvis to Alvern, Howard, Talcott, Richards, Columbia. Mother Nature’s going to play a role on it,” Miller said.

Another project that is set to continue this summer is work on Owl Avenue. Miller said work on that project began last year and will continue into next year, despite DPW's best efforts.

“Last year we did the water main, which basically you have to let that set for a year and let it settle before you do any work anyway. So, they finished that up in August. We did a little bit of the storm system work on it last fall,” he said.

Miller said he hopes DPW workers will be able to finish reconstruction of the lower end of the avenue while completing some drainage work up the first driveway coming from Main Street.

"We’d love to get that section. That’s the part that needs a lot of basic reconstruction," he said.

Miller said if DPW is able to finish that portion of the work, it will set them up nicely to finalize the project next year.

Among other projects on the list for the summer, Miller and Mayor Greg Paquin alike said Veteran's Memorial is a top priority.

Paquin commented that work on the retaining wall will be extensive and could have been prevented if maintenance work had been completed years prior.

Work on the retaining wall, along with significant drainage work, will need to be completed this year, Miller said.

Engineers have examined the site and work began in earnest last fall.

The report from engineers said that the existing walls would need to be removed, additional drainage would need to be installed and soil would need to be replaced.

Paquin previously said the new drainage would ensure that water would be removed from the retaining wall in the future, ensuring it would not erode like the current wall has.

Paquin and Miller said the village hopes to have the work completed by Veterans Day this year, as long as Mother Nature cooperates.

“Right now Mother Nature is cooperating somewhat, so we need to jump on that,” Miller said.

Miller also touched on a culvert project that is set to be completed this summer on Center Street, saying a contractor would be conducting the culvert replacement. DPW would still be working on the project as well, Miller said.