##VIDEO ID:iE3ZHnXPspM## we have a period for discussion and question and all of the projects of all those projects was like 6,693 the reason I passed out a revised sheet which has revised in the the top right corner is late this afternoon Our IT director Ted lutter met with me and Ted explained that he wanted to withdraw his request for the firewall for 100,000 because he and the network manager have working on going back and forth negotiations with a vendor and they were able to secure a multi-year uh maintenance agreement with a firewall upgrade and the vendor was willing to reduce the price substantially um and they were not expecting that so um good news for the town and also good news that um he told me he he and I I wanted to make sure he wasn't short changing himself but he said he wanted to withdraw this request and so you can see that on this revised sheet um all of the projects total 5,969 385 so I just wanted to open it up for discussion from the committee and um you know basically here the the three projects that are not funded would be the the first one the firewall upgrade that's been withdrawn the DCA project and then the 10 wheeel dump truck for the public works department and you know open it up to the committee uh sure will he need any money no he said I asked him that and he said he'd be able to do it within his operating budget he was I guess the vendor made some significant concessions just going back you know negotiating with them and they were not expecting the vendor I guess because it's year end you know calendar year end uh they were willing to make some you know good good concessions on it so I was not expecting that nor was he but um he said he that he could do it within his operating budget so yeah know so yeah that was so if any committee members want to discuss I know we had a I had a couple of questions on the um number 160 the for for uh public facilities the Ada for Parks playgrounds and open space for 150,000 and um I think one just to summarize then I'll open up for discussion um I think one member asked if it was um eligible for Community preservation funding I did check with Christine she said it may be based on the nature of the project but you you know some projects would for example maybe constructing a path um in a way that would be Ada accessible um if it was a maintenance type of item probably not but um and so and then um I also received a um a comment some questions from a member regarding um the state has a grant program for Ada accessibility for uh public facilities it is competitive um the grant uh actually has already been awarded for fiscal year 25 if I'm not mistaken but you can you know you'd have to reapply in the next year so that was just some of the questions I received but I'll kick it open for discussion um you know if members want to um comment on any of the projects and I mean is that 5.9 too much do we need to cut something out is that a doable number I think it's pretty close to being a doable number um and I I just I went back and looked in last year's projects just by way of people may ask um all the projects totaled up to um 5.88 million they were just over it's like 5 milon 883 um you know if if a majority of members feel strongly about reducing at another 50,000 to try to be just over that but I think will we borrow for some of these projects it's you know it's doable you're only talking the project for 10 or 15 years so you you can knock off $50,000 you're knocking off 5,000 it Debt Service I mean it's it's noise and I also think it's appropriate that as the town's budget grows that you know Capital which is a real cost you know should should not you know should at least is not unreasonable to to you know align or increase as well as oppos of being totally static because it just you know it's just not realistic of what the inflation is out there his Christina so yeah I think I think as I said to John earlier in the day I think any number of you know six or less is is acceptable because I think it's you know it's given the totality of everything we're at right now especially where last year was 5.88 yeah optically being under six million feels yeah yeah six or less yeah I think it's fine yeah that being the case we don't really have anything we need to but John there only there's one thing I'd like to point out is that this year be my third year and I I I definitely appreciated the the priorities that all the heads that had to come to this committee really made sure that they were asking knowing the situation were in what was necessary what to prioritize and and Christine's um feedback about you know the 10 wheel can wait a little bit that was my concern because all the work you're doing on the roads I was thinking that couldn't have been you know uh sacrifice so I was at a conundrum a we to to take money off so I appreciate that you know being the case but the other thing is um I think when I look at these rounded up numbers I would hope that and I love what Ted can say about saving the money on the firewall and I know everybody in this room these department heads are going to do their best uh job at trying to get best cost and best pricing for these projects so I feel really good about this and I appreciate that I I just wanted to say that well thank you Joe a lot of a lot of members commented on I think um to just to mention two department heads so I would say um DPW director Clancy and superintendent Lang have the most projects so it's really important for the from the committee we rely on your expertise to tell us which is the highest priority because some years like you're saying we can't fund everything and so it's really important to have your priority rankings on these projects I know a number of um members commented to me on that if anybody else has any discussion um you more than welcome um you know all welcome um so just a recap so with all of the projects um with the firewall being withdrawn the CCA item not funded and the 10- wheeel dump truck not funded we're at a total of 5,969 385 when you deduct the recap funds are just over 27,000 you're at 5,941 971 so if members are comfortable with that um I would entertain a motion to approve if if anyone wants to discuss projects any further my one comment um is less about the the amounts on the Ada um improvements for for projects that are ongoing and um have an annual amount it would be good to at least next year see a plan for what is getting done when I think you guys are working on that yes so for like so our Paving program every year we do submit it but we also have a list that kind of companies that so our plan is to because honestly the $150,000 was really just a gut feeling that could probably be a lot it could could have been less it could have also been more um I think with 150,000 we um we would have enough to do some or the I don't want to quote the amount but the amount that we have here um so we will yeah 150,000 so we will develop that list and that's what we were just talking about with um Steve Callahan our um this winter is a good opportunity I know we're in the process of finalizing that um OSP osrp Plan update and so we're going to start to look to see what we want to do this year and then also make a a shortterm list I guess um and start pricing that out so that would be the plan similar to the paving and sidewalk plans to come have with a list of this is what we're looking at now and hopefully what we're looking at in coming years too but at least focus on the next couple years good excellent thanks I'll make a motion to approve the capital planning budget in the amount of 5,969 385 motion by dve brazo do we have a second second second by Dennis King all those in favor of the motion to adopt the capital plan at that please say I all those opposed all we and I did you and I okay because we haven't discussed oh we did we have not discussed not doing the uh dump truck okay and I I'd like to at least hear one more time why we don't need it and then I'd like to discuss why we couldn't maybe fit it in and reduce some of the cost on some of the other projects without canceling them um because we're so close to hitting the Home Run really we're only taking one one item that we're not approving so but again you've already voted me at for the one you've already approved it so I guess we're done yeah I mean the motion carries but we can definitely discuss it I can I mean I have no I I I I can speak from myself and then open up to committee members um for the dump truck it was a tough decision uh a couple members emailed me and they they wanted they asked me to email director Clancy she indicated that the the the pickup trucks were in much worse condition so those were a definite um definite need um I struggled with some of it um I I know the town office restrooms has been on the plan for several years it's been deferred a number of times um and you know people may have other reasons I went through I tried to prioritize everything that I thought was a must do I didn't see anything in the schools that was iffy that it all seemed like it was high priority items and um it was very difficult to not exceed 6 million putting the dump truck in a couple other projects would have to drop out so that that's my take but I'll open it up to other members and I mean that was my my thought process too because I know that um you had prioritized um the dump truck is pretty high um but one of the the feedback that I wanted to get from you was if I if we had to choose between the dump truck and I think pickup the two pickup TRS and maybe something else what would you what would the trade-off be um and the response was the the dump truck can wait um and that's kind of what I read in the description too that it was starting to rust but not really that bad yet whereas the dump trucks or the pickup trucks were a little were a lot more um advanced in in the rust so that's how I weighed those two and and because it was such a big ticket item um a lot of the other areas that might be questionable like the Ada could potentially stay in because we were able to get rid of that one one big unit so that was my thought process that I I want to fund as much as we can and by removing the dump truck and then since we weren't doing the flooring and then my only concern was that if we were still funding the the firewall upgrade that we might need to take something else out um but since the firewall upgrade is is removed it it it's close enough for me to be comfortable funding everything thing well I guess I come at it I mean everybody sort of most of the people in the room are kind of come from a particular function and put anything in priority I come at it from Strictly Finance point of view um and I look at all the projects and I wouldn't care if if nine were in one group and were none in the other group if in fact the priority was such that I thought the need was greater MH there okay if we put the drump truck off till next year will be the first item that you asked for next year so the dump truck that we currently have still functions I guess one concern when I responded was because when we order a dump truck it is going to take us 18 months to two years to get that so that was there was hesitation my response but I think when you look at the two needs um the two pickup trucks they are at a point where further rot they might not pass inspection and then we're down two vehicles and also those two vehicles when we do replace them we are upsizing them so that we can put a plow on it and we're down significant we're down every year we're down pieces of equipment and so it is very valuable to us to have two basically that will cover two plow Roots we can cover two plow Roots obviously a dump truck does you know can clear more um but two plow trucks to us is very valuable so that value is greater outweighs I guess the need of the B sander I would say that dump truck will be a high priority we also have our sidewalk machines that uh I almost put two of those in for this year just knowing our needs has trying to spread them out so I do see the sidewalk machine potentially being a high priority next year uh in in likely the dump body I guess I don't know you got a sander next year too sander to um yeah we could I guess we'll have to relook next year but right now I see our highest the sidewalk machine which is very uh fortunate that that will be that looks like it's on top on the list or towards the top of our requests um but the two uh plow trucks because adding those plows were really that and I did talk with our Highway superintendent and he agreed he's like we need like if anyone says what do we need right now you know we don't know what type of winter we're going to have uh we're down every year plow um I am going to put together a look back at the past 10 years because if it's every year a couple pieces that's just a couple pieces but when you look back 8 10 years ago we're probably down 25 30% I would say at least without like running and I'm going to run the numbers um so so that's so I guess it's yes but we have so many priorities and we will have to re-evaluate it next year okay Christine I'm just what's the lead time on a um pickup truck with slot so um it depends on what's available in stock and so we are right now some things are some items are available but we can't make the purchase until July so what we're hearing is these are pretty these can be available the next few months but then like well we can't tell you what's available in July so it's hard to understand what the lead time will be in July but I hope that you know come July we can purchase them and have them before the winter or or hopefully even that summer um historically we have been able to get them within a few months or even sooner so it just we're being told that who knows what the Market's going to bring who knows you know what the state is so um but we do know that the lead time on the dump truck is at least could be more than two years so I'm just wondering if town meeting approves the say the dump trucks not the dump trucks the uh pickup trucks in April I know you know technically the it's approved the money might not be available until July 1 you can put the order you at least get the order going just to get ahead of the crew before everyone else so April we would be able to do that just right now now cuz the qu we were approached by some of um the dealerships we do work with that are on the state bid list and we said we can't do anything right now right but but yes so as soon as we can we will because there could be other districts that were actually waiting until July to kind of put their orders in but if you at least can jump them by a couple of months you'd likely have a truck by next class season MH okay my last question would simply be we're all comfortable that each item um the cost estimate is correct and there's no room to reduce it at all to each stakeholder I just asked the question you know my concern daavid I'm want to say it because I don't want to hear it the next time it comes the one big the big unknown is the library HVAC okay and we don't know but so my concern is not that we can cut it down is that it may not be sufficient given the complexity of that building and so I just want to say it so that we come back no we come back and I think it was said when we did the presentation by Christine and and David as well and David knows the system better than I do because he's been involved with it you know physically in terms of that and and to me that's the wild card but I don't think reducing that number would be of any benefit because I think if anything our risk is more the other way and we just won't know and then the the bigger concern in Christine spoke of this about HVAC is it's and and Pat money not noted that at our meeting last Monday night right now it's hard to get HVAC work compl completed and that's so that's to me that makes it uncertain in terms of the cost of that so part of it is the uncertainty of the project the other part is the uncertainty of the market and those are things that we just you know will have to confront because we can't put it off um it's you know because if that system goes down you know we've that's the other risk that we have is if it goes down then that you know you've got you've got materials in that building that don't deal with humidity yeah my from my perspective I think that some of these may end up going down but I don't think it's going to be a significant amount given the amount of recaptured funds we see every year I don't expect it to be that significant so I think from my experience on this board the estimates that we're getting from department heads are fairly ACC accurate on the whole okay yeah I think to add to that Chris often times the challeng is trying to complete a project within the budget right which might mean altering the scope a little bit right to make it fit the budget so that you don't run over rather than asking for additional funds so that's potentially the other partial solution I I'll say from my perspective just doing this for number years um this year the library Quest Library requests were much higher than usual but I can say that the parking lot had been in the pipeline and had been deferred for many years so I know the library folks were very patient let you know that's been going on um the computer Replacements are just a cyclical thing it happens every so many years they have to be replaced and the HVAC project that you just mentioned I I think that has to be that has to go forward um for the good of the library so it you know like what you were saying it to me it doesn't matter either whether it's it some years you know if we're replacing a major piece of fire apparatus that could be a million dollars this in this Capital plan the library is receiving a larger amount than it has in other years but think it's be it's based on the the need of the projects and from my perspective other the members are welcome to make well thank you all for putting up with my question good question yeah so are we in concern because that's what I hear about HVAC as well but I know we've had we had to wait for McKay and some of the other the projects that were in town but I don't know what's the latest view on our projects here in town though I mean we do still have a backlog of projects we're working through we have arpa um we recently did bid a project tab testing and balancing and we didn't receive any bids and it's like just because the markets they're so busy so they're just not going after that work we're trying to figure out how we can accommodate that work we also just opened other bids for electrical and even with consultant um cost estimates they were significantly under so like it's hard to read the market so um I guess in that aspect we were significantly under what we had thought and what the consultant thought but then it's a nice story because or you can just then it's easy easier to we can always turn money back or allocate that that's our so that could be allocated to a different project so I I think what um Manor Cohen was saying is is the market still so volatile and it's it's really it's like who's bidding it do they have do they want to bid it it's the industry is it's really hard to predict um so I guess in a month we went from not receiving one bid to receiving many bids and they were significantly under so I it's hard for us to understand and this is with also us getting cost estimates from the designers paying Consultants that do this every for cost estimates and we're still seeing fluctuations or in that case with a tab the unavailability of the um of of people that want to bid it so it's hard to with that it's so with the market being so volatile I think um having conservative numbers are in our favor and then um things might go up but things you know I guess if we're if we're under budget then that's a much easier story the other thing that I think is changed and is probably changed permanently is before Co the manufacturers would make equipment and inventory it in anticipation of the demand um and the hvc manufacturers are not doing that anymore they're not inventorying equipment they're making it only after they receed the orders so that's increasing the cost because it's pushing out the manufacturing of the equipment and it's also um delaying right the ability to receive the equipment what 40 something weeks is sometimes a year yeah yeah is is not at all atypical from the time you place an order to the time the equipment is actually available and the same with the vehicles that's the thing is that the electrical components that go in the vehicles or or or even mechanical components are that's why those trucks are taking sometimes multiple years any other members would want to make any comments or questions no not seeing anyone um we have a public comment period but I don't see any members of the public um if you do if you would like to make [Laughter] comments okay if if not I'd entertain a motion to adjourn I move to adjourn motion by Chris second by second second by Joe all those in favor please say I all those opposed we're adjourned thank you everyone