Joint Finance Committee and
Capital Improvement Committee Agenda
(with Notes & History)
Town of Bellingham – Municipal Center
Monday, September 26, 2011 at 7:15 p.m.
UPPER LEVEL/ARCAND ROOM
1. FinCom Present:
CIC Present:
2. FinCom Absent:
CIC Absent:
3. Meeting called to order: 7:15 p.m.
4. ARTICLE 4 - CAPITAL OUTLAY (OVER $50,000)
Generator (Police Department) $60,000
September 23, 2011 - Two additional quotes for the Generator from the Police Chief.
From Minutes, 9/12/2011: Police Department is requesting a new generator. Toni Picariello mentioned that she had heard that the existing generator is working fine. Chief Daigle confirmed that the generator is working, but it is too small. The existing generator runs on natural gas, but it was recommended that the larger generator run on diesel. They are looking at the state bid list, but needs to send out requests for quotes. The generator would be location outside the back door Peter Morelli will review the bids with the Police Department. Joseph Collamati suggests getting a quality generator. They are looking at a 30KW, but a question came up as to will this be big enough. They need a generator big enough to cover the 911 System, heat,
equipment, lights, etc. Jerry Correvieau would like to ask Gary Remillard at G & L Electric. The FinCom and CIC would like to see a more detailed generator and request, i.e.: size, brand, what type of fuel and a more exact cost. This request has been rescheduled to September 26, 2011.
 5. RECONSIDERATION: Cross Street Water Facilities (Department of Public Works)(More than $264,993 as voted and recommended.)
Email from Donald DiMartino, September 22, 2011: The bids for Cross Street
Well Improvements were opened today. This is the project we were planning to transfer $264,993.54 to construct. Unfortunately the bids came in higher than we expected.
Memo regarding bids and accounts for the transfer of funds.
I request to be placed on the agenda of CIC and FinCom to discuss modification to the previously recommended expenses.
To make this work this project and the Long Term Water Treatment Planning appropriation ($51,989.34) will need to be modified, as well as adding transfers from other yet unused water accounts. I plan to leave the Mann Street water main appropriation unchanged at $165,000, and no funds will be needed from the general fund.
I will have a package of information together before I leave tomorrow afternoon at the latest.
From September 12, 2011 CIC & FinCom Minutes: $325,000 was previously appropriated to fund the long needed facilities rehab.
Donald DiMartino is requesting this amount for the Cross St Water Facilities Upgrade Additional Funding. The Cross Street building is in tough shape. He would need to upgrade two buildings, control repairs and corrosion treatment. We should have bids in hand by September 22, 2011 and can then determine if more money is needed to do this project. This is the top priority.
CIC: Joseph Collamati/Paul Smith motion to recommend this upgrade. VOTE: 4/0.
FinCom: Carol Dill/Henri Masson motion to recommend this upgrade: Funding: $290.05 from Water Audit; $9,742.0 from Auxiliary Power; $132,529.61 from Filtration Plant and $122,431.18 from Facility Upgrade. VOTE: 5/1 (Carol Dill voted against this request)
6. ARTICLE 15 - HAMPTON COURT, KENSINGTON COURT, LEEDS LANE, OXFORD COURT & WHITEHALL WAY ACCEPTANCE (PETITION: MARK A. KABLACK, ESQ.)
Received documents from the Conservation Commission.
Received documents from the Planning Board.
Received multiple emails back and forth from Toll Brothers and the owners of the properties with drainage problems.
Letter dated 9/23/2011, in your packet: Received Planning Board's recommendation - They do not recommend this Article.
Letter dated 9/23/2011 from Eric van der Wal, another person with drainage problems.
From August 29, 2011 minutes: Joseph Collamati also mentioned that the Planning Board should not give 100% of the bond back to Toll Brothers. Roland Lavallee thinks none of the bond should be returned until the two property owners with problem get relief. Toni Picariello said she blames the Planning Board, Conservation Commission and Building Inspector for the problems; they give the permits and then ignore the development. Joseph Collamati mentioned that the "swale" was part of the original plan, why was it changed? Toni Picariello will email the Conservation Commission for an explanation.
From May 9, 2011 Minutes (CIC): The water problem caused by Toll Brothers was brought up. Peter Morelli and David Brown of the Planning Board met on March 29, 2011 with Toll Brothers and their representatives. Toll Brothers needs to study to see if it was the blasting that caused the problem as reported by DelMarco, Hydrologist. Was the pipe the correct size? Who is responsible for the repairs? Toll Brothers Attorney, Mark Kablack contacted Lee Ambler to see if he could set up a meeting. It was questioned whether Lee Ambler was now representing Toll Brothers, but was stated that he was contacted by Toll Brothers only because they knew he had been involved in the Town.
From October 13, 2010 minutes: Toni Picariello informed the meeting that the Board of Selectmen does not recommend this Article; the Conservation Commission indicated that there were outstanding issues.
Mark Kablack, Esq., Toll Brother's Attorney wants their security/bond back and the road accepted. He expected that the Planning Board would give the bond back according the Town Bylaw.
Patricia Buckley (Planning Board) indicated that issues were still outstanding. The water problem on the Morse property at 200 Center Street was ground water, not drainage.
There was also a swale problem with regard to what the Conservation Commission had approved.
Joseph Collamati stated that there was no problem before the Toll Brother's development and they have a moral obligation to fix the problem.
Dawn Davies (Board of Selectmen) indicated that Toll Brother's came up with an estimate to fix the problem from photo's that were 5 years old.
Anne Morse (Owner of the property) presented that she has an engineer because Toll Brother's refused to pay for an outside consultant. Charles Budnick looked at the site. The Morse's experienced ground water breakout when the street was under construction. What caused it? Fracture? Lacking any borings, sand, scientific information of extent of reservoir - no information of volume of flow, so they cannot design the size of pipes. The pipes would cut down through the Morse's property and jeopardize their use of the property in the future. The problem is related to the street and requires an engineering study.
Joseph Collamati stated that no drainage line is perfectly sealed.
Peter Pappas informed the Committees that there are two other properties with water issues.
From October 13, 2010 Fall Town Meeting: As of the printing of this booklet, the Planning Board, Department of Public Works, Conservation Commission and Board of Selectmen are still meeting with the developers, Toll Brothers, regarding accepting the streets. There is a surety bond being held by Performance Bond Surety Company and Issued by Safeco Insurance Company of America, Dated October 5, 2004, in the amount of $1,265,000. There are ongoing problems between the Toll Brothers' roads and water/drainage on an abutter's property.
From November 22, 2010 Minutes: Joseph Collamati informed that Committee that he confirmed that there might be a problem with Toll Brothers and the Conservation Commission recommendations. George Holmes', Conservation Administrator, son was working for Toll Brothers at the time that the project, in question, was being built. Could there be an ethics problem?
7. GENERAL DISCUSSION
A. Vote funding for the Police Vests: $4,000 from Free Cash.
B. Acceptance of Minutes:
FinCom:
August 22, 2011 (Carol Dill)
August 29, 2011 (Carol Dill, Katie Quinn)
September 12, 2011 (Katie Quinn)
September 19, 2011
CIC: September 12, 2011 (Judy Manning)
B. Reminder: ATFC Annual Meeting, October 15, 2011 at Tri-County Regional Tech School
C. Correspondence/Emails/Memo's etc.
Planning Board's Recommendations, Letter dated 8/26/2011.
Fire Department Expense Budget print-out.
Adjourned:
CIC:
FinCom:
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