Whitman Conservation Commission Demands Written Dewatering Plan Before Middle School Culvert Work Proceeds

WHITMAN -- May 19, 2026, Whitman Conservation Commission flags dewatering concerns as middle school culvert replacement advances. Representatives from the Whitman Middle School construction project, affiliated with Fontaine and a second firm, presented plans to replace two aging corrugated metal culverts beneath the athletic fields with straight-run 58-by-36-inch arch pipes, eliminating problematic bends estimated to be 50 to 60 years old. Commission members raised concerns about the contractor's plan to simultaneously dam, excavate, and pump around both culverts, noting that four or five residential properties abut the work area downstream. Members asked for a written means-and-methods narrative before approving the approach and continued the item to June 2. Separately, the commission unanimously adopted an official logo featuring Whitman wildlife, approved a verbal agreement with the owner of 8 Wild Turkey Lane governing pool drainage to protect an adjacent wetland buffer, and received an $800 donation from the Whitman Mothers Club.