Last modified: Friday, October 16, 2009 2:17 AM EDT ARA director: First phase of plan short by at least $3.2M BY GEORGE W. RHODES SUN CHRONICLE STAFF ATTLEBORO - In what may have been one of his last official acts for the Attleboro Redevelopment Authority, ARA Executive Director Michael Milanoski said this week that a scaled-back version of the first phase of the downtown revitalization plan is underfunded by at least $3.2 million. The figure came in a presentation to the ARA board and other city officials. However, the number could be much higher because two key funding agencies, the Federal Transit Administration and the state's Executive Office of Transportation, are refusing to pay for more work on the project until the city reaches a consensus on the new plan and how to pay for it. Mayor Kevin Dumas slammed the plan two weeks ago, claiming it was at least $5 million short. He criticized the ARA for failing to get funding commitments, along with the lack of a sound budget for the plan. The plan was cut back late in the summer at the request of the Federal Transit Administration because of protracted conflict between the ARA and city, rising costs and scarce funds. Milanoski, who along with three other ARA staffers is to be laid off soon because of a lack of money, told the board that a reduced Phase I has about $6 million available for this fiscal year's $5.7 million budget, as long as the ARA and city agree on how to proceed and get federal approval. But if the city and ARA don't get that approval, about $3.5 million of that money could be delayed or lost. Milanoski said there's no funding lined up to pay the 2011 fiscal year cost of Phase I that's budgeted at $3.2 million. The scaled back plan would include the relocation of Wall Street's intersection with South Main so that it's closer to Mill Street. It would also include the development of a GATRA bus terminal parallel to the southbound railroad tracks, an access road to the terminal, partial construction of a road parallel to Ten Mile River, demolition of the vacated Automatic Machine Co. buildings, construction of a parking lot where those buildings now stand and relocation of the public works yard to Lamb Street or Pond Street North. Parts of the original project to be delayed include acquisition of the Reynolds and Markman Co. property, which may be contaminated, acquisition of the former Johnson Fabrication site and the full construction of the riverfront road to Olive Street. Meanwhile, plans to remove pollutants from Automatic Machine and to go out to bid for demolition were approved by the board.