Whitman DPW Board of Commissioners - October 15, 2026 meeting

The Whitman Department of Public Works Board of Commissioners met on October 15, 2026. Commissioners approved water and sewer commitments totaling $2,835,592.26 ($1,513,874.38 for water and $1,321,317.88 for sewer). They discussed extending the Waste Management contract and setting trash rates. The discussion favored keeping the rate at $420—below the then-current $435 rate—with the Select Board to make the final decision; no contract award or extension vote was recorded. A possible RFP for a longer-term lease of a town building to a food pantry serving Whitman residents was also discussed, with timing and Select Board support still uncertain. An $820 building alarm/internet repair bill was to be brought to the Finance Committee for a reserve-fund transfer request.

DPW updates included generator work at Belcher Drive and plans for two additional generators and standardized controls, plus a sewer force-main project expected to begin in late October or early November and take four to six weeks. The superintendent said pricing had been gathered for a possible transition to automated meter reading, but the system would be costly and no decision was made. Commissioners also discussed water and sewer capacity for proposed development at 66 Pond Street and a stormwater bylaw expected to go before Town Meeting. No vendor selection or new capital contract amount was identified for these projects.