Project could add an estimated $464 in annual taxes

By Theresa Knapp 

Upton voters will decide this spring whether to fund a proposed renovation and expansion of the town’s 30-year-old Department of Public Works facility, a project officials say is needed to address safety concerns, regulatory compliance and growing demand.

The article will go before Annual Town Meeting on May 7. If approved, a ballot vote will follow at the May 12 town election. The request follows a November 2025 vote authorizing $2.5 million for design and planning.

In an informational video to residents posted on YouTube, DPW Director Dennis Westgate said the existing facility at 100 Pleasant St., built in 1995, has reached the end of its useful life and no longer meets operational needs. Since then, the town has seen significant growth, including increases in population (by 57%), road mileage (31%), and water users (45%) and sewer users (62%).

In the seven-minute video, Westgate said, “The DPW touches all of the infrastructure in the town. We have 19 full-time employees that are involved in maintaining 80 mils of road, maintaining town-owned facilities, snow and ice removal operations, maintaining a fleet of 24 vehicles, repairing and maintaining water and sewer mains, drinking water treatment and distribution, wastewater collection and treatment, maintaining buildings, culverts, bridges and dams, emergency response management, flood prevention, trimming trees and roadside brush, parks, cemetery, and forestry maintenance, hurricane, windstorm cleanup, removal of roadway hazards, support of police, fire, and EMS departments.”

He said, the building was originally designed as a “big garage” and can now only accommodate 10 of the department’s 24 vehicles indoors which slows response times during winter storms and emergencies.

He said, “Today, the DPW facility is much more than a garage to store equipment. The DPW now has a full-time equipment mechanic to service and maintain the fleet of 24 vehicles. As a result, the facility does not provide for the storage and draining of toxic fluids, thus creating a safety hazard for employees and compliance issues for the town. 

As a result, the site is not compliant with several DEP and EPA regulations, and the town could be fined for these violations. The facility does not have adequate ventilation for exhaust fumes when vehicles are being maintained inside. This issue directly impacts employees health and safety. The current facility lacks an indoor wash bay and lacks adequate storage for many pieces of equipment, which means they are stored outside. Storing expensive equipment outside reduces their life expectancy.”

The building also lacks locker rooms, sufficient restrooms, and adequate office space.

The proposal before Town Meeting calls for renovating and updating the existing structure and constructing an addition with a vehicle maintenance area and wash bay designed to meet DEP standards. Plans also include ADA-compliant office space, locker rooms and upgraded employee facilities.

“The proposed renovation expansion project has been scaled down to keep the cost as low as possible,” Westgate said, adding “While the DPW committee acknowledges this is a significant request, we all know that if we continue to delay doing the project now, it will cost considerably more in the future.” 

The project is estimated to cost between $17.5 million and $19.5 million, including $2.5 million in design costs (previously approved by Town Meeting), and am “expected construction cost not to exceed $17 million,” according to the information outlined in the video. 

Based on borrowing $18.5 million over 25 years, officials estimate the cost would add about $116 per quarter to the tax bill of a home assessed at $750,000.

The full video can be viewed at https://bit.ly/UptonDPWproject2026.