Kingfield Select Board discusses culverts and maintenance Sept. 17 in Kingfield. Photo taken May 6, 2024. File Photo/Franklin Journal

KINGFIELD — The Kingfield Select Board decided not to move forward with fixing the culvert on Lander Stream this year, following a discussion during their Sept. 17 meeting. It was also announced that West Kingfield Road would be closed Sept. 19 for the replacement of a large culvert.

During the meeting, engineer Robert “Bob” Lightbody said he was concerned about the decision to downsize the culvert on Lander Stream, which had been mislabeled as 18 inches instead of the correct 12-foot measurement. He admitted the error was an oversight and emphasized the potential impact of downsizing the culvert.

At the Sept. 3 meeting, it was estimated that slip lining the culvert would cost $200,000. After more research, it was determined the cost would actually exceed the estimate.

Lightbody said he was concerned about downsizing the culvert by slip lining. He said he wasn’t questioning if it should be replaced. “Downsizing won’t solve the issue long term,” he added.

Chairman Wade Browne said to Lightbody, “You’re recommending what you feel is right. I don’t misjudge that at all.”

Browne pointed out that if the money isn’t there, they need to take a step back and explore other options. “Drop back and punt a little bit,” Browne said. “Maybe we need to see what else can work for us and what we can afford. Maybe we save the money to fix it down the road.”

“To me, it is too big of a project to consider it as an add-on to the already existing project,” Selectman Kimberly Jordan added. “We don’t have the money for it. I mean, this went from an 18-inch culvert to a $260,000 job which is just mind boggling to me that it could be overlooked.”

Jordan highlighted the project’s time and budget constraints. “It is such a big project,” she said. “We are racing against time and weather.”

“Where it is not a culvert that needs immediate attention, we want to do some research and eventually put the job out to bid,” Jordan said in an email.

The board agreed to revisit the issue in the spring.