EDITORIAL: Town meeting a positive step for Whitehall

The Town of Whitehall conducted a meeting late last month to obtain public comment to assist their pursuit of grants that will not only help the town meet their water requirements with the Department of Environmental Quality, but to also benefit future community development.

It was very unfortunate the town water levels tested above the acceptable limit for Uranium in 2015, but it did happen. Without finding an acceptable water source the town will have to build a water treatment facility and while this is costly, pursuing grants will help with the high costs.

The governing body made the correct decision when they decided to hire an engineering firm to assist with putting together a Preliminary Engineering Report as well as to help them apply for grants to offset the costs.

The company has been very proactive and working hard to help the town. Any help the town can get with grants to offset the costs will be huge for a small town. Rather than just be left with the over million cost for a treatment facility, the town is working hard to obtain funding and this is a vitally important effort.

Hosting the public meeting last month was also a great way for the town to not only obtain public input on what residents think needs to be fixed, changed, or added, -- but involving the public is huge to the grant process. Having public input to go with an application is nothing but a boon to the town’s chances of receiving the grant.

The costs of addressing the water issue will be costly, but to have grant funding to help with other community needs is a step in the right direction.

It will be a long wait until the Legislature meets in 2019 to decide on some of these grants, but the hard work is already taking place to help make sure they become a reality.

JHS