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Chairperson Janice Snyder called the meeting to order at approximately 4:37 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
Michael Gantick, Director of Public Works
Patrick Hankard, Director of Facility Services, Board of Education
David Joy, Board of Education
Elizabeth Pendleton, Town Council
Janice Snyder, Town Council
Members Absent
Dr. Kate Carter, Superintendent of Schools, Board of Education
Matthew Galligan, Town Manager
Lisa Maneeley, Board of Education
Guests Present
Brian Peck, Fire Department
Raymond Favreau, Director of Parks and Recreation
Clay Major, Facilities Manager
Scott Roberts, Director of Information Technology
Walter Summers, Fire Marshal
3. Approval of Minutes Previous Meetings
Mr. Patrick Hankard made a motion to approve the January 29, 2014 Minutes; Mayor Anwar seconded that motion; and it was approved unanimously.
4. Discussion Items
Before starting the discussion, Chairperson Janice Snyder asked if Mr. Michael Gantick could discuss the tragic accident that killed two Folsom employees, including the owner, earlier that day. Folsom Construction has a large presence in Town and has contributed to many Town projects. Chairperson Snyder asked for a moment of silence.
Discussion of Submitted Projects
Mr. David Joy asked if prioritizing the projects was the Committee’s task or should Staff be prioritizing? Chairperson Snyder summarized the Committee process. Staff brings forward project submission sheets with pertinent information, and the Committee then prioritizes those projects into a list. The Committee decides on a dollar amount that will be the cutoff for budget submission to the Town Council. Then, a presentation is made to the Town Council, and the Council will either accept the amount or tell the Committee another dollar amount that will need to be met. Historically, the Town Council picks and chooses what projects should be done instead of listening to the suggestions of the Committee and staff. Mr. David Joy provided suggestions to improve efficiency of the Committee.
Mayor Anwar also said it is important to ask what can be done to improve the process outside of the Committee, such as setting up a capital projects budget that cannot be lowered beyond a certain amount.
Mr. Gantick said that he has read that South Windsor is ranked last in Connecticut for Capital Projects. There needs to be a strategy for properly funding Capital Projects because at this rate, it will take 1,000 years to fund the projects proposed in a ten-year plan. Mr. Joy said that if Mr. Gantick has received his information from a credible source that it should be included in the Committee’s message to the Town Council. Properly funding these projects will not have a favorable short-term financial impact, but the long-term alternative is not acceptable.
Councilor Elizabeth Pendleton asked about the funding streams that Town Manager Matthew Galligan has been working on. Chairperson Snyder said she does not have the information in front of her, but she summarized what Town Manager Galligan has been researching. Mr. Joy said he has had a difficult time getting information on what projects have been paid off. Chairperson Snyder said that has been an issue for many years.
Chairperson Snyder emphasized that there are two steps left in the process to create a funding stream. Town Manager Galligan needs to complete his research from other towns, and then a resolution needs to go to the Town Council once the best funding stream has been determined for South Windsor. Mayor Anwar said that an ordinance is necessary to protect the funding stream. A public hearing would also provide public opinion on capital funding.
The Committee reviewed the submitted capital projects packet (Exhibit A). Chairperson Snyder asked Mr. Scott Roberts to discuss the GIS project. The estimated cost is $100,000. Mr. Gantick said it is a joint project between Public Works and Information Technology. They are aiming to provide an inventory of the infrastructure and remain responsive in emergencies. GIS gives the Town the ability to map items on the Dashboard. It is being used to manage programs and provide a link to the community for issues that have been reported. Emergency events are managed with GIS and Dashboard. When the paper maps are digitally transferred into GIS, there can be holes in the information. Finding that information requires fieldwork, and having all available information is critical. Mayor
Anwar asked if this has been funded in the past. Mr. Gantick said it has been sporadically funded. Mr. Roberts said that if GIS is not properly funded, the license may be lost. Ms. Carol Driscoll asked if any extra staffing would be involved. Mr. Roberts said current staffing levels are sufficient. Ms. Driscoll asked if information was accessible during power outages. Mr. Roberts said the information would be accessible. Councilor Pendleton asked if GIS would need money ever year. Mr. Roberts said yes, GIS would need a contribution every year. Councilor Pendleton asked for clarification on spending for the $100,000 amount. Mr. Gantick explained the breakdown. Councilor Pendleton mentioned that she has heard South Windsor’s GIS system is light years ahead of other towns’ systems and congratulated I.T.
Mr. Clay Major explained the Town Hall Boiler Replacement project. The Town Hall’s single boiler is 44 years old. Every other Town building has a redundancy boiler system. If the boiler at the Town Hall ever went down during the winter, the building would have to be shut down. Boiler controls are also original to the building, and those would be replaced along with the boiler. Ms. Driscoll asked if the project will go out to bid and why the components are so expensive. Mr. Major said the prices for those components have decreased in recent years, but the project includes reconfiguration, which drives the cost up. The cost is approximated. Chairperson Snyder asked if natural gas could be connected to the building. Mr. Major said it has been looked at in the past, and Yankee Gas has
offered to bring natural gas to the site. A proposal was shot down three years ago because the payback period was longer than the Town Council was comfortable with. Councilor Pendleton asked if it would be an advantage to convert the Town Hall to natural gas. Mr. Major said there would be large infrastructure costs associated with natural gas because the State does not have the infrastructure to supply the needs.
Mr. Major discussed the Library Roof Replacement project. The typical life of the Public Library’s rubber roof is 15 years, and that roof has reached 15 years. The membrane is showing signs of losing elasticity.
Mr. Major discussed the Police Department Heat Pump and Cooling Tower project. The heat pumps would be replaced, as well as the associated cooling towers outside the building. All of the heat pumps and cooling towers are original to the building and have a lifespan of approximately 17 years. The units are not nearly as efficient as they could be, they are breaking down more often, and they could start to fail. There is no current plan to replace these units. Councilor Pendleton asked for a clarification on heat pumps. Mr. Major said a heat pump is an air conditioner that works in reverse. Councilor Pendleton asked if gas or oil would be more efficient than heat pumps. Mr. Major said heat pumps work well for the Police Department because the ceiling is low, and there is not enough room
for proper ductwork.
Mr. Gantick discussed the Public Building Security Upgrade project. The Police Department has identified security weaknesses in the Town buildings. It is a matter of bringing safety up to code. Mr. Major said that even though there are cameras in the building, they are obsolete. The buildings do not include schools. Ms. Driscoll asked if there was a State mandate regarding building security. Mr. Gantick said there is no State mandate, but the buildings handle a lot of money, and there have been questionable incidents at past Town Council meetings. Mr. Roberts said that a fiber network connected to cameras would help the Police Department view incidents in real-time.
Mr. Walter Summers discussed ADA Upgrades for the Town Hall. The project originally started in 2008 regarding fire code violations at the Town Hall. ADA upgrades are also included in this project, such as upgrading the handrails in the stairwells. The fire alarm system is original to the building and needs upgrading. Fire detection in the building is minimal. In the Council Chambers, the State Fire Marshal has allowed the glass vestibule to be kept as long as a smoke detector can be placed outside of the glass. However, the fire alarm system is so old that a smoke alarm cannot be added unless the system is upgraded. $12,000 has already been spent on completed design work, which went out to bid in 2010. Mr. Summers emphasized that he is out enforcing fire safety code on Town residents,
who then comply with the code, but the Town government is being lax about fire safety code in its own buildings. If the upgrade does not happen this year, Mr. Summers will have to step up his enforcement of the code. Ms. Driscoll asked if these were new safety codes or existing safety codes that the Town has not been following. Mr. Summers said that the Town has not been following the existing safety codes. These upgrades would make the Town Hall meet minimum existing requirements. Councilor Pendleton asked for clarification on detectors in the building. Mr. Summers said there are smoke alarms in the vault, but everywhere else only has heat detectors. He said he has had a resident that he has written up for code violations come into the Town Hall and lecture him on the Town Hall’s lack of adherence to the code.
Mr. Major discussed the Town Hall Elevator Replacement project. The elevator is original the building. Some wheelchair-bound people cannot fit into the elevator. It does not meet current code. Parts are no longer available for the elevator, so if it were to break, they would be very hard to find. Ms. Driscoll asked if the $400,000 amount a firm cost or estimated. Mr. Major said that cost was created in 2009 when a Capital Needs Assessment was done, and the number is realistic. Chairperson Snyder asked if building expansion is included in the cost. Mr. Major said that is included in the cost. Chairperson Snyder asked if the elevator would be relocated. Mr. Major said it would not be relocated.
Mr. Gantick discussed Eli Terry Safe Routes to School. This project is eligible for a grant, and the cost to the Town after the grant would be $110,000. Ms. Driscoll asked what would happen if the project did not move forward this year. Mr. Gantick said the grant money could be re-appropriated to another municipality if it is not taken advantage of as soon as possible. It also could make South Windsor look unreliable. Mr. Patrick Hankard said he has worked very closely with Town staff on this project. Most of the money is involved in the bridge that needs reconstructing. The bulk of the money will still be in use even if Eli Terry is rebuilt in ten years. Mr. Joy asked if feedback from the two previous Safe Routes to School projects could be incorporated into the Eli Terry project.
Mr. Gantick said that despite resident feedback of excessive signage, many of the features are dictated by the Federal Government and have to be included.
Mr. Gantick discussed the Buckland Road Sidewalks project. This project was approved through a regional competitive process. This project also fits into the initiatives that have been undertaken by the Planning and Zoning Commission in making the community more walk-able. Business owners feel that sidewalks are an important feature to the Town Center area. The project’s total value is approximately $800,000 while the cost to the Town is $120,000. Ms. Driscoll asked what was involved in the $1,000 annual cost. Mr. Gantick said that would be maintenance of sidewalks on Town property. Mayor Anwar asked about the scope of the project. Mr. Gantick said that because of the State grant, the project is limited to sidewalk components. The sidewalks would go from Town Hall all the way
to Deming Street. There has been no decision made on which side of Buckland Road the sidewalk would be placed. Mr. Joy asked if funding includes pedestrian crossing. Mr. Gantick said it does. Mayor Anwar said maintenance will be an ongoing issue.
Mr. Gantick discussed the Bridge over Podunk River project. The bridge is old, and one section has been closed down due to unsafe conditions. A grant is associated with this project. The project was identified years ago by the State Department of Transportation as a bridge in need of repair. The DOT has rated this bridge a 2 out of 5. A rating of 1 out of 5 would shut down the bridge.
Mr. Gantick discussed the Avery Street Reconstruction Project. This project would extend from Orchard Hill Drive to Kelly Road. The State awarded the Town with a regional competitive grant for this project. The return on investment is good for the Town. Mayor Anwar asked if sidewalks are included in this project. Mr. Gantick said that any project funded with State or Federal funds requires that a percentage of the amount is set aside for pedestrian or bikeway components.
Mr. Roberts discussed Fiber Communications Network. A grant reimbursement is available. The network would connect the Community Center, Police Department, Fire Station 2, Town Hall, and the Public Library. The internet will be 75 times faster. The annual operating cost is $4,000 which includes a retainer with a fiber company should the network come down. Most incidents can be billed to insurance of motorists who crash into telephone poles carrying the network. During the last large storm in Connecticut, there was only one break in the State’s fiber system. The project has a useful life of 20 years, and it will pay itself back in 10 years. Mayor Anwar asked if Connecticut Conference of Municipalities has any part in the cost with their Nutmeg Network program. Mr. Roberts said
$20,000 is being provided by the Connecticut Nutmeg Network for just this year. He discussed the 96 fiber strand system. Mayor Anwar asked if the fiber network would only be available to Town buildings. Mr. Roberts said that Manchester sells Wi-Fi on Main Street, but South Windsor will probably not be going that route. Councilor Pendleton asked if the 96 fiber strands could support an Emergency Operations Center in the Town Hall Annex. Mr. Roberts said that it would support it. Councilor Pendleton asked if this project would require extra staff. Mr. Roberts said no extra staff would be needed. Councilor Pendleton asked if there were any more grants available for this project. Mr. Roberts said that this grant is the only one that supports this particular project.
Mr. Gantick discussed the Sidewalk Repair and Replacement project. The Town Council passed an unfunded ordinance a few years ago that requires the Town to pay for all sidewalk maintenance and repairs. There are approximately $4 million in sidewalk repairs around the Town. Without maintenance, sidewalks are becoming a liability to the Town. Councilor Pendleton asked why the Town would build sidewalks and then not fund an account to repair them. Chairperson Snyder said that previous to the ordinance, it was the land owner’s responsibility to maintain their sidewalks. This problem is unique to South Windsor. Mr. Patrick Hankard said that this project has no right to be in the Capital Plan, but he does support he project. He says that Mr. Gantick should bring this project to the
forefront so that everybody can hear the same conversation that just happened. It should be an operating expense, not a capital expense. Mr. Gantick said that the problem is the Town is acting reactively instead of proactively. Mr. Joy asked for clarification on the costs. Mr. Gantick said that sidewalks are very expensive, and he broke down the costs. Councilor Pendleton asked how many lawsuits there have been. Mr. Gantick said there have been several lawsuits over the years. Mayor Anwar asked if the ordinance was changed back to having sidewalks taken care of by the residents if the project costs would go away. Mr. Gantick said yes.
Mr. Gantick discussed Abbe Road Improvements from Robert Drive to the East Windsor Town Line. This section of the road has had some fatalities. This is a local road that falls under a different State program. Chairperson Snyder asked who administers the grant. Mr. Gantick said it is administered by the State DOT.
Mr. Gantick discussed the Edwin Road Storm Sewer project. A large recurring sinkhole is located at this site. The Town Attorney has had to be involved in some of the occurrences. The industrial complex has agreed to do the work if the Town provides the materials to fix the pipe system. Chairperson Snyder asked who owns the property. Mr. Gantick said the property owner is Mr. Andre Charbonneau. The net cost is $160,000, but the Town will only be responsible for $80,000. Chairperson Snyder said that an $80,000 project does not meet the Capital Projects threshold. Mr. Gantick said there is millions of dollars worth of projects that do not meet the threshold of Capital Projects nor the requirements for operating expenses. Chairperson Snyder said that the entire cost of the project at
$160,000 would be acceptable. Mayor Anwar asked if the Town is helping to fix personal property. Mr. Gantick said the drainage system is owned by the Town. When the system was installed approximately 35 years ago, it was not done correctly. Councilor Pendleton asked if any other systems are located by the drainage system. Mr. Gantick said there are both gas and water lines in that area.
Mr. Gantick discussed the Various Drainage Projects. All of the projects are listed on the submission sheet. Mr. Gantick said $150,000 would cover all of these projects.
Mr. Gantick discussed the Development of Debris Management Site project. The site would be located on the Barton Property on Brookfield Street. The State requires the Town to have a debris management site for future hurricanes. The Town lucked out during Storm Alfred because a contractor provided a private site. Councilor Pendleton asked why 18 acres of trees needed to be cleared. Chairperson Snyder said that a large, open area needs to be available where debris can be dumped. Mr. Gantick said the Barton Property has many white pines that are a potential fire hazard as well. Ms. Driscoll asked if any other sites are suitable in Town. Mr. Gantick said that there have been a few other sites where the soil is suitable; however, a debris management site is a disruptive process. The
other potential sites were in residential areas, and Mr. Gantick would like to mitigate disruption for residents. Councilor Pendleton asked if there was any way to save some of the trees in that area. Mr. Gantick said that many of the existing trees are not in good condition, but that a screen will be left around the edges of the property. He also suggested having Boy or Girl Scouts do some plantings of healthier trees around that property where they will not be disturbed by machinery.
Mr. Major discussed the Phone System Replacements projects at the Police Department and the Community Center. Both systems are original to the buildings. New phones cannot be bought to replace any broken phones. The voicemail system at the Police Department crashed two weeks ago, and it will be replaced with the old Town Hall voicemail system that happened to be sitting in storage. Neither system can take advantage of the latest technology. Councilor Pendleton asked if the systems can take advantage of the proposed fiber network. Mr. Major said yes, the fiber could be used with those systems. Councilor Pendleton said this project is a priority. Chairperson Snyder said the project does not meet the $100,000 requirement for Capital Projects. Mr. Gantick said there is only $6,000
left in the contingency account right now. Chairperson Snyder said the Town Council has tied Town Manager Galligan’s hands, so he cannot find the $75,000 to pay for this project.
Mr. Gantick discussed the Community Center and Town Garage Parking Repaving project. This project has been on the list for approximately 12 years. Mr. Joy commented that explicitly stating in the description how many years a project has been in the list for Capital Projects will help solidify just how behind the Town is on Capital Projects. Ms. Chris Chemerka asked if the summary sheet could be updated. Chairperson Snyder said an updated summary sheet will be provided for the next meeting.
Mayor Anwar said that he wished the entire Town Council and Board of Education could attend these meetings so everyone can get an idea of the impact of shifting money in the budgets. Chairperson Snyder said that last year, the Committee spoke to the Town Council about their projects. The Town Council would not listen to the experts, so why would they listen at the Capital Projects meeting?
Mr. Gantick discussed the Pavement Management project. It is an ongoing program to fund a variety of pavement maintenance. Chairperson Snyder asked about the Paving Referendum. Mr. Gantick said there is still some money from that Referendum being used for the Main Street Bridge. The information is on the Town’s web page.
Mr. Hankard discussed the Fire Alarm Upgrade at Pleasant Valley and Wapping Schools. The equipment is original that no longer meets existing code. The most important factor is that the manufacturer no longer supports the equipment. The project is eligible for $51,700 from the State for reimbursement. Mayor Anwar asked if the fire system would stay if Wapping School is repurposed for other uses. Mr. Hankard said the system would stay.
Mr. Hankard discussed the Philip Smith Paving Repair and Replacement project. Mr. Hankard said that thee project does not reach the $100,000 requirement. He is proposing to not rebuild the parking lots because of the upcoming Ten-Year Elementary Plan. Instead, it will be an extensive repair and overlay of the parking lots which will lower the cost. This repair will buy the parking lots approximately ten extra years of life. Councilor Pendleton asked if paving was a shared service or if it was outsourced. Mr. Hankard said that larger jobs are generally put out to bid. He works with Mr. Gantick on smaller projects. Councilor Pendleton asked if sharing services saves money. Mr. Hankard said that Town Public Works is not set up to do a large-scale pavement reconstruction.
Mr. Brian Peck discussed the Fire Headquarters Parking Lot Repavement project. This includes the back and side part of the Fire Headquarters. The front portion, where apparatus leave the station, has recently been addressed. The pavement has separated in many places throughout the rest of the lot. The pavement was put down in 1977 with an expected lifespan of 20 years. The meeting room is open to the public, so somebody could be hurt by this parking lot as it is a tripping hazard. Some spots have gaps as wide as four inches. Councilor Pendleton suggested having the wheelchair ramp widened where it meets the parking lot and adding more handicapped parking, since there are only two handicapped spots. Mr. Gantick emphasized that this project has been waiting on the Capital Projects list
for 13 years.
Mr. Raymond Favreau explained the five Park and Recreation Commission projects. They are new initiative projects. He started with the Athletic Field Improvements – Irrigation project. The Little League Complex and High School field currently do not have an irrigation system.
Chairperson Snyder said the project is only $50,000 and does not meet the required threshold. Mr. Favreau said that unfortunately most of his projects do not meet the threshold. He is proposing to group projects from the Park and Recreation Commission Master Plan together in order to meet the $100,000 requirement. This used to be past practice with the Town Council until recently. Mr. Favreau explained the Disc Golf project. This includes an 18-hole Frisbee golf course. It is one of the latest crazes that has caught on throughout the nation. The Unexpected Repair, Maintenance, or Improvement Projects is a backup plan in case unexpected situations arise. Chairperson Snyder asked how the Department handles a situation if a piece of equipment breaks. Mr. Favreau said that either it
does not get repaired, or another project has to be put on hold in order to fix that piece of equipment. The Rental Pavilion at Veterans Memorial Park is a new initiative. It would produce revenue for the Town, and it would have a three-season rental opportunity. Councilor Pendleton asked where the pavilion would be placed. Mr. Favreau said it would be placed by the back gate. The South Windsor Walk and Wheel Ways project is an annual allocation that has been received for years in order to make South Windsor a more walking and bike-friendly community.
Mr. Favreau discussed the Park and Recreation Department projects. These projects are deferred maintenance or replacement projects. The Department Storage Building project would give the Parks and Recreation Department more storage space than what is allocated at the Town Hall Annex. If the Town Hall Annex is converted to an Emergency Operations Center, then the need for storage will be even greater. The proposed building is a “Butler” style metal shell building. Mayor Anwar reminded Mr. Favreau that if the Parks and Recreation Department does obtain Wapping School in the future, they will have storage in that building.
Mr. Favreau explained the Rye Street Park Tennis Court Renovations project. There is partial funding for the project from the Master Plan. As of right now, the courts are unplayable. This project has been on the list for about 20 years. Mr. Favreau would like to make the tennis courts usable for youth tennis, pickleball, and adult tennis.
Mr. Favreau discussed the Rye Street Park Basketball Court Renovations project. This project has been on the list for over 20 years. In-house renovations were done in the 1980s. Some of this project could be completed in-house. It is only marginally usable from a safety aspect.
Mr. Favreau said that the Veterans Memorial Park Lower Parking Lot Paving project has been on the list for a long time as well. The parking lot condition is deplorable as it is a patchwork of pavement and gravel. Councilor Pendleton mentioned that when the parking lot is full, cones have to be set in order to allow possible emergency vehicles into the lot.
Since ADA compliances have changed, Mr. Favreau added ADA Upgrades for Veterans Memorial Park. An independently operated chairlift has to replace the existing unit, which requires assistance. Handrails also have to be added to the zero depth areas. This is a Federal unfunded mandate. Mr. Favreau said that the Town could go on without these upgrades even though it is not the right thing to do. However, the law is written so that if anybody calls the Town about the upgrades, they will have to be done. Councilor Pendleton asked why the chairlift is at the lap pool. Mr. Favreau said the other pools have zero depth entries, while the lap pool only has ladders. Every pool has to be accessible by handicapped people.
Mr. Favreau discussed Gutter Leveling and Repair Floor Cracks at Veterans Memorial Park. The center of the facility has settled over time. Leveling needs to be done in order to provide efficient water circulation and filtration, as the filtration system is only at approximately 30% efficiency now.
Special Meeting Date
Chairperson Snyder asked if Wednesdays were a good day in general for the Committee to meet. The general consensus agreed on Wednesday. A Special Meeting will be set up in two weeks on Wednesday, March 5, 2014.
Mr. Joy asked what happens in March regarding Capital Projects. Chairperson Snyder said that the Committee would prioritize the projects that were reviewed during this meeting. A presentation will be made after the entire budget has been submitted.
5. New Business
None
6. Old Business
Lease Listing
This item was not discussed at the meeting.
7. Adjournment: A motion to adjourn was made by Ms. Carol Driscoll at approximately 6:45 p.m.; the motion was seconded by Mr. Michael Gantick; and all were in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
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Ashley Summers
Recording Secretary
(Approved 3/26/14)
Exhibit A Submitted Capital Projects Packet
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