|
Town Manager Matthew Galligan called the meeting to order at approximately 4:35 p.m.
Members Present
Dr. Saud Anwar, Mayor, Town Council
Chris Chemerka, Director of Finance and Operations, Board of Education
Carol Driscoll, Board of Education
Matthew Galligan, Town Manager
Michael Gantick, Director of Public Works
David Joy, Board of Education
Elizabeth Pendleton, Town Council
Janice Snyder, Town Council
Members Absent
Dr. Kate Carter, Superintendent of Schools, Board of Education
Patrick Hankard, Director of Facility Services, Board of Education
Lisa Maneeley, Board of Education
Guests Present
Jeffrey Doolittle, Town Engineer
Raymond Favreau, Director of Parks and Recreation
Scott Roberts, Director of Information Technology
Walter Summers, Fire Marshal
3. Approval of Minutes Previous Meetings
The approval of minutes was tabled to the next meeting.
4. Discussion Items
CIP Project Update
Town Manager Matthew Galligan updated the Committee on current projects. The generator project is moving forward. It is going out to bid on December 30th, 2013. Town Manager Galligan explained that he has met with ClearEdge Power in South Windsor. It is his understanding that ClearEdge Power has a Memorandum of Understanding with Connecticut Studios. He also requested that ClearEdge remove the fuel cell at the high school and supply the Town with a brand new fuel cell that would power the entire building. Under the new State Statute under virtual metering, if the electrical bills are a certain amount, there will be a third party agreement involved. Then it would become an economic development project, and the only commitment that the Board of Education would have would be to
purchase electricity from the third party. Then the high school could be run as a 24/7 emergency shelter. The electrical bills will go down, and CL&P would have to buy electricity from them. Mr. David Joy asked for clarification. The fuel cell runs 24/7, the owner of the asset pays all of the natural gas bills, and the only obligation for the Board would be to buy the electricity over a twenty-year agreement. As of right now, the federal credits are very high. Ms. Carol Driscoll asked for more clarification on possible rate changes in a twenty-year agreement. Town Manager Galligan said there could be some adjusting with gas prices, but that is negotiated upfront.
Mr. Michael Gantick said that the high school will need to be completely shut down at times during installation of the fuel cell or generator, so the timeline to start will fall during summer vacation. Councilor Elizabeth Pendleton asked if the generator and fuel cell is the same item. Town Manager Galligan said they are two different items, and the high school would not receive both. Mayor Anwar said it is a win-win situation. Town Manager Galligan added that it will be a local company keeping people working. Mr. Joy asked if it is ClearEdge Power’s legal obligation to remove the current fuel cell. Town Manager Galligan explained that the legal obligation falls on UTC, but they have walked away from the fuel cell. Having both the generator and fuel cell projects move forward guarantees
that one of them will come to fruition. The generator bid says that the Town can reject any and all bids. Ms. Chris Chemerka said that if the fuel cell works out, the Board of Education is entirely on board with the project.
Mr. Jeffrey Doolittle discussed road projects. Most of the paving projects have been completed. Work has been started on new projects. If the projects stay on schedule, Foster Street and Dart Hill Road will be worked on next year. Town Manager Galligan asked about drainage. Mr. Doolittle said that Nevers Road drainage will be rolled into the entire Nevers Road project which will start after Foster Street and Dart Hill Road. Town Manager Galligan asked about the bridge on Main Street. Mr. Doolittle confirmed there is a grant, but there is still a cost of $800,000 to complete the third bridge in Town that needed to be reconstructed. The matching grant is approximately 49% since it is a local bridge program. Town Manager Galligan asked if the bridge could be budgeted over two fiscal
years. Mr. Doolittle said construction needs to be completed in one season, so it might not be feasible. Mr. Gantick said if the construction was done through June and July, it might be the only way to budget for two fiscal years. If all the permits are acquired, construction can start in the summer of 2014. If not, the project would start in 2015.
Councilor Janice Snyder asked Mr. Doolittle if there are restrictions on the grant from the Department of Transportation. Mr. Doolittle said there are no restrictions, but they would need to get an extension if the project is moved to 2015. Mayor Anwar asked if there would be limitations on traffic going over the bridge. Town Manager Galligan said there is currently a weight limit on the bridge up to 24 tons. Mr. Doolittle said that during actual construction, the bridge will need to be closed. Ms. Driscoll asked what the life expectancy of the reconstructed bridges is. Mr. Gantick said the general life expectancy is fifty (50) years. Councilor Pendleton asked about the bridge over the Podunk River on Pleasant Valley Road. Mr. Doolittle said that needs repairs but not total replacement.
Town Manager Galligan discussed other projects including Buckland Road sidewalks. Mr. Doolittle talked about the Safe Routes to School program and the new State program called Local Capital Improvement Programs. The State gives money to towns, which gives towns more freedom to complete certain projects. The Town has to pay for any design work, permits, and right-of-way work upfront, and then the grant will cover 100% of construction costs. Mr. Gantick said that the previous Council passed an unfunded mandate for the Town to repair sidewalks.
Mr. Doolittle continued talking about engineering updates. Avery Street is under design. Some funding was awarded for the next phase of Avery Street, and design will start in the next year. He has applied for a grant for improvements on Abbe Road and has not heard back yet. Councilor Snyder asked where the money comes from for the Abbe Road grant. Mr. Doolittle said the grant comes from the Local Road Accident Reduction Program. It is a statewide program administrated through the Department of Transportation. The grant is usually reserved for areas that have busy intersections and frequent accidents. Town Manager Galligan said that the problem with Abbe Road is that the accident report is not high. There has just been the one terrible accident where the driver was under the
influence of a substance. Mr. Joy asked if there would be any concerns if Foster Street construction started in 2015 when the new school would be constructed. Mr. Doolittle said that the work on Foster Street will not be near the new school, so it should not affect the school construction.
Councilor Pendleton asked about the Avery Street project. Mr. Doolittle said the project at the intersection of Beelzebub Road, Avery Street, and Woodland Drive is under design now. The reconstruction of Avery Street from Kelly Road to Orchard Hill Drive is the next step of the project. Town Manager Galligan said one of the biggest problems on Avery Street is that when the large federal grant was available to reconstruct Avery Street, the federal money would have required the placement of sidewalks. Residents did not want the sidewalks, while staff said the sidewalks should be installed. Town Manager Galligan said that the Council will have to stay firm at some point because grants will continually slip by because requirements such as sidewalks will not be met.
Ms. Driscoll asked if four projects under design from 2013 had been paid for yet: Dart Hill Road, Nevers Road, Ayers Road, and Foster Street Extension. Mr. Doolittle said that purchase orders had been completed for those projects, so the money has been encumbered.
Mayor Anwar asked where the Town Center street plan would fit in the strategy. Mr. Doolittle said it fits in the Buckland Road sidewalk plan. Mayor Anwar said that the Sidewalk and Bikeway Committee has been discussing a complete street plan for the Town Center intersection, as it is the most dangerous intersection for pedestrians and bicyclists. Town Manager Galligan said there is a program called a “special tax district”. A benefit to a property owner in a “special tax district” is if they had to provide utilities and sewer, they would be paying a high interest rate normally, while the Town would bond it at a lower rate in the district. The district could also have a maintenance agreement, which could include the maintenance of sidewalks. The hope is to raise their
property values and make it more economical for the property owners to have improvements. The Town Attorney has determined that a “special tax district” would be a legal solution for Town Center. Town Manager Galligan said that he would also like to look at the Buckland Gateway area and put electrical wires underground to enhance the area. The Buckland Gateway is a gateway to the community, and it should look attractive. The Town Center can also become more pedestrian-friendly since a car is needed to get around that area.
Councilor Snyder asked if there currently is a budget for Capital Projects. Town Manager Galligan said the amount is $167,980. Councilor Snyder said that projects should again be reviewed that meet the Capital Improvement Plan criteria. Each administration should put together a priority list of those chosen projects. Town Manager Galligan said that staff should meet, review the projects, and create a new list that will encompass the next five years. Mr. Gantick said he was concerned about was establishing a funding mechanism. Expending all of this effort without funding is most likely a waste. Mr. Joy said it is up to the Committee to educate the Town Council and community.
Councilor Pendleton asked why Capital Projects has not been funded. Councilor Snyder said that it was funded five years ago. Previous Councils would cut the Capital Projects budget in order to not have a tax increase. The budget used to have $3.5 million that was maintained every year. Councilor Pendleton said that it is an obligation to the residents to maintain the budget for Capital Projects.
Town Manager Galligan said that he and Mr. Gantick had an outside contractor evaluate all Town buildings. The total cost for all the buildings to be brought up to code and safety regulations would be $60 million. They put together a plan that was ultimately thrown out. Councilor Snyder discussed priority projects versus pet projects.
Mayor Anwar asked Town Manager Galligan what could be done to protect Capital Projects funding from the Town Council. Town Manager Galligan suggested that a revenue stream should be set up from any new taxes. An ordinance would be the only way to keep the Town Council in check. Town Manager Galligan continued by saying that some Town Councilors have disagreed with Town Staff or consultants that have been hired, and it is very frustrating. Mayor Anwar said this is all the more reason to make it more difficult for the Town Council to take money from Capital Projects. Town Manager Galligan discussed 63-20 corporations.
Mr. Joy said that he has a problem with the lack of transparency that the Committee has had in the past. Councilors were able to get their way, and now it is time for the Committee to get its way. He does not want what has happened in the past few years to repeat, and that is why he was appointed to this Committee. Councilor Snyder said that every year, what goes on behind-the-scenes affects the budget. The Committee discussed funding streams. Mr. Joy summarized the main points: work on the funding source, work on the priority list, and a mechanism to keep the Town faithful to Capital Projects. Town Manager Galligan explained how the Council suggests cuts to the budget.
Mayor Anwar said he wants to talk to each Councilor, and he suggested enacting an ordinance. Town Manager Galligan suggested amending the original Resolution to say if the Council wants to cut Capital Projects, the entire Council needs to sit before the Capital Projects Committee. Councilor Pendleton said that she joined the Committee because she believes the Council should not micromanage everything, and she wants to end residents’ complaints about the lack of infrastructure and investment in the Town.
Town Manager Galligan said that he accomplished more in five years working in Newburgh, New York than the eighteen years he has been with the Town of South Windsor. He said he would get a memorandum out to the Committee. Mayor Anwar reminded the Committee that it needs a list of priorities, a financing mechanisms, and creation of a protection process. Town Manager Galligan said that ratings agencies would like to see an ordinance for Capital Projects fund protection.
5. New Business
Appointment of Chairperson
Mayor Saud Anwar made a motion to re-appoint Councilor Janice Snyder as Chairperson of the Capital Projects Committee; Mr. David Joy seconded that motion; and it was approved unanimously.
Appointment of Vice-Chairperson
Councilor Janice Snyder made a motion to re-appoint Ms. Carol Driscoll as Vice-Chairperson of the Capital Projects Committee; Mayor Saud Anwar seconded that motion; and it was approved unanimously.
6. Old Business
None
7. Adjournment: A motion to adjourn was made by Mr. David Joy at approximately 5:20 p.m.; the motion was seconded by Town Manager Galligan; and all were in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
______________________
Ashley Summers
Recording Secretary
(Approved 1/29/14)
| 