NORWICH – Taking advantage of the stalled state budget, the Town of Norwich began seasonal work Thursday on a number of roads without state aid after securing a lower cost for the needed materials.

Supervisor Dave Law explained that due to the delay in the state’s budget, many municipalities have also delayed their regular road maintenance over concerns they may not be receiving enough aid to cover their expenses.

Law said the town received $71,000 through the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program last year from the state. The CHIP money is annually doled out to communities across the state to help them pay for road repairs, but in the face of the current economic crisis and budget shortfall, many are concerned the funds will be reduced or cut, explained Law.

“We’ve been very conservative over the years and even though we haven’t received our CHIP yet, we’re in a position to purchase a lot of supplies from businesses looking for work. It’s because of a delay in work due to the state budget being late – nobody knows how much, if any money, there going to get,” he said.

Law said the town was able to purchase the routine material and equipment usually used for its road work at a reduced cost due to the lull in the current spending.