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Chickens and water treatment plant upgrades to be discussed in Newport

By GLYNIS HART
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NEWPORT – The first session of Newport’s annual town meeting takes place today at 6 p.m. and among the warrants to be discussed are whether to allow backyard chickens, $6.5 million for the construction of the community center, and $4.5 million to update the sewage treatment plant. 

If passed, the chicken ordinance will allow people to keep hens but not roosters. The number of chickens per residence is limited by the size of the lot: one acre or less, three hens are allowed, two acres may hold up to six hens, and so forth. All hens must be kept in a secure enclosure, not in the front yard. 

As reported in the Argus Champion on March 28, the new Community Center will be located on Meadow Road across from the Newport High School baseball field and former high school football field and will feature 19,720 square feet. According to the warrant, a tax impact from the center will not be felt until 2021. The select board is hoping to raise half the cost of the center from private donations. 

The wastewater treatment plant on Putnam Road was first built in 1971, then expanded in 1988. The plant does not filter out phosphorus, which comes from a variety of sources, from lawns to agricultural lands. While phosphorus is a naturally occurring plant nutrient, too much of it in the water can lead to harmful algal blooms, which are toxic to humans and other animals. 

The Environmental Protection Agency set new standards for safe phosphorus levels in 2012. Plant Superintendent Arnold Greenleaf said, “Basically, we are not doing treatment (for phosphorus) right now, so what comes in goes out.” 

Repayment of the cost for the upgrade is expected to come from the town’s sewer fund, with no impact on taxes.

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