Capital Improvement Planning Committee Meeting September 9, 2026

Okay. Um, welcome everybody. September 8th, excuse me, September 9th, um, 2026.

This is our first meeting, uh, for for capital improvement planning, uh, for the fall town meeting. We're getting ready, uh, nice to have a full full committee and Mark and Maria had joined.

So, um, just to go over the schedule a little bit. So, today at 8:00, we'll have, uh, DPW, schools to follow, pox and wreck, and then police. On the 16th, we'll have MIS and EMA, emergency management. Uh, and then I'll also go over the master schedule that I've sent you. And then on the 23rd, uh, we'll go over the retained earnings and free cash. Uh, we're in the process of getting that certified right now. And

then, uh, the committee can make its recommendations, uh, for the, uh, warrant article for town meeting. So, today, we'll start off with Tim uh, in his presentation for DPW, water, sewer, and solid waste.

Here

we are.

Okay.

Good morning everyone.

I'm Barbara, director of public works and just wanted to introduce Brandy Silva, new business manager public works.

Um so here for our FY27 falltown meaning capital a little description of department of public works responsible for management of several divisions within DPW including engineering services and infrastructure water and sewer and water pollution control. We coordinate the department's activities, develop and monitor annual budget, prepare project bid specs, uh prepare personnel and

payroll for the department employees and the smart program for solid waste and process all applications for smart abatements and discounts. Compile uh with comply with all state and federal regulations and laws regulations regarding solid waste disposal, landfill closure, water treatment and wastewater treatment, including all submission of required reports. is also responsible for seeking federal and state funds to

assist with the town's public works projects, develop long-range strategic planning, as well as maintenance work and improvements to the town's infrastructure and develop and implement department policies.

So broken down we have our administration handles policy budget management uh engineering uh design and inspect roads and utilities uh services and infrastructure responsible for the transportation network snow and ice water distribution sewer collection uh solid waste and recycling collection solid waste and recycling transfer facility construction division and uh central fleet maintenance. Our water

treatment division is responsible for ma maintaining drinking water supply and treatment operations and water pollution control uh maintaining operations of wastewater treatment.

So first we have our administration uh capital plan. Um we have three items here. Hawthon street 75% design for 150,000. The Dartmouth Street 25% design for 440,000.

and the preserve pump station upgrades for 400,000.

So, first off, the Hawthon Street uh improvement plan. This is we're working with a consultant. This is also on the state's uh transportation improvement program. Um it currently um it our design is from Sloum Road to the city line and it may incorporate into the city to the in intersection of Brown L.

um taken into consideration uh complete streets uh uh shared use paths uh pedestrian access and bicycle access along that corridor with the schools and the area. Uh this is our current design um starting from Sloum Road here um at the intersection of Sloum Road.

We're currently in the intersection control evaluation phase. So, the state is looking at that intersection whether uh it it's going to be signalized uh before we stop. Uh the state originally recommended a roundabout at this location. Um I I you know, it's not it's not one of our recommendations due to the proximity of the school. We have a source building right there. It it you

know, I think it would do uh it hamper traffic at that location. So, we're looking at probably a signalized location.

And that's the end of it going down to Brown L.

At the top you see a couple crosssections showing kind of a shade use path and a sidewalk on one side which is which would be about a 10 foot path for pedestrian and bicyclists and the opposite side of the road would have a a 5ft sidewalk.

Tim, when you say signal, do you mean like full lights or is it blinking full?

during the presentations just the new committee members uh feel free to ask questions because this is obviously a big budget so when you get to the end you might not you know it's a lot a lot to yeah it's a lot to take in so if you feel so we we're currently question you didn't send this presentation to us right no just the um I can I'm thinking that it might be helpful

for new people who may maybe don't know the organization and all of that it's a lot to read but it might so it won't I can't email it but if I could use probably the one drive I can send a link because it's such a large file.

Um, currently this is at the 25%, it's not quite at 25% design yet. So, once it hits that 25%, the state will schedule a design public hearing and and the public will be able to come in and comment. Um, that nowadays they're usually remote um rather than in person. So, so this will get it up to 75% is what you're saying. Yeah, the funding will get it towards that 75% heading towards the 100%.

Just the design.

The design design. Yeah, the projects the projects I think estimated around 7 million.

Okay.

And is that is that um state money that pays for it or is that combination of town and state?

It once once it's in the tip uh and they choose to fund the construction then it's it's a state fully.

All right. So, we're still look it's still quite a few years away from uh Okay.

Right. sometimes any any utilities um that we may want to that aren't part of the roadway improvement project if it was a water man or something we may have to put in funding for that. Uh but but you know the only reason I'm asking is there's obviously there's the potential of a school potentially being built over there.

Correct.

So that may change this design.

Yes. Um, and I think the question is how far do we go before we put the brakes on it to see if how the the school goes, especially if it's a 5 to sevenyear project down the road, right?

Which is Yeah, which is a great question. It it's currently scheduled for the FY29 to start to start.

Yeah. And I don't know what the what the timeline is for for the school and stuff. I know they're meeting with us, but that's if you were to fund it, what kind of timeline does it take to get to that 75%.

No, once once it's designed.

Oh, yeah. Yeah, the design just because I'm saying I mean, I'm sorry, this isn't scheduled for FY29.

I was going to say that this is more FY32. Yeah.

Okay. Yeah. Yeah. All right. That crossroad is FY29, but even then, how long does it take to design if you already have the funding?

It takes it takes quite a while to go through the process with the state. It's it's a long process, but you're right now you're not dealing with the state. You're just doing No, we're dealing with the state. We're dealing with comments from the state for the intersection plan to get to the 25%.

Yeah.

So, we're not quite at the 25%. Um, it'll probably take at least another year to So, I I guess my question is, Tim, is if we delay this Yes. Right. Yeah. Like all it does is kick the can down like the road maybe another year or two to see maybe what happens with something else does. Yeah. And I I have brought that to light about the the possibility of a new school construction to the consultant as

well.

Yeah. Just because it's like it's like 150 is quite a quite a big chunk of change and you know maybe we should see where we're going first. It's not going to so instead of FY32 it might be FY 33 or 34. Right.

Correct. Yeah.

doesn't mean the project is dead. It just means that we delay it by another year or so. Thank you.

I have a question for you. So, you mentioned before that when you get to 25% design, then perhaps this the state picks it up and then funds the actual construction.

Currently, this it it's with the state in the transportation approvement. They approved it as a project. So, so now it just has to go through the design. So, it we're almost at the 25% design where that'll trigger a public hearing. And then is there any situation where we spend this money on the design and then this it doesn't go forward and then we've spent the money on the design and then

there's no construction on the road?

Not typically.

No. Okay. Thanks.

Typically we continue to move that forward until we we get to a an approved project.

Okay. I mean, I can say many years ago, probably in the over 20 years ago now, that there was an issue with Dartmouth Street. Um, because Dart Street has different right away with and the state always wants to do something wider there than the town wants. So, they they they ended up pulling out of a project back then.

Okay.

And then moving forward, uh, this is our Dart Street design.

kind of what I was talking about. This this design was it's not quite at the 25% design. Um we had intersection see so we we started with a a roundabout top left design which I think worked in that location at Middle Street uh Prospect and Dharma. Um the state kicked the back after review and and multiple meetings.

So they asked for an alternative design.

We went we have the alternative design on the left bottom. Uh which I'm not completely happy with. Uh that takes a property. It's a residential property there to create that 90 degree right before that intersection. I don't think it's really functional. So we asked them to pull back the prospect street out of the design and possibly that intersection out of the design to keep it as is at at worst case. Um so that's

kind of going back to the drawing board.

Uh since then the state has re revamped their requirements for certifications for survey and a lot of utility work. So the cost is severely increased. So moving on that. So that design goes all the way to um Howland Street.

That includes, you know, includes resurfacing, but it also includes some storm water work. U you know, again, sidewalk work on both sides. So, next is the preserve 40B pump station upgrades for 400,000 estimated. Can I just stop?

Yes.

Back one more picture. Um, so you're saying the roundabout's not going to happen. The design you're kind of leaning towards is the one right below it.

Um, not we're not leaning towards that.

The state wanted an alternative design.

That's what we the consultant came up with. Um, I'm not happy with that. And Um we think if we go back to the state they may go back to the roundabout question and try to work with that and and but either design you might have to the state or the town I don't know who has to acquire some land take over some land correct you know either design right so that's

part of the rightway uh process with title search title work and and uh and then appraising properties. Yeah.

Okay. Um, and I'm not familiar with laws about eminent domain or anything like this. You know, is it can you claim the land under eminent domain and take it or you have to negotiate with individual homeowners? I mean, can by eminent domain, we try to negotiate, you know, with homeowners and and you need a fair appraisal, fair market appraisal for for any land as well. Um but you know depending on the

taken sometimes you know like a roundabout's taking more of a short piece along the roadway where the the bottom section is taking a larger chunk of property but going through the middle of it.

Okay.

And when would this targeted to be actual start construction? What year?

That's about the same as Hawthon. About FY32. Yeah.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Next we have the 40B uh the preserve 40B sewer pump station upgrades. We're requesting 400,000. Estimated cost is 2.1 million. Um this below here on the left of the preserve uh 40B project. It's under construction.

Um we've allowed them to connect four buildings currently. Um but we we don't have the capacity in two of the pump stations in their comp comprehensive permit that was negotiated for them to to pay for some of the infrastructure cost. Um but um it was about 250,000 and we bid the project and it came in at uh 3.4 million for both pump stations.

Uh we we did get awarded a state grant for 2.1 million. Uh so we amended the state grant and we were able to bid and award bid for one of the pump stations, the Ellsworth pump station. Uh now uh so that's moving forward towards construction and we'll we'll be looking for funding uh for the second pump station, Route Six pump station. I did submit a grant application for the additional funding for that station. So

we're waiting to hear from the state.

Hopefully we get the additional funding for that. Tim, on that pro on that screen you got there on the left.

Yes.

Uh so there's four being built currently.

Yes.

There's the capacity for 11 more.

No, there's only capacity for about five currently.

Okay.

Once the pump stations are built, you'll have the capacity once once the pump stations the pump stations were built and designed and built to add this development in and additional flow. So they they're not just being upgraded, they're being replaced um because of the amount of flow from this project and and future flows that you know just upgrading the pumps wouldn't work.

The wet well the whole station had to be replaced because right there in the in the in this uh plan there's 16 yes 16 units 16 16 build uh unit buildings and then there are a multiple family homes duplex. So right now the we don't have the capacity for those all those 16 units if it was fully built out.

Correct.

Okay.

Yeah.

How many units right now will they get out of the four or five of the building for the 40B?

Uh do you know you know the So it would be for the the four that we permitted is 64 64 units out of that to go towards the once they're completed.

Yeah. And the amenities building was also approved.

And how much was it total for 40B? I just I just one of total units.

Yeah. For the total number of units is 288.

But the 240B ones uh that's a quarter of that.

Yeah. 25%.

So Tim, we're looking at the same process pretty much across the street, right? When when they do Old Westport.

Yes. Yeah.

So that will be a lot of fun, huh?

Trying to figure out um that piece.

Yeah. So So you know, we they had they didn't complete their utility design uh for that project either. So it was similar to this one. So it was approved through comp comprehensive permit, but they still have to submit their design plan so we can evaluate the impacts and and see if they're if it can handle it and if what what mitigation or upgrades will be needed.

So did you say that two pump stations will take care of this whole development?

Um this actually goes through three pump stations. So the the two smaller pump stations, Route 6 and Ellswick, and then it goes down flows down to the north pump station behind Friends Academy, which is a larger pump station.

Mhm.

And then then it flows to the treatment facility. So that pump station, you know, when when it was evaluated back before this project, it could handle these flows. Uh it's it's one of the largest pump stations in town, but with all the additional proposed development like at Sherbrook and the other uh multi-unit developments, it it is going to max out as well. So that'll need to be upgraded.

So Tim, once this is fully built or if it gets fully built, there's going to be an need for an additional pump station on top of the No. uh want just so currently we're working on the Ellswick pump station an existing pump station we're to replace that and then we need we also need to replace the route six pump station to allow capacity once those two are complete the system will have capacity

for this for the entire build and plus additional right plus additional yeah like I said the north station was evaluated back then and had sufficient capacity for this development But every every new proposed development increases the flow. So at uh a point we did a flow and loading uh calculation on for for all these proposed developments and uh you know the north station is going to

need an upgrade eventually as well.

Where is the north station?

It's behind Friends Academy along the Pascam River.

Oh, okay. Gotcha.

Yeah. You go right down through friends academy property and keep on going on the bottom.

Okay. There's two proposed projects uh on Route Six on the along along the side of those, right? One at the car dealership, one at the I call it where the rocks are.

So, is that going that won't affect Yeah, they both flow into these two pump stations as well. So, so like I said, once this is built, it will have capacity uh for those, but we can't, you know, but currently there isn't the capacity.

Jim, is there going to have to be some work done at the actual um water treatment center? When I did the tour there, I thought that they were talking about that itself being at capacity, like a concern about handling what was in place already.

Which one?

The the water treatment at the at the main building.

Yes. Yeah. So, the you know the the additional flows impacted the treatment facility as well. Uh you know, we have flows and we have treatment, right? So, so our aation you know system would with BOD or biochemical oxygen demand that peaks over 100% of our design. So that se needs to be upgraded to allow for the additional flows to treat and and the efficiency of treating it because that

that aeration design is older. Um, as far as flow flow capacity, you know, we're, you know, we are hitting that 80% once in a while and all of these projects will will push us to that 80% more often. Um, and which may may trigger additional uh enforce well enforcement or requirements for upgrades. So, is that plan in the works right now?

So, we're working on a comprehensive wastewater management plan. Yeah.

Okay.

You mentioned that you applied for grants for one pump and then you applied for grants for this pump. Is this in addition to the grant or if you got the grant then you wouldn't need this budget?

Um depending on how much they they if we get a grant, how much they award? Yeah.

When will you know?

Um we applied in May. Um I'm hoping by the end of the year we'll know. Um the uh we applied for a 2.1. So yeah.

So I think what usually happens is if we approve it and they don't need the money, they would just it would goes back to to we resend the we would resend that um article and then it goes back to free cash.

Yes.

Yeah. Because we had to I think the school's doing that with a bus, right?

Yeah. Yeah.

We approved the bus and then the state legislature approved supplemental funding. supplemental funding bill that included the bus. So, they'll kick that back to free cash.

So, once once we have enough funding in place, we can we can advertise the project and then award it um and get that project moving so we can have the sufficient capacity, you know, and like you like Chris said, if you know, if we do get the grant funding, then we would, you know, not need to use the the capital.

Thank you. Well, uh our engineering capital improvement plan. Um this year we don't have anything on capital for FY27. Next year we're planning uh for an additional pickup truck here half ton pickup truck. Uh we may not need that in FY28 either. So we'll you know we'll adjust our plan accordingly.

uh services in infrastructure, our highway capital improvement plan. So, we have a number of items here. Uh road maintenance uh 650,000 uh freight liner 26,000 GVW plow truck 196,000 34,400 GVW truck with plow and sander 270,000.

A CAT a 420 XE backhole loader for 155,500.

a Ford F550 4x4 dump truck and plow for 135,000.

Um improvements at Bridge Street, Middle Street uh for storm water drainage, curbing and sidewalk uh for 900,000. And then the Flag Swamp Road uh storm water construction for 700,000.

There it is.

Still on there.

And uh it's a cheese. He has no idea and no plans.

My apologies. We're we one of the items didn't make it on this list whether it got deleted by a mission. It's a um it was a a sidewalk snowblower. Um the school department has one and we we typically use that sometimes when we're clearing like the the bridge sidewalk and other sidewalks and it's in my presentation but it's not in the capital. So I think we discussed that in the spring.

We discussed it in the spring and somehow it got omitted. So I can I can issue a revised Yeah. send out a revise to me, Tim, and then we can uh I'll update the capital.

How much was that?

60,000.

So, so road maintenance. Um, so a lot of people ask what does this road maintenance funding go to? Um, so it goes through, you know, constant pothole repair, pavement milling, crack sealing, pavement overlays, cold in place recycling, full depth reconstruction, sidewalk construction, curbing construction microsurfacing paint striping, crosswalk painting, stopline painting, sidewalk repairs, and

landscaping of shoulders. Here we have, you know, some of our crews doing some some of that work out in the field. Uh some roadway improvements on the bottom right, some crack sealing on the bottom left, the tire snakes and uh and some patching up top.

In the in the spring uh we had requested uh 1,250,000.

We were awarded 600,000. So we're requesting the additional funding.

This is our current uh FY27 or you know 2026 uh reconstruction for road maintenance. So we we received the 600,000 as an article. So up top at for road maintenance. Uh we also received almost 1.8 million from the state which is for a chapter 90 which is you know for years we were stuck at 1.2 2 and uh they they increased that and we also received some winter recovery funding uh grant funding through the state for

517,000 which really supplements our budget. Uh to date um this this season we've spent about 2.4 million in road construction and we have we have um some work proposed in the fall. We're working on estimates right now, so I didn't have them. Um, but we do have crack ceiling scheduled for 100,000, Smith Neck Road for 328,000.

And then, uh, we're looking at some work on Middle Street, Bridge Street, T Street, Roger Street, and Hicksville Road, possibly Flag Swamp.

Um, on the right top, we have uh our roads that we mil and overlaid. So that's just under four miles of road that we completed for resurfacing uh with by milling and repaving. And then on the bottom right we have our road micro ceiling project. So that was about 2.5 miles of road. We did a couple neighborhoods uh some a road in Marry Mount and then we did the uh Emerald Drive Emerald Heights neighborhood. So

that's a it's a there's no milling involved. So it's a microsurfacing. It's a thin surface overlay.

Still got complaints.

What's that?

Still got complaints.

I think some of the tough thing with that microsurfacing is because I think on Tucker Lane uh and that Mry Mount area I think was done is that the manholes that are there sometimes when the microsurfacing if they're already lowered and then you microsurface now it creates like a a bigger Yeah. We we try to if if they are lower they try to to like they bring them up before.

Yeah. Yeah. It's like some of them are like again it's just happens I guess when it's because you typically you you you'll get like a quarter to a half inch drop but if it's if it's already a half inch now you have an inch drop.

Yes. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. So I noticed a few of them but it's it's I don't know how how you combat that now at this point. I can just Yeah. The only thing to do is to cut cut the frame out and raise it. Yeah. Yeah, we'll look at that at future micro projects and and they typically do, you know any few of them that I saw that were a little I was like, "Oh, that's

it's hard to justify going around to raise a half an inch of the amount of time and labor and stuff like that."

Oh, yeah. Yeah, totally. Yeah.

Morning, Cody.

So, this is a a 26,000 GVW freight liner. Uh, this is a dump truck and plow truck that doesn't require a CDL.

It takes a a a foot smaller plow than than a a larger truck.

But, um, like I said, we have a couple of these and they seem to work out great.

And we have a 34,400 GVW dump truck with plow and sander.

This takes the full 10 foot plow um highway plow just so the committees uh especially in the newer members uh we did have a large auction uh and we've cleaned out a lot of these older vehicles across the town not just here at the town hall but with with Tim working with him and um just eliminated a lot of stuff uh with the and even with the um hover master um we

raised about $65,000 $70,000 in that sale. A lot of this equipment as you know as you can see in the pictures has been beyond its useful useful life. So um we did a complete inventory cleanup.

So a lot of these the equipment that the departments will be asking for is um in replacement of a vehicle that maybe no longer exists you know because we've gotten rid of it just so that the committee is aware.

And through that process we also had some interdep departmental uh you know transitions of of swapping equipment like plow blades and Yes. Yeah. plow blades, lawnmower, um uh some items that a department didn't use and we we uh repurposed that in another department. So, the process works, you know, um we continue that.

Except we're looking to replace a backhole loader at at highway for 155,500.

Uh uh F550 dump truck. So, this is like your one ton dump truck, and we typically order that with a plow as well for 135,000.

Here are Bridge Street and Middle Street improvements uh for 900,000 um 1,978 linear feet of road reconstruction, sidewalk, and curbing. Um we I did apply and was awarded um $150,000 complete streets grant uh for help with the design on this. We did do in-house design, but the state requires a consultant design. Uh, so we're working with a consultant as well to finalize the design and see if we can get funding

for the for the improvements as well.

This is our design for Bridge Street up top and then a section of Middle Street from Bridge to Dartmouth Street.

Now, no matter what you do in that area, that that still the drainage is still going to go to that outflow pipe that doesn't that doesn't change. So, no matter there's no diversion of n treat it, but you know, it all flows downhill right?

Oh, yeah.

There was one day that was nice and brown right in that area because so much water.

Yeah. Yeah.

One day it was brown because the the sewer pump out failed and it was pumping boats out into the bay.

There it is.

So here's your here's your flag swamp.

I think that is about 12 years old.

It is probably probably have to update that. It's probably worse.

Rename that road. at 4,830 linear feet of of roadway and storm water. Um, like I said, we're we're going to look at um, you know, the conditions out there and if we can do some limited drainage to kind of value engineer this and uh, maybe do an get an overlay done, a mill overlay to get that road surface so so people can drive faster.

Yeah. No, I guess it slows them down.

It's narrower. We would, you know, it would be nice to widen that a little bit, but it's restricted with the with the the bog on the on the side with a with a god by uh it DNR DNRT. Yeah. I mean, that that would take quite a bit of funding to to fill that and retain it.

Oh, golly right off to the right of the Yeah.

What's on the left there? Is that is that property?

Yeah. Well, the property line is real close to the road on that side because of the the location of the cranberry bog. The road's skewed over to that side. There's not much there's not much uh right away.

Here's some of our home water design.

And this is our the sidewalk snow machine we discussed u with a snowblower for 60 60,000 like I said similar to the park machine uh or school the school's machine.

Mhm.

You don't uh no usage of any Bobcats that you have around at all to put snowblower attachments on.

Yeah. Yeah, you already done.

That's an option, too, but the the a Bobcat is usually wider than a sidewalk, so it makes it difficult. Where this is specific for a sidewalk, so it's a narrower machine.

This is the recent completion of the parking lot outback for the overflow and for the stadium and town hall. Uh recently completed that paving. Um, this is how it is now. Um, we have to stripe the parking areas, add the guardrail in the back. You can see all the posts along the wood line. So, we'll add the guardrail and um I think they they already added it. I think the guardrail I think they started added. Yeah.

And then working on the storm water basin on the lower right hand side.

Mhm.

Is the lighting complete or is it still in No, the bases are there. All the electrics in, but the light posts are not up.

We have the posts. We're just uh the school department's going to help us. Uh John Bass is going to put up the posts over the next couple weeks.

Uh 34,400 GVW freight liner with a sander in a plow.

Uh this is a 26,000 GVW 10 wheel. No, these these Tim they don't require a CDL six wheel. This one does.

That one does. Okay.

Okay.

Solid waste.

Solid waste and recycling capital.

So we did in over the you know past year and a half we get um money for reconstructing an older vehicle and then we purchased uh a recycling vehicle and a trash vehicle. um the the reconstruction of an older vehicle was based on if we were forced to to go to to go to electrification and we had to purchase an electric uh vehicle before we could purchase a diesel vehicle.

Um so that's been pushed off a little and that can have been kicked down the road a little. So so we like we built purchased a couple extra diesel vehicles this past year. Um, so is that article still out there to repurpose the vehicle?

We still have that funding. It's It's not used. So, we still have that. That was 400,000.

Yeah.

Yeah. Remember the Tim mentioned about going to electric and then the cost to go to electric was way way too much more. So, two years ago.

Yeah. Rebuilding the one we have.

Right.

So, you you purchased two then two new ones, two new recycle trucks.

Yes.

Oh, recycle and and a packer. But the recycle truck is what you were looking at rebuilding. So, right. Yes.

And you have one new one and one old one. Is that what it is right now? Or we have two older ones?

Oh. Oh, you're still waiting for the new one to come in.

Okay, gotcha. All right.

So, um you know, it may come to light that we rather than use that 400 now for rebuilding, we may want to purchase another. What what was what was the cost of the uh the I it was we approved it a couple years ago, right? Or last year.

What was the cost of the recycle truck?

Was it like 300,000 or 400,000?

It was higher. Yeah.

Make sense to use that AR to just purchase another one before the restrictions change. And and I'm going to look at that in the spring definitely. So before the before they they changed the requirements.

Yeah, I'd have to look back to see how much we spent on that, but I think it was right around that $400,000 number if I recall correctly.

I think it was $450.

Yeah. So, for an extra 50,000, you're not rebuilding the machine, you're getting a brand new one. So, and so ultimately the ask would really only be for 50,000 because we we have the 400 allocated.

Correct.

Gary's looking to see what the approved language was cuz if it's just replacement, that's fine. Obviously, it it wasn't. I think he's going to have to return the article. I think it was to I think that's unfortunate we should have done it already cuz we already So what is that the one Mac rear loader packer?

No, it was the year before it was the diesel reconstruction of the recycle truck and I don't remember the language that was on there but I think it was to rebuild not have to wait until the end of7 let it close out and then it would be a fiscal 28 appropriation.

Yeah. In the fall of last year, we had a Mac duel 35 replacement before.

Yeah, that was a replacement. What was that cost, Gary?

540,000.

Oh, so so it is.

Yeah.

But still, I mean, you're not replacing an existing truck that's been rotting for the last, you know, however many years old that that vehicle is. 15, 20 years old. I don't know. How old is it?

Maybe 10. 10.

Yeah. So, that was a while ago then.

Three years ago, Gary.

Yeah. I'll have to take a look.

It wasn't three years ago. I believe it was Was it spring of FY27?

I mean, FY26 or fall. Let me see. We We can take a look at it. We go a little bit deeper though.

So this uh this fall we're looking uh to replace two uh steel solid waste containers um at the transfer station and to rebuild the uh transfer station scale house. So that's a total of 91,000. That's 36,000 for the containers and then uh 55,000 for the scale house.

I think you requested this last year too, right?

We did. Uh there was a a truck above it and we we got we were awarded the truck spring.

Okay.

So this is the existing scale house.

It's basically two sheds put together and then uh one shed now.

Just make it Yeah. One building. Uh a little modernized.

I got you.

Upgraded electric.

Anywhere you can get a bathroom up there. Those those poor guys are up there. They have to either I know they just go off to the side or they we can we'd have to look at some kind of like a septic system.

Yeah, even if it's even if it's a John connected to it somehow or whatever or a nicer one so they can just pumped out every once in a while.

Yeah, we can definitely look into that.

I think that'd be a great addition.

What about those old um portables they use police station? Couldn't you move one of those over? Oh yeah, the trailer.

The trailer's egg and gold.

We sold those.

Sold them all.

We sold them to I think it was.

Yeah.

It wasn't long after we had another usage that we could have used them for.

That's permanent police station now.

Right.

Yeah, that's how they are operating at.

Yeah. Yeah, that's their permanent.

And then we have a couple containers at the at the transfer station I'd like to replace. They're getting beat up.

and rusted. They keep you see the bottoms are rotting.

Do you recycle those?

We That's a good question. Do you recycle them like when they're uh out of when they're done?

We do put we can put them up for auction. Um we use them for other things rather than this type of storage.

GSI construction division uh capital improvement. Um we're looking for replacing a front end wheeled loader for 235,000 and a half ton pickup truck 6,800 GVW 4x4 for 60 62,000.

Here's a a current 2014 uh CAT front end wheel loader with 6200 hours.

And this is just a typical half ton pickup truck that we'd look to replace it with. We have our existing truck is has 98 9,000 870 mi.

Moving to our water pollution control division.

Um first up we have the aeration project that we discussed earlier uh for 5.2 million. Uh this project is estimated at uh 6 million currently. Um we have a little funding uh through articles uh but we're looking for additional funding for this project. Uh I also we submitted for SRF funding uh and you know hopefully we can we'll hear back I think either towards the end of the year or towards the end of the

fiscal year from the state at low percentage uh state revolving fund and we have a UV bulb so our ultraviolet bub and sleeve replacement maintenance uh for 86,400 our I remediation uh inflow and infiltration for 250,000 just expensive because mission upgrade uh which is a communications for some of our SCADA equipment for 29,760 um front end loader for 250,000 and then flow meters and chart readers chart

recorders for pump stations for 125,000 so Tim did did you recently replace those bulbs like was it okay I thought so it was an issue getting them right at one time Tim yes so so I'll move on to that quick so these are you know the ultra violet bulbs in uh in ballast uh we've replaced all of our bulbs one shot funded through opa y so okay so it was a while back

we got that done um it was it was a high cost uh at that time Trojan the manufacturer had a had a patent lawsuit stopping any any other manufacturers from from manufacturing the same bulbs.

Um, since then that that's been lifted.

Um, so we're looking to add um backup replacement bulbs. So, we do have when when we do have issues, we can replace them. We did keep some of the older bulbs when we replace them, but they all have a lot of hours, so they don't have much much time left on them. So, we're looking at replacing a number of now.

Now it's more of a maintenance. So that was a 600 over $600,000 purchase. This is $86,400.

Uh going back to our aeration improvements, uh the the cost was estimated at 6 million. Um and that includes upgrading all of our aeration tanks. um leaving one tank uh as a nitrogen reduction uh tank chamber and then all of our pumps in the facility and piping and valves inside and outside the facility.

That design was done, wasn't it?

The design is at 100%. This is uh on the left, top left here, we have one of our aeration tanks functioning. Um bottom left is one of the uh the one that's not functional had uh a lot of diffusers that were broken and uh we need some structural repairs to the tank before we bring that online. And then on the top right is uh our aation pumps.

Um on the nitrogen mitigation, what are what are the regulations? What's in place quickly? What's we going to have to deal with in the future? So currently we don't have a regulation in our permit for nitrogen reduction because of where we discharge to Buzz's Bay. Um if we discharge to groundwater or to a local water body like a river, we would have nitrogen regulations but but we don't

currently have them. We do expect them in the future.

Okay. I mean do you have any guess when that's going to hit us? you know like going into Gus's Bay there's going to be nitrogen mitigation going there eventually right yes is that 10 years 20 years definitely within 10 years okay okay thank you so we're being you know proactive in that design so upgrading the aeration uh is going to make the whole process more efficient so we can use less of the

tanks so we that's why we decided to convert one to uh for nitrogen reduction And like you said, that that is at 100% design. We just need funding for it.

And would that like you said, would that be capable at that point to be able to discharge into the ground or or stream or anything?

I'm not sure if we meet those limits.

Would with this reduction we might need further reduction because it you know because if because if we keep getting to capacity would that be a cheaper alternative than laying another pipe outflow pipe at some point and and those yeah those are some of the alternatives we'll look at in the comprehensive wastewater management. Is your nitrogen low enough to be able to put into the ASI behind you and not

Sounds ugly, but it does. Um, so like I said, those those are some of the alternatives that will be evaluated through through the comprehensive waste bottom plan because we're past all our water wells and stuff like that already from the sewage treatment plant.

Correct.

So it wouldn't go that direction. Yeah.

Right.

Just from this morning. We have kind of across across the river from Yeah.

Yeah. It was on the boat this morning.

And we have our our II, our inflow and infiltration. Um we're currently um un going through a large uh info in infiltration study evaluation. So we've done we've done flow meters. U we've done smoke testing. We started off with a large area of our collection system um including the Bliss corner that flows into New Bedford and uh we're narrowing it down to to to priority areas to

target and our next our next plan is to to have a lot of those the priority areas TV with cameras. So CCTV. So that's you're looking at somewhere in the I think in the 150 $170,000 range I so we're looking for 250,000 towards our II program. Uh that doesn't include any any mitigation just that'll get us to a point where we can get some recommended mitigation upon the camera footage and reporting.

So here on the right you have you know that they injected they use dyes uh through their flow metering and and uh and a wear type uh insert into the pipe to to monitor flows.

And on the top left was some of our sewer manhole that we've done in sewer easements. And then on the lower left is pott one of the you know kind of things that stood out in our smoke testing. Uh you see there's a a foundation with a pipe with two pipes, one in the foundation slab and then one just outside which is a cleanout with smoke coming out. So that's saying that the

covers aren't on those. So you're getting rain water and maybe other debris into that into that sewer. You know, this is all, you know, on somebody's property. This is in the rightway. So, so we, you know, we follow up with with letters to the to the residents to to fix this these issues.

Um, missions data. So, this is one of our mission control points. Uh, we're looking for upgrades for mission for 29,760.

So this works along with our SCADA system which is our supervisory control and data acquisition which is which we have for sewer on the sewer side and for the water side on the CAT 930 front end loader. Uh on the left we have our existing loader. Um looking at upgrading that with a new loader.

Tim on the mission um software is that is is it is it failing or is it just it needs to be upgraded? It's older. It needs to be upgraded. Yeah, there are some Yeah, there's some problems with it.

Here are we. We have some older flow meters and chart readers also in in our pump stations. We'd like to upgrade for 125,000. Same thing, just old old components that need upgrading.

Jim, I'm sorry.

Some of these are probably 30 years. go back to that um upgrade. So, if there's some problems with it, wouldn't that be covered under the existing contract?

Well, there's some like software upgrades and hardware upgrades that need to be done to to complete this upgrades.

When's the last time that happened? Do you know?

Oh, we we do constantly upgrade our SCADA, but we haven't upgraded any of the mission control units in a while.

And what's the difference between the SCADA and the mission control?

Um, has different like probes uh and and monitors. They monitor like temperatures and and alarms and and different items that Skater doesn't, but they they communicate with skater and it works with skater.

And lastly, our our water and sewer capital plant.

Um, on here we have a filter rehab valve replacement at 299 Chase Road facility.

Four valves for 350,000.

A Smith neck storage tank rehab and painting, that's about 2.1 million.

Crossroad tank rehab and painting, 1.7 million. Freightlininer M160 dump truck with plow, 185,000.

Fon coner pump station centrifugal pump rebuild 60,000 water treatment facility security cameras structural inspections of all buildings with flat roofs uh 12,000 can't go till tomorrow mapping and asset management system software 225,000 route 6 water meeting replacement for 1.2 2 million uh future water supply source evaluation for 100,000 and 600 687 water treatment facility upgrade design.

So here we have some filter valves uh at 299 treatment facility that we'd like to replace and uh we also do some maintenance uh to our filters as well.

This is a Smith neck storage tank. We're looking to rehab and paint.

Tim, real quick, it says 150, but you're asking for 350. Is that like a typo on the thing?

That's um So, that was it was upgraded on the capital plan, but not on this.

So, 150 is for the valve replacement.

Say $200,000 a new one. And then it was additional money for the for the for the sand filter maintex

storage tank rehab and paint. It's about 2.1 million. We are looking at a long-term um right where you maintenance card some some of these contracts are 15 years and they'll come in and they'll paint the first year. Um they'll dive, they'll inspect, and they'll they'll do the inside and the outside. And then they'll work on a maintenance uh for years with different different u maintenance plans throughout the years.

And then the the last year of the 15-year contract, they'll paint it all one last time before the end of the contract.

Is is that what New Befford is doing with theirs? Uh they are rehabbing their one of their tanks. I'm not sure what how many years they have under that contract. Okay.

Okay. But with a, you know, we can do a normal one-year contract, it it'd be a lot upfront to to paint and rehab the tank. Um, a three-year contract, you know, um, would would give you a little more leeway, but the longer term contracts add add a lot of maintenance.

Is that the cost of the total contract or is that per year?

No, that's a total contract.

Total contract.

We did Smith neck how many years ago?

About 10.

Probably more than that now. I just do I do remember having them do the inside.

Yep.

Outside.

Yeah, the inside and the outside both need being done.

These are some pictures of the outside from the from the uh recent inspection.

Yeah, they look tough shape.

Um crossroad storage tank as well. Same thing. Uh that's about 1.7 million. Um, so we're looking, you know, if we can get a combined 15-year contract for both, you might save some money as well.

Allen Street.

Yeah, I was going to say Allen Street.

Allen Street. We had done we we did we did the stand scan pipe and the elevated storage tank.

uh 26,000 GVW Freight Liner M106. This is another nonCDL required trucker

road uh pump station. Uh this is at the pump station when the interconnection with the city new Bedford. So the centrifugal pump needs to be rebuilt.

You think they'll pay for it?

I think from the anything from the meter on their side, they'll pay for, but anything on the other side, no.

Uh, security camera system upgrades, uh, for our water treatment facilities and some of our remote wells. Um, sometimes you have, you know, you have people out there in the woods riding off-road vehicles and and uh, you know, there's a lot of threats to our to our systems. So, to keep be able to keep an eye on them. We don't have any at many of our remote well areas. Um, but

we also want to also add some to like our chemical storage areas and and some of those sensitive areas in our treatment facilities.

Are these using cellular? So, there'll be a recurring cost, I would imagine.

Uh, it it may be.

We haven't gotten that in. We have We're meeting with uh a company next week to discuss.

Do the police have access to these cameras as well?

We can work that.

You might want to talk to the chief about that. Just way if there's a issue, they're the ones that are going to respond to it, right? I mean, you can say, "Hey, there's someone running a quad." But ultimately, you might want to make sure any system that you get can integrate cuz I know the the schools the schools definitely do. So, yeah, might want to consult with them.

Yeah, I know. I know through the years different facilities have different camera systems. So, I think like you said, kind of integrate them all.

As long as they have visibility into it, I think is really the most important thing.

Thank you.

Uh structural inspections. So, a lot of our pump station buildings are are flat roofs. So, we want to have those inspected uh to basically to go out and inspect all of our flat roof buildings.

Um 12,000,

our 687 Chase Road water treatment facility design upgrade. Um so currently uh we only have one well operating at this facility because mainly because of the size of the of the pipe and the demand right now. Um so we're looking to upgrade the one of the the raw pipe from the well to the facility to get that uh online and then uh we have currently have an air stripper that needs to be upgraded and

only one well is on the air stripper. So we want to bring the other well on online to an air stripper. So that would need to be uh upgraded in size or just fully replaced for the both wells. So this is to design that project and then we would follow up with a construction uh capital request uh after the design is complete.

drinking water source supply engineering. Uh that was estimated to to start that uh evaluation was $100,000 working with a consultant that we've used for years uh and sourcing our our water supply looking for whether it's ground wells uh surface water um throughout town.

Is that what the new committee is doing?

Is that is that which committee?

The the water That's a water quality advisory committee.

Advisory committee.

They're looking at water quality, not just drinking water. Water quality as a whole.

Okay.

Brown water, uh, ponds and bays and rivers.

Um, and drinking water.

And this is to source to source new supplies for water so we can we can produce more water in town rather than purchase water.

Um, Route 6 12-in ductalion water main replacement. Currently, there's a a 10-in cast iron water man through this corridor. This is a section from Fon Corner Road to to just past Hathway, just east of Hathway. Uh, which the state is planning on reconstructing.

When does that start?

So, they're planning to advertise that project in the spring.

Advertise then another probably six months to Could be. Yeah. To mobilize.

To mobilize. Yeah.

So we're also looking at you know to borrow this funding uh because as part of the this project they have to replace a section of Maine because they are replacing the culvert bridge over the Pasamanset River. So that's a large undertaking. That's what's probably delayed this project the most through the design phase was was designing that replacement and getting all the utilities through it. So that's part of

their their plan, but any of the other sections of water mane are on us. So we would have to fund that.

Traffic is bad now.

I also tried So you think traffic is bad now? Wait till this thing gets Oh, yes. In in there, you know, their first step of the of that project is they're going to remove because that state road is is underneath the asphalt.

There's a concrete cap.

Yeah.

Thick concrete cap. Probably in they're going to remove that extension.

remove that cap before they do the reconstruction.

Oh my goodness.

That's all the way up still to all the way up to Bishop Sanger all the way.

Drive through Westport, you'll see all the way through.

You'll see some cement.

I can remember driving down the Cape and all that's all you hear.

All the expansion joints would just put you to sleep.

The old 49.

So all this water stuff like have you worked cuz there's a lot of big nuts to crack that you have over here. Have you taken into account the um with the cost of water like to residents and stuff to come up with some of this?

Yeah, as you seen we've had some pretty high rates uh for existing in and you know future capital and existing you know cost.

Does it take into account some of these projects that you have cuz I don't know like funding wise I don't I don't see the the money there to that's why we're looking at borrowing for Yeah. A lot of these projects that that and we've talked about this in the past that are large scale will have to be borrowing and then paid by the rate users. Unfortunately, that's the piece

uh the piece that gets um you know it's not general fund.

Yeah, I was going to say it's going to Yeah. All right. Okay.

Yeah, cuz I'm like this is not a general fund borrowing. This is a enterprise fund.

Enterprise fund borrowing. Okay. All right.

Thank you. And I've also uh I did apply for a Mass Works housing grant because this would add more volume for Hathaway Road.

So tying that 12 in to Hathaway Road to get more volume up there. We didn't get awarded. Um I would I would attempt it again, but since the project's going to be advertised in the spring, uh you know, we're looking for funding.

Yeah. But uh water asset management system software and sewer GIS. So on the left we have just kind of a circle of life for for our infrastructure including asset management. Um and then on the right we have our our 2012 uh GIS plan.

We're looking at upgrading this plan to an interactive uh GIS. Uh we've been working on on our we currently are are working on a wastewater asset management um through a grant from the state as well asset management. We have we've we've gone pretty far with our storm water GIS and our water GIS with interactive layers uh that are great.

So, we want to bring our sewer system up to that as well.

And if if needed, I can break these into two two components, you know, two capital requests because they're large.

We can do that, too.

That's true.

Uh this is uh some completed work. Uh we recently completed the upgrades at the 579 Opport Road treatment facility. Um we included the four log um to allow us to get the Ben Penelli wells back online. So they've been back online and the black tank is our our back back flushing clear well um to help with water quality when we're backashing. Uh it doesn't mess with our treatment chemicals. Um, and then some of the

pumps and piping that we've replaced throughout uh the facility on the left.

And then on the right side, that's the new addition uh to the facility with new pumps and piping.

That was some aer money, right?

A lot of money at 2.6 million.

Yep. It was a great project.

And we're lucky we had that funding.

Yeah. Mhm.

Uh uh comprehensive wastewater management plan. Um so this we we have chosen a consultant. Um we completed a their project scope and fee and recently completed u an independent an independent fee evaluation of their scope and fee. So now we're looking to move forward with the award of that project.

What's the timeline?

Uh it's about 18 months.

Um and we are currently working on part of that asset management program will tie into the CWMP2. So it's it's a good preface to to this and uh that's it.

Go with any additional questions. Sarah, I just have a question about the software and and the upgrades and the mission.

Yeah. At what point does it move from capital to operational?

I think I would say you know typical maintenance is is you know having having you know different modules or smaller replacements upgrading software. um once it gets um I think once it gets over that $10,000 mark.

So is that the trigger no matter what that that Yeah. If if you um like you're going to hear from MIS uh next week and uh this is for um some if some structural changes that we need to do like for for hardware in in town hall. But um yeah, I guess the point is once it becomes the point that you know it's a routine upgrade right?

It becomes part of the the budget. Uh but so it can be over 10 if it's part of the routine plan. That's what I'm wondering like how much this is is a planning issue and kind of working it in because it's it's going to affect every department.

Yeah. And I think too the um committee at one point in time probably even before I got here was um was wondering on these larger scale is projects um you know munis being one of them every time we have to do an upgrade uh that the committee would know about it and then eventually it would get built into the budget because there's continuing cost with that you know

I mean I think I think for for me like you know you have the cap cost of purchasing like I see uh what Mike is going to be doing next week was all the the hardware but there's going to be there's maintenance costs that he's going to have that the town's going absorb. So that we don't need to see because that's that's part of the operating. But that once every 5 years

or once every seven years to purchase the gear, we should be able to see that just cuz that's going to that's an expensive Yeah. Cuz it does it does include a lot of hardware replacement as well.

So this makes sense to you what he's Yeah. Like the skater stuff. Absolutely.

Yeah. Because if if they're if they're forklifting old equipment and putting new equipment in, then Yeah. That's a capital that's a capital expense. But the they're still paying maintenance on it.

like you know we don't see that cost which I'm sure is we do we pay for our communications uh communication lines we we pay all that annual and and cellular and for the the company to maintain it throughout the year. Yeah.

Okay.

Those costs we wouldn't see cuz it's I mean that's they're in the operating budget. Yeah.

Okay.

Anybody with any other questions?

Any other question?

No. Thanks for the the pictures as always. I think you do a great job with presenting and it's important to see the projects that have been complete because for me person speaking personally I think it it and for the people watching it allows them to see that the money is actually being spent and projects are getting done and not just sitting there you know waiting and waiting and waiting. So

yeah, it's a good addition to the that's very important. The other thing that you've done today is the concern about what's been out there and kind of hanging in parking lots and still being insured and not being used. So, you've taken care of that piece.

Sound great.

Yep. Thanks, Tim. Nice job. Thank you.

You only went 15 minutes over. So, actually, no, I had him scheduled till uh 9:30 cuz I You want me to present that to uh Jim?

You got it. Okay. All right.

Yeah. Right.

I think I'm not supposed to start till 9:30, right? Yeah. you know, 50 minutes early.

Then go sit down.

You haven't heard the bell yet, Mr. K.

So, um, next on the agenda, we have, uh, at 9:30. We're a little bit early obviously, but, uh, the schools, DMA public schools with Jim Kylie, uh, to, um, and the committee has gotten this presentation. I sent that to them.

Thank you, Gary.

Good morning everyone.

Yeah, I can see it on my screen. I got it right here. If you want you want it. I can see it on my screen, but I can't see it there. It's two screens, Mr. K. Just drag it.

Oh, I just got to drag it. Okay, you should be able to technology guy.

Yeah, good thing. should be.

Now it's black. That's weird.

Hey, how you doing? Good.

Good. Didn't get a chance to say.

Yeah. Sorry.

Yeah, why not?

Yeah, why not?

And when you go on a presentation, Ms.

Sometimes it does two screens, so you have to drag the other one. This way you can follow along and it doesn't have a bunch of windows open and everyone can see it.

There it is. PDF.

Thanks, Gary.

So, good morning everyone. Thanks for uh Wait one second, Mr. We're just waiting for one more. We'll be right back.

It's his first time.

Thank you.

How was the school startup? Good.

School startup is going very well so far. Um yeah, things are things are good.

Quinn now.

Quinn kindergarten. Great. Great.

She was at Kush for a stop. That was good. Fire department.

It wasn't a big one.

It wasn't a big ordeal. We've already done it for a couple years, you know, so yeah, I don't know what's going on.

Yeah, we're on day four of school so far. So, we're we're doing pretty well.

I I stopped by the high school yesterday. Got to see volleyball. My daughter's both in high school now. I can't believe it.

Goes by quick. So, enjoy it.

Absolutely.

Did you guys place the order for the bus?

Well, I have it on a list here.

We actually haven't placed the order yet. Um, but I'll I'll explain where we are.

High school got a grant to keep their um no phones program going.

We did get a we did get a grant for um pouches. So the yonder pouches, they're the they're the new thing. So Oh, I've heard a lot about them.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'm sure not all great from your kids. Yeah. Uhhuh.

I'm only getting one perspective from Yes, you are. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We did get get a grant for that $30,000.

So yeah it's good that they're not ordering yet, right? They're going to do a study on that from what I heard, too.

Yeah, we're taking our time and y

are we being recorded?

Yes.

We must be right.

Yes.

Okay. Well, so I was talking with somebody from another school committee.

uh vocational school committee actually who said that they're able to negotiate a contract for school choice with one of the member towns that is above uh $5,000 and I never have heard of that before.

Well, that's not accurate, but you can negotiate a tuition agreement with a town. So, um they're subject to approval administrator for one student but not as a rule, you know, not as a contract for more than Right. Right. So there are some to for for many many years for instance the town of Berkeley had a tuition agreement with the town of Somerset to send their kids to to Somerset. Now now they're

regionalized so it that's no longer but there are tuition agreements that exist and and um those can be whatever price you determine choice but not through school choice. Now the only difference between from one student to another in terms of um revenue and school choice is uh based on special needs and um so if there are additional needs the the receiving community gets an additional amount but

that could be what they meant and I could have misunderstood. It sounded unusual to me because everybody complains about the reimbursement rate for school choice.

Yeah. the the $5,000 that's been in place for 30 years.

That's way above our pay grade.

We've been advocating for change with that. I mean, I've written the legislators and and so is MASC and um Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah. I mean, it's look at what they did with that report.

That was such a great report though.

It didn't convince people.

Not yet.

legislature is a little behind the times.

They have been special.

We know Jim, he's always going to ask for more anyway, so it doesn't really matter.

I'll ask for what we need.

Yes. Oh, yeah. Right here.

Was it?

Which allocates 174 new schools, musical equipment, and athletic.

Oh, okay. It's like circumstance set up to solve a problem but just never fulfilled.

Yeah. I'm just curious.

Yeah.

I thought so.

Partial solution. It's like we'll find out.

Yeah.

So enough people.

It took a lot for those original uh parents and towns to serve the state.

And then you think about that investment and it's unfortunate.

You have a full-time job. I'll tell you that I was on one of the original Dan French.

I was on the curriculum and there was so much excitement.

Other than that, pal.

Yeah.

Recount has three precincts in our district. So to recount those three precincts. they could do a better job of managing their expectations and saying like this is how far we can go with this otherwise going to the bathroom.

Oh yes like hey I mean we can probably Yeah. Yeah. It's we can stop question Yeah because we have all this.

Sorry about that. I don't know how long we should go.

Yeah.

So we're here to talk about our uh our capital improvement plan. I think it's just important I usually include this in our presentations. This is our mission and vision and our strategic focus areas. One thing that you know we take pride in is um in our vision it is our vision is to improve the community. So um you that is educationally but it's also in you know our our assets and and

what the community has in its buildings.

And so we hope to continue that process here with our request today. So, I'll take you through this list and we'll talk about each of these. Um, but just so you know, some of these are already funded. So, these were all our requests for this this year in the capital improvement plan. So, the school bus replacement I'll talk about in a minute, but that was funded at at town meeting in June

for 150,000. The flooring replacement was funded for 200,000.

The technology hardware replacement was funded for 325,000.

Um the HBAC repairs were funded for 400,000 and the bathroom renovations were funded for 100,000 all at the June town meeting. So we appreciate that support. And I'll go through each of these in in detail. And I sure and I have the town priority rankings um listed. So, school bus replacement, it was funded. That's great. Then Senator Montiggney's office contacted us and we worked with Cody to uh put together a a

U request that would became an earmark in the state supplemental budget. So, um we were very thankful to have that opportunity. It was actually funded in the state budget process. Um, so the in in true state fashion, they've decided to disperse the funds through a grant program through the Department of Ed's grant system. I actually just got access to that last week and I applied day one,

like morning one of the grant hoping, okay, I really need this bus and I want to get it I want to get the order in as quickly as possible. I did not want to use the these funds because we have funds coming from the state. So, um we are in process in terms of in terms of the ordering process and the grant will get approved but it's not approved and

it's now been a week. So, um I don't know what their timeline is at the Department of Ed, but they they sometimes take their time. So the 150,000 ultimately that we that we allocated for this bus is up up for grabs hopefully for another school project, but um but we will not need those funds thanks to to Senator Montig's office and the legislature. So flooring replacement uh we funded

200,000 at um town meeting. We um have undertaken a project at the Quinn School this summer to remove asbestos containing material flooring um and replace it with new flooring. You'll see see the pictures there. I mean, we we've got to continue this process at the Quinn School. It's um we've still got a lot of work to do there. We can only accomplish about the equivalent of of about 12 rooms in a summer. Um, it's

just that everything needs to be abated.

We need to get clearance. We need to do the actual work of then uh reinstalling floors and getting the rooms ready for the school year. So, we can't really do more than that at a time. We're now getting to the point where we're almost halfway done in that building. Um, but we've got quite a ways to go. So, um, we'll be asking for more in the future, but not at October town meeting. You'll

see it again for the next town meeting.

Jim, how are we doing with the elementary zone? We have pretty close to the We're pretty close. There's only like a couple of closets at um, Potter and Demell. That's it.

Yeah, that's what I thought.

Yep. Yeah. Classrooms were in good shape.

Yeah.

Um, technology hardware replacement. So, uh, we funded $325,000 at town meeting. We provided uh new Chromebooks for the sixth and ninth graders. Uh teacher laptops which we're in process in a a gradual process of replacing. And then all our presentation equipment is in various stages of needing to be replaced. So we're in process doing all that.

HBAC repairs. So it was partially funded at town meeting. uh 400,000. We have constantly repairs going going on with our HV AC equipment. You know, you'll Tim had some nice rusty pictures. I have I have some nice rusty pictures of original equipment from the 1950s and60s um in these buildings. So, it's and even original equipment from uh our new new building, the 2001 high school that

needs to be replaced. So, 25-year-old HVAC equipment in various states of um disrepair there. Uh really just have all outlived their useful lives in in in all of our buildings.

With this with this money, have you been able to make any progress with the wing in the middle school, the two wings that have that real heat problem?

No.

Not.

No. No. We're focusing. Honestly, we're focusing and we'll talk about the middle school in a minute, but we're focusing on the other buildings right now.

How how did how did that the 400,000 how did you use it this year? Was it We've we've been doing repairs and we've also we're also working on control systems.

Okay.

So, u part of our weakness is, you know, lack of control systems. So, modern control systems like we're still pneumatic in in in areas and what we're working on. So, pneumatic systems are, for those that don't know, you know, it's it's air through a little tube that goes to a thermostat in a classroom and then that's how temperature is controlled in the classrooms. It's a very antiquated

system. Um, nobody fixes it anymore.

It's um it's, you know, something that we're in the process of of working on.

We've also been working with Kathy Stanley, the town's energy energy manager.

um to to you know get grant monies. We do use a significant amount of the green community's grant monies um for HBAC work, but there's a lot of HBAC work. So bathroom renovations, you funded $100,000. We are in um still in process at Potter and Dlo replacing bathroom um bathroom partitions. It makes a huge difference. I think it it's, you know, it really shows we're able to show that

we do take pride in our facilities, keeping them, you know, safe and and and clean for kids. And this is just an example of one of the bathrooms that we did there. We would um love to do more with that. And we can actually do that during the school year. So, we can in all of our buildings, we can close, you know, close a bathroom. it it's they're so fast the install

that you know in a couple of days a bathroom's done. So, um something to think about. We could certainly use the additional money and keep updating our facilities.

Jim, would the 100,000 do an additional bathroom or two additional bathrooms or a couple of bathrooms? Yeah, bathroom. Yep. Y So, high school roof. So, uh, we're currently, so we received, um, from town meeting $250,000 in in schematic design money. We're working with, uh, the MSBA.

Currently, we were approved for a project, accelerated repair program project, of which the town's going to re end up receiving about half the cost of the replacement of the roof back from the state. So, um, we, uh, now are doing schematic design. We're going to be submitting schematic design, uh, hopefully in November to MSBA to the Mass Mass School Building Authority. And then in February, they will get back to

us with a proposed grant and hopefully approval of the of the project. the town would then need to um have a debt exclusion vote because the the high school roof is a gigantic roof. Um and it's going to be quite a project. It we are also at the same time going to have to replace HVAC equipment up on that roof. It's got to come off anyway. And when it comes off at

25-year-old HVAC equipment isn't it it would make absolutely no sense to put it back on the roof. Um especially since a lot of it isn't working well. Um so that is going to be part of the project design. uh whether how much MSBA will contribute to that part of the project is to be determined because um they'll certainly as it relates to the roof they will they will fund part of it. Um but

they will not necessarily they're not probably going to fund the HVAC equipment itself. The connection to the roof, the flashing, everything else, the any structural work that needs to be done they'll fund. But um so all of that is to be determined hopefully by February. Um also ADA improvements, improvements to the building. So you think of the high school, I mean it's our most ADA compliant building for

sure. Um having been you know only 25 years old, but there are deficiencies um in terms of our ADA compliance in the building. We have to fix them in order to get this grant. MSBA will pay for half for sure of any ADA upgrades. Some of them are as easy as the heights of a hand dryer or a paper towel dispenser.

You know, move it. Um some of them are are are a little more complex, but um at any rate, we're we're you know, that's going to be part of the project. The other thing that is part of the project is looking at the capacity for solar on the roof.

So they have already done structural analysis of that. Um and we don't have all of the findings yet. There may be some structural um some additions that need to be made to the structural components of of the roof. We're specifically looking at the gym roof, which is the highest roof, the one furthest south, the one with a pretty immense structure inside. um of beams and uh it's wide open with very

little equipment on the roof. So it doesn't have gigantic HVAC equipment right in the way. So we're looking at that as a possibility. They're going to evaluate is it structurally sound? What would it take to to you know make it structurally able to to support that? There's a lot of weight when you put solar on a roof because it's not attached to the roof.

it's weighted down. Um, so the solar panels themselves have weight to them, but then they have to weigh down the solar panels so they don't blow off the roof. And there's a lot of wind in that um, you know, in that area that's it's right near the water.

Uh, so we'll see how that goes, but we are looking at that as as a possibility and we're working with Kathy Stanley um, and Cody to Quick question. So the who's the solar is that the the the state is making us put solar.

They make you look at it.

Gotcha.

To see if we're able to do it and then they make and and they will pay for it to become solar ready. So at least half of that. I'm not sure if they'll pay the whole thing. So if there are structural adjustments that need to be made to the building, they'll at least pay half of that. Um, you know, we've had some preliminary talks um in house as to whether or not it's worth it's a

worthwhile endeavor. Um, and we think it probably is behind the meter.

So, we're not we wouldn't feed the the grid with it. We'd keep it behind the meter.

You'd offset it. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. So, we'll see what MSBA comes up with. Well, what the designers come up with with all the structural work and and make we'd have to make sure that MSBA would be on board.

So, so that's one thing. The other question I had was regarding the HVAC that is that included in there or is that something separate that the school has to cuz I would imagine if MSBA is not going to pay for it, why would they pay for So, are you hiring an MEP to look at what you have?

We already have one.

Okay. And and it is through the MSBA. So it it's MSBA's designers and on these accelerated repair programs they appoint a project manager and appoint a designer that work with MSBA. Most most projects you have the opportunity to hire a designer. Um we don't we don't have that in this case because you know they're the ones giving us half the money.

They pick who does the design. Uh but they have a struct they have a structural engineer a mechanical engineer. um as part of the design team.

So and they're willing to to size the equipment and do all that for for you folks there.

Yeah. Yeah. They're working on it right now actually and they're working on equipment options for instance heat pump technology versus whatever you have in place. So so they're evaluating all that now. Um obviously it adds to the cost of the project. So certainly to be determined once once they figure that out that will be a separate cost that won't be covered by 50% of the correct.

Correct. It could be part of the debt exclusion vote I think but it would you know it would have to um it have to be funded. Right.

Yeah. And we don't and we're not going to have cost estimates until when?

I'm hoping maybe in November we'll have sort of the design the schematic design completed with cost estimates. We just won't know what MSBA is going to do with that yet.

So in terms of their involvement till February.

Yeah.

Understood. Thank you.

Welcome. So I'm not asking you to do anything on this. I just wanted to update you where we are because obviously it's a big project and it's coming.

So speaking of big projects, so uh a new or renovated school.

So we had submitted a statement of interest um unanimously approved by by the select board and the school committee to the Massachusetts School Building Authority to replace the Dartmouth Middle School building. So, the 1956 Dartmouth Middle School. Um, it it it's a very tired building. We took a bunch of people on tours of that building this past year. We'd be happy to do that again. Uh, it it's definitely

in need of uh of replacement.

We were lucky enough that the MSBA was willing to come down and visit us.

They were here last week. It was the day before we started school. It was uh our second day with all our staff. It was not an ideal day for them to visit, but it was the only day they gave us. So, uh they came down and they took a look at the building and I think they recognize the deficiencies in the building. Um there's been a lot of talk about what

how we replace that building, whether we replace it with another middle school or we replace it with a high school and then move the middle school kids to the existing high school.

All that is are things that we have very little control over at this point. MSBA uh we're hoping will will provide some some guidance at least some discussion as to whether there are options to us besides just replacing it with a middle school building. One thing that we prioritized in our statement of interest and I I I think it it needs to be done is to build capacity so that we can close the Kushman school.

It's the Kushman school is a fine school. it. But it was built in 1922 and you know we're now over a hundred years and there's not we have to have realistic expectations about how much longer that building's going to be in service. I think any building that we build in town should have the capacity to make that decision. Now it's it's a little complicated though because we also have this new development in

town, right? So, we have to think about that in terms of potential new units in town. You know, 12 I think I think Cody mentioned 1,200 to,400 develop, you know, units that will be developed at some point in about the next 5 years or so. So, we're cognizant of that and we'll work with MSBA to make sure they understand that. They we've already talked to them about it. Um, and

and Cody brought it up in the meeting with them last week. So, uh, we we have some moving parts here with this project. We don't really know where this project is right now in terms of the MSBA's capacity to to undertake it. They are visiting 34 of of the sites that applied for uh an application.

Uh, they don't they don't have the money to fund them. So, how many? Not really sure. It might be 15 out of the 34 uhish, but it all depends how many high schools they fund because those are the most expensive versus an elementary school that might be less. But um so we're going to hear back from them at some point their thoughts about our visit their visit here and uh what the

next steps are. But I'll keep you informed. I'm not asking for any action on from from the board on on this. Is there an opportunity for public comment or any type of thing? Um we um as we as we proceed into if if we get accepted into their program there would be opportunities for sure. Yeah.

But um until right now there's no um you know there's there's we don't know anything. Yeah. We don't know anything.

Is there an expected timeline for decisions like a year, 6 months?

I would expect that in in February they will invite projects in um where we are on that I don't know but yeah think that they would.

This was discussed though at the school committee meeting so it's on the agenda so anybody who had something to say about it would be able to Yeah. And we'll have more, you know, if obviously if we're accepted into, you know, with with MSBA, we'll have more meetings about it, you know, from a school committee perspective for sure.

I was just looking up that Watertown High School that they just completed.

Yeah.

But but that 28, what is it, 218 million or something like that?

I think that's lower than we were anticipating when we were talking longterm. Yeah.

But I'm looking at their enrollment.

It's only 760, right? It's a smaller building than what we would build, but but still it's especially being a platinum building. Y that's huge.

Yeah. Yeah. But you might be in the you might be in the $300 million range for Take a look at Brockton for a new building. Yeah.

Take a look at Brockton.

Well, Brockton, that's a different animal.

That is that is for sure. So, one of the things that I would really like you to consider is uh some money for playground improvements. So, we had received some money for playground improvements. I I should have included the pictures here.

I apologize for not of uh the Quinn School playground. It's right down the hill. You can go check it out when school's not in session. Um we did a great job, I think, and and John Bernat, our facilities manager here who coordinated that project. And uh so we replaced one of three playgrounds at the Quinn School. It was it was to the point where we we couldn't um couldn't get parts for the playground and we were

closing down pieces of it, which is what we're doing now at um at the DLO school.

So, we've actually removed parts of the playground. Um pulled them pulled them out of the ground because uh we're you know we're unable to fix them.

We have a we have a lawsuit and an insurance claim right now um relating to an accident of a student on a playground at the Melo School. So, what I'm suggesting is that at least some funding be allocated to work on the playgrounds there. I I've only been here 16 years.

Um this the all of the playgrounds at the Potter and Dlo are before my time.

Um, and two of the playgrounds at the Quinn School are before my time, and I think they're all more than 20 years old. So, um, the they're they're at the point where, um, you know, we're not getting replacement parts and and u, we just, you know, obviously need to m continue to maintain these. We'll do them one at a time. Some are in better shape than others. Um, actually the ones at Potter

School in pretty decent shape right now.

Uh, they will need replacement at some point in, you know, the near future, but not quite yet.

The ones at Potter School, I think, I think I'd mentioned this at previous meetings, they're less than I think they're less than 15 years old.

You think?

I think so, because I think it was the PTO that, and I think uh, Miss Brooks was the principal at the time, that it was the PTO that came up with the money to to replace it.

Maybe I forgot about it. And it's it's it's because I I remember I think my kids were still there and it was the the PTO that I think if I recall correctly that that paid for it. That's why it was like and I think I'd asked at previous meetings like you know has the I don't know how strong the PTO is now compared to what it used to be.

But I know that they we raised a lot of money to you know to to get that done.

So that Quinn school playground that we replaced down there it's great. We did the rubberized surface and everything and um it's fantastic. It's it cost $300,000. Yeah. So, I don't think our PTO's would have the capacity to do that at this point, but yeah, I'll see if I there's probably an article in in weekly where I can look it up and but I know it was like that.

I'm sure we would get assistance, but um in terms of overall funding, I don't think that's possible from from those groups.

Yeah. Just just something Yeah.

to consider.

Mhm.

So at least some funding to try and fix some things would would be very much appreciated with that. Um telephone replacement. This one we really need to do. So we our uh district-wide telephone system is our support is come our the ability to um get support for that system is is going to be expiring at the end of this year. So um we really need to replace that system.

This replaces the hard way too, Jim.

Yeah. Everything.

High school track. We've This isn't a new one really for us. We We've talked about this before. Um John actually had a cing uh u samples. Then they did 12 core samples of the track. What they found was uh well, a few things. For one, there's tree roots growing under the track that need to be removed and blocked from growing under the under the track. There's um degradation of the uh

of of the asphalt surface underneath the top layer of the track. The top layer of the track's totally shot, but the the under layment is going to have to be removed. So they can go down all the way to what the compacted gravel surface underneath and then replace it up. Um we're still we put 950 there. We're hopeful that that work can get done for that. There's also some drainage work

that needs to be done around the track, especially on the south side of the track where the property line ends and there's a there's a big wall at that side of the the track. There's a lot of water in the core samples. There was standing water um and it wasn't right after a rain. So, it was uh standing water in the core samples. So, we have some work to do. We're hopeful that that

amount is going to be roughly the amount to do it.

The the the root mitigation that you have to do there, that's going to compromise some of that base that's there too, right?

That's why I we really have to remove the base. Um, so it's on our list and and that 950 you think is is still uh Yeah, I'm getting a little nervous with it. I mean, it has to be bid out. So, you know, I I'm getting a little nervous with that number, but Well, the reason why I'm asking I've had that number there for a little while. So, we had talked about doing a borrowing

and I'm I'm wonder if it makes sense to potentially increase it to make sure you cover your cost because if it's if it comes in at 11 one make up with 150,000 like you know so if we don't borrow enough so is there any way you can get uh like someone to get you an estimate that at least puts you closer to that ballpark?

I I mean I can I can get something a little more current. Um, but I, you know, it is a little Well, you there's a lot of unforeseen.

So, I've got to be uh and there's unforeseen conditions. I know that. But just a number that may be cuz I know I've seen this number now for like I know several years.

Yeah, I know. I know.

Yeah. But yeah, I will work on that for sure.

So, we we still have a uh a 2013. We've replaced some of our trucks, which is is fantastic. Um, you know, thanks to the support of this group and and and town meeting, um, we still have rusty old truck that we need to replace from 2013.

We use these um, every day to maintain the buildings. We use them for snow plowing and um, you can see like the in the picture that um, clearly they've it's surpassed its useful life. So, um, we would ask that, uh, you consider that.

Are those utility body trucks? Do you have that?

So, so we actually had cab. So, this one is one with a cab on it, but um, the ones we're buying are utility body, which more versatile for us.

Uh, stadium renovations. This I mean, I don't I don't know about this number either now. Um, you know, this has been around for a while. So the um you know the stadium was built in 1947. It's it's a great facility. It's um a center of a lot of activity in town. Um it was built to honor um those who uh served in World War II. Um so there is a sense of pride

in the community. Uh we began so we I think started talking about a big project at the stadium in about 2012 or 13. Some folks here were involved in that. By 2018 we uh we received some funding. We replaced the artificial we replace the the grass with artificial turf that it allows us to use it um more consistently and and get more groups on the on the field and that's great. Uh but we still

need to tackle the stands themselves. So the stands are concrete. They the the home stands were built in the 40s and um it just needs attention. We just need to make sure it lasts. Uh so this would involve a complete overhaul of what's underneath the stands which is a kitchen, storage areas, bathrooms um all of which aren't accessible uh and are in pretty horrific state. Um kind embarrassing I find it personally. Um

and a lot of times this is one of the first places that people um you know who visiting the community see and and they see this sort of embarrassing um facility. But uh we so we need to spend some money to redo it. When we had built b um bid it out several years ago, it was just after co it was the bid came in at 6.2 million. Uh, we have a million

dollars left already approved um from a prior town meeting article, but we have about $1.2 million.

How many years ago was that though? Cuz one expired doesn't have to go back to the general fund after two years. No or three? I thought it was after three years. It had to go back.

No, only when it's rescended, we can we talked about borrowing, you know, to to at least review these and Gary and I have done that over the past couple years. We review them. We have discussions with the applicable department heads. If there's a plan, we a little more lenient, but if there's no plan, then we're starting to rescend them, which is one of the reasons we had record free cash last year. We rescended

a lot a lot of them old articles.

And we never borrowed the the money for this, right? So, it's been approved, not borrowed. Um, so the hope is that $6.8 millionish would get the job done there.

I I don't I don't exactly know. It was 6.2 a few years ago. So that I'd be a little nervous about that number two.

But um it it's something that at some point needs to be tackled for sure.

I'll get on a soap box here. I think one of the the difficult things is when you go to other high schools, all their and I go I know I'm a I'm a sports parent.

All the sports are played at the schools. Right now the kids are being sent here, sent down there. Baseball's being played here. We're all over the place. Like we have games at the middle school. We have games at the more No, it's all busing everywhere. Like busing or students jumping in cars driving younger kids driving which I've been nervous about since the moment I I you got older older kids having to to

drive younger kids to to practices and games. I mean it's I know. I mean, I think one of the tough things is is like to spend this kind of money and let's say the MSBA favors that they want to build a high school. I think at that point you really need to look at like doing all the fuel in one spot.

Yeah.

Like a a true like so everything is together because right now it is it's crazy. I know we have a big town and everything's spread out but we really should consolidate um as best we could to keep everything together. I don't know I agree 100%. I I think the best solution to that is to build a high school on this site.

Yep.

So, um I think with if if you add so you can build a high school, you can make the traffic patterns better around here when you build a high school and they're not great um for anybody who comes by in the morning or the afternoon. Um, and we could keep kids here and it would be in the center of the community. I think it I think it makes a lot of sense, but

and I think that doesn't mean that's going to be the way.

No, 100%. And I think that's why it's like it's maybe that's why this can keeps getting kicked down the road because you'll dump the money here and then, you know, they build a high school someplace else and we don't the stadium is maybe moved someplace else and we spent all that money and it's Yeah. I I don't I don't think I don't think we would ever build I think if we

build a high school, it's going to be here.

If we build a middle school, it's going to be here. Um and I don't think the high school site, the current high school site is not conducive.

It it was built on bordering wetlands issues. It's it's not conducive to to doing anything really there unless you look at major um drainage upgrades and um artificial turf everywhere there on on the baseball field, but you couldn't put a stadium there. I I think the stadium will be used by this town.

I I can't see I can't see any reason that it's that it, you know, it would be moved. I don't think the MSBA uh will fund any of it for the existing state.

Yeah, they won't help.

If they if there's new fields that are are are built, they would, right?

They would. They would. But um nonetheless, I think you're going to if you if you were to do this and you were to improve traffic patterns at at this site, you are going to lose I think you're going to lose some space. And in doing that, you probably need an artificial turf field somewhere on the existing site. Maybe where the middle school track is or maybe down the hill um where on the Quinn school property,

but I think you're going to need that there and the stadium.

Uh so yeah, we do know we have the I think it's 13 acres of upland back here and nine Yeah.

on the other side.

Yeah. And it's, you know, to to use that. I mean, we looked at that and um Mr. Brooks, we we were part of a a group that looked at all that. Um it's a little complicated to use it.

It's in the woods. It's there's there's wetlands bordering it and we would need probably some bridge structure and a few you know it would be a little bit complicated but there and it's not very level but um but there is an opportunity to expand some space where that what that is currently wooded um on on the site. So music and athletic equipment. So, um, really this is just a we need to replace

aging music and athletic equipment. We try and do this periodically in the capital improvement plan. It hasn't been approved in quite some time. We did have some music uh approval a couple years ago, but um we really just want to support our kids and and you know modernize um our music instruments and our athletic equipment. So, real quick I want to ask another question regarding this on the supplemental bill

with uh Senator Montig that did call out that there was money also allocated for music and athletics.

Yeah.

Does that did that I think it so originally they had talked about the possibility of allocating $270,000.

Um we we received 170,000 all in the end for the bus and and for the music and and the bus is about $160,000 which it sounds like we had originally approved like 150 for the bus um and the warrant we we proposed 150 well you so the the the town meeting you folks and the town meeting approved 150. Okay. um which actually wouldn't have been enough in the end, but um

so so he they did not follow through with the with a supplemental bill and including that. It was this anything left over of the 170 will be for will be for music and athletics, but it's going to be like $10,000.

Okay.

Mhm.

Which we'll take, which is fine. I I so when I was I just happened that we were talking about it and I brought it up and I was looking at the supplemental bill but it didn't call out it had called out that it was was covering three of the things. It didn't specify the the dollar amount. I thought it was higher but yeah. Yeah. If it was 110,000, we would adjust this request, but it's going to

be like $10,000 for music and athletic equipment, which is not like depending on the instrument like Yeah, I know that that's it's like you could not even if the committee were interested in funding this, right? You could hypothetically keep the bus on the books, right? allow allow them to use the bus money.

Okay.

For for a portion, say 100,000 of the bus money, return 50,000 and then use Well, Jim's already Jim's already submitted the grant, so never mind.

Never mind.

Yeah, I've already submitted the grant with the actual price of the bus. I have I have a quote for the bus and everything.

Yeah, the musical instruments, then we could have left that warrant article for 150 and you could have used that. Well, they haven't approved it yet. So, well, and we also I mean we also have to think about I mean it was great that Senator Martini asked us for this and we applied the intent to use this. Um so, and it was before town meeting and all that. So, um, yeah, probably cleaner.

I would say stay true to our word and No, we still use it, right? Because you're asking for 145,000 for athletics and 65 for um, so that's 210,000.

Yeah.

And the grant was the money 170 plus the 150 I already have for the bus, which would cover everything.

Yeah. I I you know, again, I'm not if they've already approved it, then it's a moot point. But if cuz then you could just say, "Well, athletics 145, music the difference and then use the 15 state supplemental budget." It specifically says to buy a bus.

Okay.

List all three. Yeah, it list all three.

It does list all three, but it does say and I just I reached out to Montikney's office as Jim was speaking and and they're going to um make sure Desi approves that. So, we probably Okay. All right. All right.

Thank you.

All right. I just Yeah. just I'm just trying to creatively finance things because that's how I appreciate it. I I would love to do it that way. It's and but um you know obviously the the 150,000 could be reallocated by town meeting as well. So uh I think that has to be returned and then we have to so it wouldn't be wouldn't be able to use it this year anyway. Correct.

Have to get reertified.

Yeah.

Which would be next fiscal be June. That's fine. Mhm.

Now Jim, the music equipment is that uh the majority of band equipment or is it okay? It's all band equipment.

Big big instruments like you know the major instruments.

Mhm.

Which I mean you can have an instrument that costs 15 plus,000 for some of our, you know, more expensive equipment. We have a pretty good band program in case you hadn't heard. But uh but our our equipment is like sometimes pieced together. It's um it's not we don't have new equipment.

Well, I've seen the size of the band go down.

Yeah.

Considerably since we've gotten rid of the elementary music program, I hate to say it.

Yeah.

Is biting us in the Yeah, we're working on that.

Although the sixth, seventh, and eighth has the band sizes have been pretty good. It's just not translating into them staying in high school.

Yeah. Well, cuz I mean my kids played band six, seventh, and eighth and the bands were humongous and then when you get to high school, they just they just have slowly shrunk over the years.

There's a lot of opportunities for kids at the high school level and kids have to make choices and the the you know there so there is you know Oh yeah, a lot of commitment you know that it takes. So u but we're we're we're working on that issue. is this is probably a silly question but so friends of Dartmouth music um if that's the name of it Dartmouth school music association

yeah thank you um do they ever have enough money that they can invest and keep like a a base amount um and yeah they contribute a lot too I know they do have to actually make some decisions about investing it and using it uh rather than or maybe they just don't have enough in in the I mean they're constantly fundraising to support to support our programs. I mean they we wouldn't we wouldn't operate the

way I mean we would have very little I guess in terms of a program is clearly a very important part of the budget is is it is does somebody oversee that does somebody advise them in terms of the management they're a they are a not for-p profofit organization but they do work very closely with the music our fine and performing arts director Ian Flint Um, so Mr.

I just have learned a couple things even at my age about what you could do with money in the bank that I had no idea.

And I I wonder if there's somebody that, you know, is able to offer that kind of advice because I know that they do a lot of work. I know a lot of fundraising and that the program wouldn't operate without them.

It wouldn't.

So I I just wonder, you know, in terms of management sometimes, could they make more?

Yeah, they're a pretty well-run organization. uh what kind of money do they donate a year a raise? You'd probably know. I'm only saying that because it should be brought to everybody's attention that's watching that there isn't a school uh athletic one anymore. There used to be an athletic booster club and I've brought this up before. you've got one for the band and what we're surviving or

how the band has been surviving is because of the parent groups that are supporting that and somebody else has to step up to the plate to do the athletic part. I so I I will disagree with that because with athletics and my kids are in athletics.

We they do fundraising and it's a they raise a lot of money and for hockey it covers they raise a ton of money because they get corporate people and so uh same thing I'm sure with football, uh baseball, golf, they all fund raise, the students do and they raise a ton of money and it's parents that are paying for it. It's local businesses now. They don't have a something that's quite as involved as

DSMA where they you know or DF Dartmouth school music where it's like they have a you know a full structure in place. It's now the coaches are putting it on the students to go out and fund raise and that's freshman uh JV and varsity they all go out and do the fundraising. So in the high school level high school level absolutely at the high school level and it's and it's

it's a lot like they you know they go out and they have to it's a they're doing it for themselves. They don't have like you know they have to go out and get so much you know the coaches try to get x amount of money per kid to and that covers costs like and Mr. Sakaya can tell you like the hockey team they got they raised enough money that they bought their own helmets

that the you know the program did that or you know when they raise money they get to to go to certain places or do certain things that's all fundraised money it's not the the school department does not pay for that except for but when you get into the major sports that are in the high school level I do never never remember my my daughters or my granddaughters paying for anything or raising any money for

well they do they they do now 100% they do now so last year uh total fundraising was $450,53468 that was from five PTOs the DSMA was $168,991.31 um student activity ity groups, which would include athletic teams, were $55,7606.

Um so that's there's that's oneird of the music, $450,000 in fundraising contributed to the schools from basically parent, you know parent.

So, we're way off topic now, but just to bring this to close, that's good information, I think, for people to have. So, if there's some way to highlight that in I mean what you were talking about in terms of individual contributions but also that piece um I think for the big picture for people to see what it cost to run a school district. Yeah, that's a big piece.

I did provide that I think at one point in the budget cycle last year, but u but yeah, it's important to note that like a lot of these programs are being supplemented by local businesses and individuals.

Yeah. Well, again, not to get too off track, but in terms of fees, we also charge $374,92143 in fees.

Yes.

To to folks. So, in addition to the fundraising, there's also Does music pay fee? I know they do.

Yeah. Because I know sports has a fee.

Music has a fee.

Yep. Student activities groups. So, I see a handout, Jim.

Who pays for public schools?

Yeah. Yeah.

Wow. And that's it. Those are my requests. So, um I'd appreciate, you know, whatever you can do for us. You know, we'll use it well and we just um you know, want to continue to provide a good environment for the kids. So, so the the last question I have is and we I ask this every year, can you you if we obviously can't fund everybody, but if we can partially fund some of these

things like we have in the past, I know that you can take it and move with it. So, yeah, it's the same question. I would do the playground, the telephone, like at least some portion of playground so we can do repairs.

Mhm.

Um, we've exhausted all of the playground money article that we, you know, we had from the Quinn project. So, um, I would do that. And obviously, we've been talking about the track. The track does really need it. We are going to get to the point like we're patching it, but we're going to get to the point where we won't be. Um, and you know, obviously the other the other items need to be

addressed too at some point. Uh, the vehicle, you know, the the maintenance truck I showed you is pretty rusty and like we have problems in terms of passing inspection. I mean, yeah, certain items we can't partially fund like a truck, you can't you can't partially fun, but but if it's like like for example, again, I know they have lower priorities, but the music and athletic if we threw some money at it. Yeah.

Um, that will help you.

Yeah, that would be great. Yeah, sure.

Yep. And you could partially fund the playground. If you funded the playground, then we replace a whole section of playground, right?

And that that would be great. Um, instead of just, you know, trying to string it along with repairs, but the phone system, that's something that you cannot partially. You have the phone right?

Yeah. On the vehicles, um, what is this?

How many vehicles we have right now, Jim? And then what what do we have, John? Six.

Six vehicle.

Yeah.

Yeah. six vehicles. We have a dump truck and a stake body truck and then uh and then plow.

Yeah, we're slowly replacing trying to replace those no longer like it was falling apart down the road and we put them in something else.

Yeah. Yeah. So, we just we fairly recently have replaced three trucks. So, um you know, if if we take care of this one, we'll be in much better shape. Um they take about a year to get.

So that was then I mean new trucks are 2024s.

We just got them beginning in a year.

Yeah. As far as the playgrounds and the committee remembers a few years ago when um parks and wreck requested those playgrounds and the cost just you know we saw those increase year after year and so I think to Jim's point the equipment is very expensive. I think with parks though, we got a lot of that money from opera opera.

Yeah, we use some opera money. Um but yeah, I mean every single year the equipment just keeps on and the rubber surface rubber surface the rubber surface is uh is very expensive.

Yesterday we did the one over street.

Yep. Yep. And Quinn Quinn has a new one.

Yeah. Okay. So which one and Quinn did they outside one? No, we did the one nearest to the softball like nearest to the fields down the end like not not in the enclosed tennis former tennis court space on the corner. That's right.

Yeah. Yeah.

The problem is now if you if you do a playground, you kind of got to do the rubble.

Yeah. The rubbers have to cost.

No, I No, I totally agree. I just was curious which one because that actually gets used a lot more during sporting events and Right. Right. It it gets a lot of community.

Did you send the kids off while you're watching the oldest?

Both. Yeah. The siblings of of um our students at the high school level who are play either playing sports or practicing often use the playground. And then all the wreck league um you know games that are happening on those fields. Um you know there's there's a lot of kids around that those playgrounds. So I get a lot of use. So I appreciate your consideration.

Thank you, Jim. Thank you for everything that you do to manage this and thank you to you.

Yeah.

I'll say the same thing I said to Tim, which is this is very useful having the PowerPoint having pictures of past stuff. I know you did some of the bathrooms and stuff, but it's not only good for our committee, but whoever watches this so they can see that the money is actually getting uh used. these projects are going forward and and especially the ones that you can see, right?

Yeah.

I'll send you a couple of pictures of the of the Quinn playground before and after too.

Okay, that'd be great. Yeah.

Yeah.

Good. Thanks, Jim.

Thanks, everybody.

Yep.

Thanks.

Thanks for coming, Mr. Nunes.

at 10:30 at 11.

You have any questions while we're breaking here?

No.

You think? presentations.

Yeah. And and very knowledgeable questions.

Has also provided tours for people.

Like that when I did the tour that's what I'm curious about.

That stayed with me.

I mean it really didn't really just the example that I talked about with the bulbs. They had to search Dartmouth natural gas and they had people who were doing that.

It was pretty cool. And the pneumatic system.

So, next on the agenda, um parks and wreck and police. We're waiting just for uh police chief to show up. He might show up before uh parks and wreck is what 10:30?

Yeah. But we've made um a couple of calls because we're running ahead of schedule. So, yeah.

for the schools, right? They It was like 400,000 right?

On the um Is that to replace the whole playground or just like replace the whole playground? He said, "Yeah, cuz I mean I'm looking here.

Remember we just I was just talking about the community park just to resurface it was 421 last year just for the just for the um just for resurfacing when I think to replace a section, right? It wasn't the whole I was going to say I was like there's no way that's enough.

It's to replace an entire No, I think that whole project was like 7 or 800,000 if I remember back then. I think it's to replace a section at the dlo school like a big section of Gotcha. All right. So, it's not a full I was going to say it's not enough money if I'm going to miss the 23rd meeting.

I mean, I saw those guys doing that work.

Come on.

Am I allowed to give you I need to open a playground resurfacing.

Tell you what I think. It's not meeting.

Um, yeah, you can share your feedback.

You can send it to me via email if you want. If it's a vote, it it's not going to matter, per se, but we can share your feedback with the Okay. All right. Thanks.

So, um I was going to bring this up at the end, but seeing that we have a little bit of time, uh the um Oh, that'd be great. That's going to be a good time.

Oh, the police chief's here.

Good morning.

Made it through the crowd.

Made it through the crowd. Yeah. Good.

The recount.

The election recount.

Yeah.

Do you have a present? You have a Do you have a presentation?

Oh, is that right?

I got I got it up on the screen.

Yeah.

You had should have parked in the new back lot.

Yeah. I didn't even I was just like I didn't find a spot.

You're probably relieved that it didn't have anything to do with you, right, Chief?

Yeah. I don't know what was going on out there.

All the things that have been recon.

So, are they going to New Bedford next?

The north end of Newfford. Uh, I don't know when they're doing their recount, but yeah, they have to do the recount as well. They only have three precincts, though.

What's that?

They only have three New Bedford in the district. Yeah. Yeah.

Thank you.

167,000.

It's more than my more than my car.

200 260,000.

Thanks G for coming in. Uh so um oh Bruce just wait for Bruce. Okay.

Wow.

You guys running ahead of schedule today?

Yeah.

Good job.

So, uh, the committee has the, uh, schedule that the chief had forwarded. I sent that off to everybody on the capital request. So, if you want to just maybe review that and some Yep.

So, most of the requests I had for FY27 were addressed at the Springtown meeting.

The remaining item is uh for police cruisers that I'm still looking uh for funding on. The cost the projected cost that I had originally provided actually went down a little bit which is very unusual in this day and age. But what happened is uh with Ford we've been buying the hybrid cruisers. Uh they also continue to sell the gas. there was a difference in price where the hybrids were, I want

to say almost maybe $4,000 more expensive than the gas cars. So, what they ended up doing is bringing the cost. They wanted to have the same cost for both versions of the car. So, what they did is they brought the gas up a little and brought the hybrid down quite a bit. So, they're actually the same cost now. Um, so the revised um cost estimate that they had sent out um we're

we're looking at saving about $2,000 per car. Uh so with the four about $8,000 in total. Um like I said in this day and age it's very unusual to see costs go down but this is in one case that um the cost did go down for us if you were buying gas cars. Well it went up a little bit.

So chief you're saying Fords I I think I've been seeing a lot of Chevys. Uh we do we've got we've got a um we tried we started maybe about a year ago now with a Chevy.

Those are electric cars. The Chevys.

Those are electric.

Yeah. So the Ford's a hybrid.

Yep. gas and electric. Uh the Chevys, those are fully electric.

We started out with one of them and um the feedback was good from the officers that were using it.

We um didn't really have any issues with it, trying it out, trying to get used to it. Can we use it the way we we use cruisers? It is a it is a um designed to be a police car.

It's not um some regular EV that we tried to turn into one, but it's made by Chevy. It's a Blazer essentially, but it's a police version, so it meets all the same safety and calibration standards that that they do.

Um the cost on those is very similar to the cost of the hybrids. However, um through the uh mass, it's called the EVIP program. So, it's electric vehicle incentive program, I think is what it stands for.

um we were able to get rebates on the purchase of those vehicles, $7,500 a piece.

So essentially it brings the cost down by that much money because they started out at about the same cost as the uh as the Fords do.

Mhm.

Um and since that since that original one we had tested with the re, you know, the feedback being positive on it, uh we added two additional ones and we may even consider buying another one this time around as well. um because of the in and with the gas prices honestly it's worked out very well for us um because the gas how's the charging on those like uh quick I'm sure you have rapid uh the the

level threes at the yeah well we only we only have the middle one the level level twos I think it is okay um the level what happened is going back a couple years working with the town energy manager um we were hoping to get funding I think it was through Eversource had a program to to get the the really high-speed chargers. And we went as far as doing like a design. We

had a company come out. They gave us a cost estimate. We submitted all that for approval. Didn't get approved. Um the cost was going to be about 480,000. I think according to my memory, that was for two of the chargers and each one could handle two cars. So, so basically most of that cost I would imagine would be to upgrade the electrical system to handle that kind of uh load. I would imagine

they were going to they were going to actually attach them directly to the pole.

They were going to run a line from the pole down through, you know, into the station.

They put a transformer there to to step it down. Yeah. So, that's probably what that cost is.

Um, but the cost was was tremendous and it's not something that I'm looking to.

So, what we've been doing though, to answer your question, is so we have the we have the regular charges and they're relatively about $1,500 a piece to get to get those purchased and installed.

Um, and we have several of those.

So, the officers charge whenever they can if they fall behind on charging because we want to try to run these cars as much as we can, right?

Um, we're fortunate in town that we do have access to like the the superchargers.

Um, and those we don't pay for, we just pay for the use. Uh, in the use also the rate on it goes down midnight to 8:00 a.m.

So, we've assigned basically our midnight officers. They're in char if if the car is below a certain level, we have them go to the superchargers.

They spend about 15 minutes over there.

Charge it back up and that gets us enough to get between that and the other charges we have. We can run the cars 24 hours a day.

Um, a lot of towns don't have that, you know, right? Not only is it in town, but it's 2 minutes from the police station.

So, you know, we're very fortunate to have that in town. And if they had to respond, they're in a good place to respond from as well. They're not really far from even where the station is.

Um, and the and the rates are pretty good overnight. Not nearly as good as when we can plug in and use, you know, the the rate that the town gets on electricity. So, we are paying a premium for that ability to uh but it's still less than the the fuel these days.

Yeah.

Um to do that. in the cars really maintenance-wise there's not a lot there's not a lot going on there as far as and even the brakes if they use the regen braking you get better brake life um so you know like I said we're going to do some long-term testing now um we may add one more I'm not looking to really push it much beyond because I mean at some point you don't

want to put like have all your fleet on electric because that would be bad right yeah I would think you know I don't think we're ready especially with like the power outages yeah well you People don't think about it, too, but the power outages affect gas cars, too. Because if you go to a pump Yeah.

Guess what pumps need? They need electricity to pump it out of the ground.

Oh, that that's true.

So, you know, electric problems affect really every kind of car, but um yeah, we're not we're not looking to turn the whole fleet over, but we are looking to recognize any kind of cost savings and upgrades when we can. And this this is one way that we're looking at reducing not only the the fuel cost, but also the maintenance costs.

Yeah, I did. Like I said, I noticed a few and they were quiet. I didn't realize that they were full electric.

Yeah, they're full electric. So, the hybrids kind of say hybrid on the side and those say electric on if you look at the Yeah, the thing.

Look, I just hear them and I I hear them whiz by. I don't like hear a motor. So, I was like, "Oh, yeah.

They're whizzing by you or you whizzing by."

No, no, no, no.

Thank you for Yeah. So, that's the situation with the with the vehicles. uh the price went down. So, we're we're we're happy to recognize that savings.

And if we do pick up another um electric vehicle, there'll be another $7,500 in in additional savings as long as we can get that grant um continues and we're able to uh qualify for that. U my understanding is it's available until the funding runs out and then they end it.

Gotcha.

So, um we'll we'll certainly And that and that kind of gets rid of idle hours, right? Because the idle hours are more on the internal combustion engines. there's really no uh there's no idle hours, right?

So, when we um when we look at our regular cars and even the cars I'm looking to replace, idle hours is a is a big part of it, right?

But EVs don't idle, you know? They just it's nothing they do. They don't really get any extra wear necessarily from just being on other than a little bit of battery degradation, but the batteries can handle it. It's not a big deal. Um, when you look over the cars, I had my fleet manager take an inventory and um, kind of give me an idea of the cars we're looking to replace. He came up with

five. I'm looking to replace four um, once the funding's available. And then another one is kind of just hanging on.

And, uh, that last one, 1564, essentially, if that needs any major repairs, we're probably not going to do it. Um, at that point, we'll get rid of that vehicle. But the first four, I think it's pretty straightforward. It kind of gave you the what we call the car, the year, the odometer, the idle time, which is significant on some of the cars. Um, I've done I've done studies over the years, maybe even going

back 8 n years. Our idle percentage maintain stay is pretty consistent and and over here it's 56 to 73%. I use usually 60 to 65% when talking about it and these vehicles fall right in line with um the idling. Uh the the cars, they have so much electronics, the HVAC system for the officers and also to run the emergency lights. Um the cars do idle a lot. We have a lot of

cars these days being used on details around town. You probably see them. A lot of the contractors are requesting that. We do mandate it on certain roads.

um and they idle for potentially the whole uh shift out there during road jobs. So Ford had come up with a um a conversion factor of of 33 miles what they use per hour of idle time and they say that's the equivalent amount of wear and tear on the uh mechanical part of the vehicle for idling. So what we did is we we took the odometer, we also added on the idle

the idle time hours and we kind of came up with an equivalent miles. So you as you can see, you know, as one of the vehicles is over a half a million miles, another one's not too far away. Um, but this there's significant use on these cars. I went out and looked at them the other day. Um, they're they're wellworn vehicles both inside and out. Um, unfortunately, Ford had issues with um,

model years 13 through 19 with water pump uh, leaks. It's uh, something that we've experienced frequently with these with these vehicles and it's a costly repair and so at this point with the age of the vehicles and the mileage, you know, it's something that we wouldn't we wouldn't pay to repair um, at that point. decals, too. The stickers we put on the cars being out in the sun, they just fade over time. They

start looking pretty bad after a while.

That's about a $1,200 repair to get the decals redone. Um, and those are those are basically the the big things that we look at with those cars. And, um, I think we've between the, you know, the year 12 to 13 years old on most of them.

Um, newest one being just almost 10 years old. and the mileage. They're um certainly due to be replaced at this point. We use them the best we can. We try to put them in different roles so they're not like frontline cars that'll be responded to emergencies because at at this stage in their life, they're not really suited for that at all. Um so we try to use them as detail cars and stuff

like that. Um just to get that little bit of life left in them out of them. So when we um when we finally do trade them in, they're they're pretty much ready for the scrapyard at that point. To be honest with you, I think I think our committee has done a pretty good job of funding four cruisers per year. I think we did fall I think we did four.

Uh there was a there was a there was a time we only did two two years ago. But no, I think the spring I think in the spring I think we funded an admin vehicle or two I Yes. Two two admin vehicles. And did we do one cruiser or no cruises? I don't know.

No cruises.

No, but I think that you you had already you had requested four in the the fall of that year and we had approved it. So yeah, I know there was one was one year that we didn't approve because we just didn't have funds to do it. So I think you fell behind and maybe that's why you requested it again, but it doesn't sound like you're too too far behind.

Yeah. No, we're we're we're pretty much on schedule. This schedule's been working out for us. It keeps our maintenance costs reasonable and it keeps our fleet in in good serviceable condition. Um, so we're able to respond safely and uh, yeah, it was two admin vehicles that we had approved and then four at the uh, last fall. Tell me.

Yeah. So, okay. So, so we have All right.

Yeah, we're on we're on schedule with the uh, replacement. It's been very consistent over the years. It's basically the four cruisers every year and then we add the two admin vehicle every other year. So, this is a good I like this. This is a really good one.

That's helpful detail on the Yeah. And uh you know, we got pictures to It's just It's just a bunch of one.

Not of the most recent one, huh?

Yeah. No.

Now, you had an issue with vehicles that get into wrecks, too. I know that's something that you talked about in the spring.

Yeah. Uh, were you able to I know that was one of the reasons why I think you asked for an additional four. Sounds like you caught up like is that still I haven't asked. So, we've been consistent with the four per year.

I think there was I thought there was four in the spring that you requested and I think it was because I did request four in the spring but it wasn't approved.

Yeah. And we try to go two and two because until we know what the free cash is and stuff like that, we just Yeah. So, it's been broken up different ways over the years and we're we're we try to be flexible with if if we got to wait till the fall, we can usually make that happen, too. Um, with waiting, but yeah, we did we did have one uh total um officer hit a a cow.

Wow. It was the uh that was the end of that car. So, on he chasing the cow, it was it was on surprise surprise.

It was like 2:00 in the morning or something. The cow kind of came came right out.

I don't know. I'm right out in front of the car and uh same.

Well, hopefully he's okay.

Yeah. Well, the officer a couple officer is okay.

The officer is okay. Yeah.

Um but we actually we we made out pretty well with the insurance company on that one. It was a newer car, so um we're going to be able to replace it. Oh, good.

With the um the funding we received.

That's good.

Um but we we do the best we can to replace cars. It's a little bit of a struggle sometimes because if the car's a little older, they don't give us a lot of money for it. Um, and I, you know, I try not to ask for extra cars. I think the floor has been working well for us and I I try to stick to that as best I can. Um, so we've been able to do that

with that car, too. And get that replaced, but there really is no great funding.

Like if they only give me, you know, half the value of a new car, well, where do I get the rest from? Right. And so we we try to make it work.

Yeah.

I have a question about the drone. Is it insured like the cars?

Yes.

I heard I heard some didn't know about damage. I just heard there was a little Yeah. So, the drone the drone has the liability insurance. Our biggest concern with drones is damaging someone else's property or or a person getting hurt with it. Um the cost of the drones, we try to keep the insurance as manable manageable as we can for the town. So, it's something that we could fund to

replace if the drone got damaged. Um but a lot of times too depending on how anything may happen we deal with various vendors and the vendor may be responsible and and in this case it looks like they are going to replace the drone for us. Um so mostly it's a liability insurance as far as insurance it's liability in case the drone damages something hurts someone that's where we want to have the coverage. So, was that

a a manufacturer problem that happened with that drone or was it still training somebody or?

Yeah, it wasn't so much it was more of the software is what we think it was.

And there they're we haven't heard definitively back from the company, but we've sent that out to them. We've sent them all the records we have. They're investigating it, but um but so far they've been they've been pretty good and it it seems like they're going to replace it.

only asking because like somebody you know said something about it and you know you always I want to know the truth. I want to know.

Yeah. Yeah. No, when you hear what you actually what it actually was is totally Yeah. So I don't know definitively but they are revealing it and it looks like they're going to cover cover the replacement.

But they're much less expensive than cars too.

Understandable. But just you know how it is with insurance, right? you try to balance, you want enough insurance, but it costs money, right? So, it's great to have something covered, but it it costs the town to have that. Uh, so if it's if it's something that we don't anticipate happening, like in this case, we don't anticipate, right?

Problem with the drones, uh, and if it is our fault, well, you know, we we'll have to look at replacing it at that point.

Okay. Thanks.

So, um, that's about it for the cars.

now in the in the uh projections, you know, going out 10 years. I I tried to add in a a bunch of stuff. I kind of got with our IT person because we recently had to replace a video server. There's actually two of them. And these things have a lifespan to it and it's something that we hadn't really accounted for properly. So, when that happened, I'm kind of like, hey, what what else should

we be anticipating? He kind of gave me a list and he also handles our radio system as well. So all those electronics we kind of put them on a replacement schedule. We have five different uh servers that we utilize and um I believe he estimated about a fiveyear lifespan on the server which I think is pretty good. We have some people here know about service. I think five years.

Yeah. I mean five to five years is a good amount. Five to seven years before they sunset it and you have to get them replaced. So yeah, I mean I think it's important that you put that number there and then if you can kick the can down the road a year, you can do that, right? I mean cuz maintenance usually will cover like that's what we talk about the phone system with the school department which was

we kick that can down the road because maintenance goes up the older the system is but you still have it so you can hang on to it but they end of life it um the system for FY 2028 so they have to replace it otherwise. So, the same thing with the servers. It's important that that Tony, well, I'm sure Tony is the one that puts it on there. It's important that he puts that on there because

you don't want to be hamstrung with, you know, $75,000 server replacement and you're like, uh, where did where did that come from?

Yeah. Um, so we have we added servers.

Uh we also added um our regular desktop computers replacement for those and um certain radio major radio components of our radio system as well as the the portable radios that we we carry around.

So you'll see all that equipment added to the uh long-term projections.

The tasers, we've talked about those.

Those were funded in the spring. that would have been year two. So that's kind of a a lease to own program, a fiveyear uh fiveyear duration on that.

So the TAS are built in for the you know to um out to what is it 2030. That'll be year five. Most likely at that point they'll probably have some new model and they do the same thing with the tasers.

They stop supporting them at some point and they say you got to upgrade to a new one. Um, I don't know what that cost is and I'm not sure. So, I didn't build it in yet, but we're we're built out till 2030 with the tasers at this point. And as I monitor that, I'll uh I'll add in anything additional that we learn about replacements and replacement costs, but that's something we have done several

times. I think we're in at least our third iteration of tasers. And um they have about a fiveyear uh usable life, which is why I think they let you have them at the end because in their opinion they're pretty much outdated at that point. So So Chief, regarding this the server replacement, are you each year you going to like have something to say what server you're replacing? So we know like

we know the money is actually used for that.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah. We can go into as much detail as you want about what it just Yeah. Not necessarily the server, but like that there's a quote in that like cuz sometimes we'll say server replacement and they buy computers with it or something that has nothing related to to the server.

No, we don't we don't usually do that.

Like I've got desktops in here. So you kind of know where we're is it a server.

Yeah. Just as long as computers and Yeah. If it's like video server or this or like you know login server it is just to Yeah. I can it's just a bit more clear than saying server replacement. What type of server is it for?

Yeah. And the first one we did replace um you know because it went bad is is the video because those those are really uh used heavily.

Yeah.

Uh and that was the one that was installed six years ago when the station was built.

Uh and those type of servers as you know they're constantly taking in data overwriting data um stuff like that. So they're they're very heavily used servers and that was the first one that that went.

Yeah. Just for clarity sake, if you just put down like video server replacement or like you know you have one computer so just so folks can see exactly what what's being what it's being used for that that'd be great. Thank you.

Easy enough.

I think that's all I have. Unless you have any questions or so for the fall I'm just looking for the four four cruiser replacement.

I don't have any questions. I want to comment on the um the flock cameras.

Yes. Because when I go back in time and think about um this committee talking with you about them and uh the questions that we asked and then just looking at the whole process of the trial, I think the way that you you're very mild mannered in terms of your presentation and the information that you shared at the select board meeting was very helpful, I think, and you withtood um

the feedback from the audience there and that people had some very strong feelings about it. And I think that one of the things that came out of that whole process is just the suggestion that the town look at a policy for selecting um equipment that we the bottom line the point was made at some place along the way that when we were asking about the cameras questions that wouldn't have even occurred to us for

example like where is the data being stored who can access that data I would never have thought of that uh question to ask and it was a great kind of looking backwards uh process us to say what should we do in the future if something like this comes up again and that was a good and I wanted just to thank you for your handling of that whole process.

Yeah. No, we welcome feedback and you know we try to make the best decisions we can but honestly I don't I don't think a lot of people would have you know that was going back almost three years and um you know everything was pretty quiet with with the whole camera system for a long time. I'm going to say it's only within the last six to eight months where that's really become an

issue. So whatever we would have had in place going back let's say 3 years I don't I don't know that anybody would have asked certain questions um that's kind of we had no fights break out the meeting or any of that we don't we've had the struggle and I think I've I asked like for a per like my other side that was something questions that I asked right away just

because we live in that thing like who's got access to it how is it audited because we in it you get a lot of questions about auditing it's all about auditing who's got access we do a a lot with that. So, the fact that I think that you did a good job of having your own way of using it that cuz I've seen the flock presentation, they they've been to where I work and it's they

presented and I have a lot of questions like who has access to it and the fact that you shielded other local from using it because if you don't, you can be in Arizona and look at a Dartmouth thing and if they don't have that safeguard in place, then they can access all of that stuff. So, the fact that you you set the bar high was important, you know, and I think you

I mean, I saw a little bit of what you presented. I right now I don't think the juice is worth the squeeze, so to speak.

No, I think I think right now, and I think I said it during the meeting, too, is I I've seen technology kind of outpace regulations and legislation over my years um doing this. It it happens.

And this, I think, is another situation where it's happened. And so, you know, we'll it it's a useful technology to us, especially if used properly and protecting people's privacy. Uh, and we had a bunch of success with it. So, it wasn't something that like from the policing side, we like it. Okay. We we like it because it helps us solve crime, detect crime, all that stuff. But I

understand the public concerns and and also maybe the the lack of official regulations and legislation right now.

So, I think we'll just take a step back, let everything sort itself out, and then at some point in the future, possibly revisit it because um it is it is useful for us solving crime, which at the end of the day is what we want to do as police officers. So, you know, like internally, not a lot of people are happy that we're losing it. They understand why, but they want to solve

crime. It's why they did that's why they're police officers, right? So, they can do this stuff. Um so, uh but it's it's something that'll sort itself out in time like the other technologies have. And um if it's acceptable, then we'll vet the proper company because that's the other part of this, right?

The technology, but also the company you're dealing with. Are they doing the right thing on their end? Securing the data, limiting access to it, things like that. So, thanks, Chief.

Thank you, Chief.

Thank you.

Good rest of your day.

You might be you might be back up here again.

Last one. You might want to quick couple quick questions.

Yeah. For the chief.

No, for you. I didn't want to take up his time. I I had a question about procedurally. Um he had something in there about a study. Okay. Um for for personnel. Is that a capex issue or is that an opex issue?

It's capital. It was approved the All right.

Yeah. That was a private but study you include studies under capex type of expenses. Okay. Yes, they're over 10.

They're over $10,000.

Shows a 5year investment.

Okay.

Okay. So, um one other question.

Um you know, all the the spreadsheets um you know, they're not marked in terms of are they are they future dollars or are they current dollars? A lot of them seem to be like in $26. His presentation seem to be adjusted for inflation sort of in future. Is there a p, you know, when you're collecting these, do you ask them to be So, we've typically told the departments to increase some kind of inflationary

cost into into these schedules. Um, they have I think they've in the in prior to maybe a few years ago, uh, they weren't.

Uh, but they are building inflationary costs into some of these projects. I mean, if you like the schools, if you listen to the schools when he talked about like the stadium, uh, you know, it's kind of like hard to determine what that cost would be, right? Uh but so they put their best guesstimate in there. But yeah, going forward they do each year they when they adjust these schedules it's due to inflationary

and I will say it's easier for the police because they know they're getting four cruises every year. So it's easier to put a cost escalator versus like you know stadium or or if they have like a a a 25,000 GVW dump truck and they need it in 8 years. It's tough to put a cost escalator like so they just kind of put a placeholder there and then as it gets closer they adjust.

Okay. But the intention is there future dollars.

Yes.

Which and I understand you you don't have to doesn't be hard and fast just some placeholder right such a moving target.

Yeah. Yeah. It's I know it's tough. It just but for them it's it's like you know they know they're getting it and he does a good the chief always does a good job of like breaking it down and every department does say.

Yeah.

Okay. Um, pox and wreck is next. We have Becky Ammerl. She can do a presentation on speak on the request. It's up on the screen.

This will be really quick hopefully.

Um, so in going back uh from the spring, I had a request of other gates for Jones Park and Aponaganset. Both of those we are actually doing in-house through our revolving fund. So that is why they've been eliminated from your schedule. um that you're seeing. So, I saw it getting done. I was like, I as that question when I Yeah, you were I went there this weekend for the last weekend for my bucket

burger and I said, "Wait a minute. I don't remember that gate."

So, the North Park, which you approved in the spring, he's actually doing all three at the same time. So, whatever is done at one, the other two sites are having the exact same um construction going on at the same time. So hopefully within the next couple of weeks we'll have gates throughout uh the parks and that'll be huge and I think the residents will be very happy with the results of that. Um so I'm assuming ah

yes the the highlighted um is the box van that is my only request. It is been moved to priority one. Um we really need that piece of equipment. Um like I had mentioned in the spring it goes out on every project every day from April through October. Um, it's 19 years old.

The mechanical problems are just escalating and the gas gauge doesn't work and we literally ran out of gas twice this summer. Um, which obviously is a pain. Um, we do have gas cans on board for the mowers that they were able to fill up and get them to the DPW, but obviously that's time consuming and it is a problem. So, that is my my request for this fall.

Um, I don't know. Do you have any other Anybody have any questions?

I I think uh I'm sorry.

Yeah, that there was something uh with the cemetery uh that seemed to be a question that you had last year that it was important to get done.

It will and it will go on for this spring again.

Right. But I know that like it was like if if pe if people were dying to get in, right? like like then then the problem was is that you're going to run out of spaces. Is that like and and that will happen if if it's something isn't done and I would rather uh have the uh expansion done sooner rather than later because it will take some time to get

but I know that there was some spot like has it has it is it outpaced or underpaceed what you expected to to use for spots or uh No, we're okay.

Okay. All right.

Yeah, we're okay. Which is why I just it's kind of a morbid discuss. No, I know. My father always says that. Yeah, people are just dying to get in there.

That old saying, but u no we're we're good. I can realistically it can probably sustain two years, but I wouldn't say any more than that. I mean, we we legally have to have a town cemetery. So, no, understood. I know that was like I said, there was a concern last year where maybe it was getting close to Yeah. Yeah, it is. But like I said, it could um if I had a choice between the

two, that's why like highlighted. That's what we really really need right now. Is it a lot of trees up in that area that you're looking to take down or is it vegetation or is it It's It's big trees.

Big trees.

Big trees. Yeah, that's that's the biggest hurdle would be the trees. Yeah.

Yeah.

And then the stumping and and whatnot.

But yeah, just curious if the wood to be used somebody probably.

You know what I mean?

It's pine though. So is it pine?

It's mostly pine. I would say unless you bring it to a sawmill, right?

Access will be an issue too. I'm not sure um how that's going to work. We'll cross that bridge, but I it it appears that the entrance way will not be wide enough to get the trucks through, you know, the the big trucks that they use with the uh tree services. So, I don't know, maybe our neighbor will be gracious and let us use their access way, but again, we'll cross that bridge.

Okay. Do you have a question?

Yeah. You mentioned that the this van is used for transporting fuel. Sometimes small gas tanks for our mowers. Yes. It has a special compartment on the outside. It's it's not within the It's a box van, so it's not within the cab.

Okay. So, it has special secured and ventilated area.

Correct.

Okay.

Yes.

Okay. Great.

And we are switching the van we have now is gas. We are switching the new one would be diesel. So, we have tanks at our facility right down the road on Allen Street. So, we'll be able to fill it up there, which is much easier than having to take it to DPW.

Is that a util more utility, too, Becky?

Is that a utility truck?

Uh, it's not like utility body, right?

With the No, it just has a couple of cabinets on one side on the outside. Yes. But it's not No, it's an open open box van. Yeah.

It's uh Let's see. It would be the box itself 10 ft long, 8 ft wide, 6 and 1/2 ft high, and it uh would have outlets in it with an inverter for and the compressor hose and reel for filling up tires or whatever is needed. It will be fully the reason why you're switching to diesel, I it's just easier because we have the tank right at the shop rather than Okay,

now we're starting the day. We got to first go up to DPW to fill up where we can do it just right right at the shop.

It's a timesaver with the price of diesel right now for one and diesels last longer but unfortunately these trucks these frames aren't lasting. How long how how old is the one that you want to replace?

19 years old.

19 years old. Is it the frame gone or uh No, it's just it's the mechanical end of things.

Yes.

You know cuz I know like the DPW a lot of their frames just go before and the school department had the same problem. and they were going diesel trucks and the frames were going out and the engines were still really good but they couldn't transfer them to the only good thing is this doesn't go out in the salty it's you know not like our plow trucks or what have you so the

winter time it's not used as much as you know the summer months so that's the only good thing it doesn't really see the salt on the road kind of a followup same topic is um so there is I had conversations with Gary about this you know about trucks the town owns and the venting for carrying fuels. Um would the van you'd buy would be a factoryinstalled venting system or would be something that you try to modify

afterwards because it's supposed to be factory installed the venting?

I would have to double check on that because I think the one we have now was done inhouse. So I that's a question I would have to ask the Yeah, just check on what the um the state I can give you. It's 527 CMR 1.00 and um you know this we were discussing about the harbor master intending to store portable 7gallon jerry cans in and these cut the state says that these

compartments must be vented. Um I don't know if it means it has to be vented by the original manufacturer.

Okay.

Yep. No, I can I can definitely ask that question. No problem.

Okay.

Just good to know before you buy it.

Sure.

Anybody with any questions? Other questions? No.

Thanks, Becky.

All right. Thank you.

Thank you for coming in.

So, um, as we wrap up here, uh, just to and the committee has this. I sent this off to them, but we won't we won't be, um, speaking on this today. Uh, I just, this is the master capital plan. I did add one more item in there for board of health. There was an accident with one of their vans. It got totaled. So, they're going to need an additional well

to replace the van that they have. They have two vans. They'll be replacing that vehicle. I did add it in there. So, um I'll uh resend this out to the group.

But just what I want the group to focus on is just the olive colored and I sent this out. Um uh shading and that that will show the um the request on the left for those members that are new. Some of the members have seen this before. uh the priority level and then um what their what their projection what their request is for the fall town meeting and

then what it is going out and this is it goes all the way down by department uh so on and so forth but we'll review this further on the um 16th and we'll also have MIS and EMA in here to discuss their departments and then again on the 23rd uh I know Terry says she couldn't make it but uh we'll uh review retained earnings and free cash which will be a process of getting

certify ified now and then the committee can re make its recommendations to tell meeting.

You have any idea of what uh free cash probably close to the $5 million mark which historically that's what it's been in the past prior to us rescending articles and then a lot of the opera money that was still left over we were you know we had balances there so if we go back about 3 four years uh typically that's what we were certifying so around that same amount.

Gary I've asked you about this before but clearly I still don't get it. um what is the process for borrowing? Is there any part of this that we could borrow to do rather than asking at uh town meeting?

Yeah. So, um both Cody and I have talked about projects, larger projects that we we consider that would need borrowing. I think right now what we're waiting for, the biggest piece of this obviously is the schools for the roof and uh what what what's the plan what the plan there is. We we don't want to go to market too many times. We kind of want to if we're going to group these as we've talked

So we're working on a kind of a strategy for that. Um but I I would say that nothing nothing for the fall obviously but maybe within the year next year or two we will have a borrowing.

We'll have a borrowing for the fall but nothing like nothing exclusion.

Yeah. No debt exclusion. It's going to be a large large borrowing. Uh yeah, I wasn't thinking debt exclusion.

Okay. So just but like you can't group in like the water department stuff with others because it's an enterprise, right? So we're talking about just capital improvement for general fund general fund stuff.

Yeah. As we mentioned, anything that's to do with water, sewer, trash, anything like that, rate users. So that's a Can you use general fund money to supplement a to supplement? No.

No.

No. That's if it's set up as Yeah. No.

And you could you could put all of the for example rens for the bathroom, but would they be able to get it done is one question right?

The rentals for the bathrooms weren't too bad. It was like 100,000 I think is what one, right?

Uh no, I think we had funded half of it last year, so they're looking for another I think like 200,000.

But he mentioned that there were three projects that they were trying to do.

Yeah. With the bathroom renovations, he's he's keep I don't want to say keeping up, but he's the funding that we're giving him. He's pretty much doing like one or I asked the question one or two bathrooms.

He's got at least two bathrooms done.

But we're talking like I think Terry, what we're talking about is the larger projects. You know, the smaller larger projects. You definitely don't want to borrow for you know 100,000 couple hundred thousand.

No, we had talked before about the track the track the stadium.

Yeah. Those those are big medium side because that's the you can depreciate it over 20 years versus like you know a car, right? Yeah. you borrow, you know, take a long 20 or or 15 year, I don't know how long the bonds are.

So, we have, if we go to long-term borrowing, it's a 10-year minimum. So, for instance, the um I I step out, but I don't know if you talked about the water mane on Route 6 that we're so like a one estimated at 12, we're going to get authorization to borrow 15 or 16 just in case costs come in a little bit higher.

We don't plan as long as things keep going like we we think they will, we don't plan to long-term borrow at any point for that. it's only, you know, a million half. What we're going to pay in interest over 10 years because the 10-year minimum isn't worth it. What we'll likely do is u we'll do a band and then we'll roll that band over maybe two or three times and just take out less

each time and pay it off. So, you pay a little bit more in the fees with the band, but you're going to save compared to locking yourself into 10 years of interest. You can't pay it off early.

It's a 10 rates are bad right now, right?

triple AAA communities like us, I'm looking at three and a half%, you know, somewhere in that range, which isn't too bad. Um, but we know for a for that type of project, it would be foolish for us to to go 10 years.

And keep in mind, we keep on building the stable capital stabilization fund.

So, we still have that with about a million dollars in there, and we keep building that up in anticipation of projects that maybe we can supplement a borrowing cost with with that along the way. So, uh, that's something that's been already been in place for two years. We did that with the 500. We used $500,000 of that for the school uh fire alarm system.

Yep.

But then we we put the money put the money back back in.

Now with the with the borrowing process though, if we approve it or say if we present it for a fall town meeting, you still have to wait until what? For the you have to have it fixed in for your next year's budget, right? If we if let's say typic let's say just for instance we would um we would have to go out for not you're not talking about a debt exclusion you're

talking about a debt exclusion have to go out to the voters. you know, the first payment would if we say $6 million is, you know, we want to borrow those $6 million to supplement the high school roof and not a long term, you know, trying to get into Yeah, we would borrow them. We would borrow the typically we we'd get the fund. We had the funding start to get the funding. That first payment probably

wouldn't be till fiscal 29. Let's say we were to do it now.

But is it only that only the debt exclusion that has to go out to the voters? That's that's when I'm, you know, my head's trying to think about which town meeting.

approved. So, you always have to do the debt exclusion stuff really for the fall town meeting because you can't do it in April because your town after June.

You can do it either way though.

Well, you can do it in June, but then it doesn't but you still have to wait for an election to come.

Yeah. You have to have an election. If you're going to exclusion, you have to have an election.

Yep. Right.

It's two part. Town meeting is only giving you the authorization to borrow.

Right. And then and then the voters are giving us authorization to tax beyond two and a half to actually pay that debt.

Right. So that's that's why I'm saying that timing has to be Yeah.

coordinated, you know.

Oh, we're on top of that.

Yeah. Yeah. We're on top of that.

But that I know you are, but I I'm trying to That's what I was trying to understand, too.

The biggest thing right now is the school roof, which we're we're behold is the MSBA. Initially, we had planned to bring something to this town meeting, right, to get to get authorization to borrow and and MSBA requires very specific language like a typical borrowing like we're going to do with the u the Route Six Water Man. That was our goal. MSBA isn't going to be ready.

They're not going to approve it hopefully until February. So now we're talking about we'll likely need it'll go to the debt exclusion first on the ballot and then go to town meeting in June because we can't wait a whole another year, right?

Right. Voters and you're not going to hold a special election if we can avoid it. So So it will be when the town election happens. Okay.

typically kind of that's what we're planning. Yeah, that's what we're planning. And then and then the actual authorization to borrow would go to the June town meeting if the voters pass the debt exclusion, right? And that's just for that large borrowing for the potentially for the roof.

Yeah, we may look to wrap in some of those other things. We're starting to have those conversations. Either way, it'll have to be separate votes. Um so like Hback is something we've talked about. We need to address the Hback at the high school. We're try we're trying to get some preliminary numbers because it makes sense, right? There's going to be disturbance on the roof regardless.

And yeah, I think and I asked uh Mr. Kyle about that and he said that they were the they have MEPs that the MSBA assigned to that that'll do that. So So that may be something that we go at.

It'll potentially be a separate vote, but we under the borrowing it would be one borrow go to market under one.

And so would you like potentially include all school projects on something like that? Yeah.

You know, we've talked about that. Um the Hback wasn't something that we had really been on our radar and we're anticipating, you know, multi multi-million.

Oh, of course. Yeah. Yeah.

Well, we did I did talk to with the long term about the uh ACU and as soon as he mentioned that roof, I just said nobody's mentioned that, you know, we got to talk about that.

Yeah. So, that may turn it from, you know, a $6 million borrowing to a 12 or Yeah. 14 depending on what rebates are out there where our energy managers working to see if we did like a dual fuel system and the gas um you know we'd be eligible for significant incentives from Eversource. There's some grant funding out there through the state. So, but we're we're working in conjunction. So,

yeah, depending on what that is and really what the appetite of the community is is to throw in those other other projects for debt exclusion. And then we're still working on the middle school replacement, which that obviously would require debt exclusion. So, we want to be strategic about how these how we bring these together.

Everything gets shoved down their throat.

Don't want them to gag too fast.

Small bits.

Okay. So, there's no um no minutes for approval for this meeting. So, um that is anything from anybody else?

No.

Um the next meeting is on the 16th. I'll send out the invite again. It just it's it makes so it's just so much.

It's on my calendar. It's not happening.

That's what I tell the next about our 12:00 meeting today. I was like, "No, you never sent me an invite yet."

It's not on my Oh, okay.

Yeah.

So, um and then I'm going to review the master plan.

Okay.

8 8 a.m. again.

Uh um Well, we have So, it's up to the the committee. We have um MIS EMA and I'll review the master plan. So, uh, if you want to do 8:00, it's if it works for everybody, I mean, should be a quicker meeting than this, it would be probably an hour.

Yeah. Just if you can let me know date and time and then I'll send out the invite.

Yeah. 9 We'll do 9:16 at 8.

What is it?

9:16 at 8.

Is that all right?

8:00 if that works.

Can you do 8:30?

Yeah. Yeah. If that's okay with everybody else.

Yeah. I was just going to say cuz he always has to get his daughter off.

Yeah. Okay.

8:30.

Okay. Okay. So if that's it, I'd entertain a motion to adjurnn.

Journ second.

All in favor?

I Okay. Thank you everybody.