Town of Newbury
Municipal Building Committee
MINUTES
DATE: August 21, 2014 Approved as written, 9/29/2014
Present: Eric Svahn, Chair; Steve Fram; John Lucey, Jr.; Richard Ronder; Martha Taylor
Absent: Tracy Blais, Sam Joslin
Guest: Damon Jespersen, Selectman
Eric Svahn, Chair, called the meeting to order at 7:10 a.m.
Motion: A motion was made by J. Lucey and seconded by S. Fram to approve the meeting minutes of August 14, 2014 as written. The motion passed with four in favor (Svahn, Fram, Lucey, and Taylor) and one abstention (Ronder, who was not present at that meeting).
- Revised CSS Report and Upcoming Report to Selectmen:
The Committee discussed the revised CSS report and the presentation that E. Svahn will make to the Board of Selectmen on August 26. He again will be looking for consensus on and support for the program. J. Lucey presented a letter from Chief Reilly stating that he feels that Option #2 best suits the short and long term needs of the Police Department (copy attached to these minutes). E. Svahn reported that he met with the Planning Board and asked the Board for input on where the Police Department should be located and why. The Board will review the CSS report and finalize its comments at its meeting of September 17, prior to the Selectmen’s meeting of September 23. E. Svahn also recommended that the other MBC members familiarize themselves with the 2012 Capital Planning Report, which
cogently outlines the Police Station deficiencies and space needs.
E. Svahn is continuing to analyze the project costs for the four options that have been put forth to show what the program and the resulting numbers mean for taxes and the Town. T. Blais has run the numbers for a 20 year financing bond at 5% for all the options. It appears that taxes for the average household will go up $200 to $250 per year.
Cost and program information on comparables, such as Hamilton and West Newbury, is still needed.
J. Lucey has reached out to the Scout Master for the Boy Scouts to see if there are ways that the Scouts could get involved with public outreach, such as by designing and/or distributing flyers; he will follow up. E. Svahn will contact the PTA to see if they might also be able to help.
The following tasks related to public outreach remain to be done:
a. Attend the August 26 Selectmen’s meeting;
b. Finalize the public awareness flyer;
c. Prepare a sheet of comparables;
d. Complete the cost spreadsheet;
e. Reach out to the PTA and Scouts;
f. Shoot the video of the police station.
On a motion by J. Lucey, seconded by R. Ronder, the meeting was adjourned at 8:20 a.m.
NEXT MEETING:
TBD
Respectfully submitted,
Martha L. Taylor, Town Planner
MBC Secretary
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