By Noah Zucker

MILFORD — Milford’s City Council had a short agenda for their meeting this week, but they did manage to highlight the Riverwalk.

The council voted unanimously to accept and match a $75,000 grant from DNREC Monday night, which will be used to replace dilapidated handrails along the Riverwalk behind the library with brand new LED-lighted banisters.

“We had requests from various members of the public to get more lighting down around the area of the Riverwalk behind the Santa House,” said Brad Dennehy, the director of Milford’s Parks and Recreation Department. “That area is quite dark at night.”

At the same time, the city has “an old handrail system we want to remove” over there, he said.

“It would sort of kill two birds with one stone to remove the old railing system and install a new railing system with some really nice contemporary bollards, which would illuminate both sides of the Riverwalk,” Mr. Dennehy said.

Since the $750,000 grant from DNREC is contingent upon the city matching the funding, there is now $150,000 allocated for the project.

Mr. Dennehy said because there is a lighting element, the city can use funds from the electric reserves rather than the general fund.

Several councilmembers expressed excitement about the project.

“Lighting has always been an issue down there,” said Councilman Todd Culotta. “This is a really good opportunity to take advantage of (this grant) and improve the Riverwalk and the lighting issues that are down there.”

But Councilwoman Katrina Wilson was worried about the project going over budget.

“I think it’s wonderful and I’m thankful that the grant was approved But my only question would be, do you think that the work that needs to be done will exceed the $150,000?” she asked.

“I’m hopeful that we can get it done for less than $150,000,” Mr. Dennehy said.

He added that if the project does cost more than that, the city can apply for another DNREC grant the next time they are available.

The next step, Mr. Dennehy said, is to get designers involved so the city can get a better idea of what the project might look like and how much it would cost.

Housing complaints

In other business, Ms. Wilson discussed some of the work she and other city leaders have done to improve conditions at two apartment complexes for low-income residents in the Fourth Ward.

In Brightway Commons on the north side of town, she said several tenants are struggling with a mold infestation. Ms. Wilson reported that she had been working with tenants in an attempt to get the owner, a charity called Volunteers of America, to remedy the issue.

In nearby Silver Lake Estates, a complex which is home to many senior citizens, there are roughly two dozen apartments that are in rough shape, she said.

Ms. Wilson and Rob Pierce, the city’s planning and economic development director, discussed the need to help these tenants and the property management company clean out the units so that an exterminator can go in and deal with the pest problem.

“We, being the city, are really trying to assist the housing management company as well as the agencies in cleaning up these units and helping the citizens there live their best life in a clean environment,” Ms. Wilson said. “We’re just trying to partner and be a good city even though we are not per se responsible for it.”

Reports about conditions in some of the units came from employees of Homewell, which provides in-home nursing services for senior citizens.

“The Friday before last was the first time we were made aware of it, and I think that weekend was the first time city council received a correspondence,”

Mr. Pierce said of the complaints.

“That Tuesday, because we were off Monday, our staff reached out to the care providers who made the complaint and we also made contact with the property management group,” he said.

On that Wednesday, Mr. Pierce reported that two code officials went out to the complex and spoke with tenants, the property management company and an exterminator.

Other business

Council also confirmed a replacement on the city’s planning commission for Kathryn Stetson, who stepped down earlier this month.

“We have interviewed and recommend Ian Wright,” City Manager Mark Whitfield said. “Ian is currently a member of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and is a local CPA here in Milford.”

The council also permitted the owner of the Comfort Inn on North Dupont Boulevard the permission to have a shipping container on his property, which will be used for storage purposes.

The container will be painted the same color as the hotel and will not be visible from U.S. 1.

At the end of the meeting, council had an extended executive session which, according to the agenda, covered two topics.

One was “preliminary discussions on site acquisitions for any publicly funded capital improvements, or sales or leases of real property,” and the other was “personnel matters in which the names, competency and abilities of individual employees or students are discussed.”

Members briefly returned to the public meeting where they announced they planned to move forward with something discussed in the executive session, although they were very careful to not disclose any details to the public.