By JOSEPH FITZGERALD

BELLINGHAM — Special town meeting voters Thursday approved a $956,985 capital outlay package that will pay for a host of capital improvement projects ranging from a new roof for the police station to improvements to the town's water filtration plant.

Capital outlay expenditures are typically used for new construction, renovation of existing structures, and acquisition of real property. In Bellingham's case, the $956,985 unanimously approved by voters will pay for improvements to the filtration plant behind the Stall Brook School, centralization of two wells, a study of the town's three dams, road improvements, a sewer flow evaulation, police station roof repair, new ambulance and front door security systems in town schools.
The proposed filtration plant inprovements will help alleviate the disclored water that impacted residents in the north end of town this past summer.
According to town officials, the discoloration of water noticed by town residents was due to iron and manganese, which are considered secondary contaminants.
To address the problem immediately, the town condicted daily hydrant flushing in the affected areas and installed specially designed air release valves to allow the sodium hypochlorite system to self de-gasify.
The town has known for about a year that its water iron and manganese levels at the two wells that feed the treatment plant are about twice what the plant was designed to remove.
The money approved by Special Town Meeting voters will pay for a project to study
plant operations and procedures, update operator training, and suggest improvements to the facility.
The money approved Thursday will also go towards centralizing control of Wells 1 and 2, which would put all controls in a corrosion control building. Once centralized, auxiliary power can be added. The Department of Public Works will also be using the money to update the wellhead on Well #1, which is off Cross Street.
The amount approved by voters would also fund a state-mandated study of needed repairs for the Carryville Dam, Jenks Reservoir Dam and Crystal Lake Dam. The money would also complete ongoing projects such as sealing roads, Bungay Brook culvert, Pulaski Boulevard leveling, Scott Hill Boulevard and Andrew Street.
The sewer flow evaluation funds would be used to pay consultants to begin a program that includes flow metering, flow isolation, pipe and manhole inspection and leak repair.
Part of the $956,985 approved by voters will also pay for a new ambulance to replace the current 2002 vehicle; a project to completelt strip and rebuild the roof of the police station; and the installation of video-intercom-door security systems for the front doors of the town's schools.