Capital budget 8/24
Tonight we had the last capital budget meeting prior to the public hearing that is scheduled for this Monday at 7:30pm in Town Hall. The Budget Committee made a recommendation to the full Council. What I consider to be the main points of interest:
1) The West Main Streetscape project was reduced from $850k to $500k. That means the entire project is covered by grant money. Thus there would be no referendum question. This number may go back up to $850k, if the town gets more Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP) grant money. State Rep. Al Adinolfi is actively pursuing additional funds.
2) The Fire Station remains intact. And at $1,400,000 it would be a referendum question in November. And for anyone who has concerns similar to mine (do we really need a weight training room?), please attend or watch the public hearing. I support the fire station project because I believe that the Chief's answers make sense.
3) The Lilac Road pump station is in the current year and at $750k would be a referendum question in November.
4) Ballfields have been reduced again. This time from $240k to $160k. The remaining three changes are the completion of Bartlem Park. That completion includes transporting fill from Bartlem to Mixville. That fill is intended to elevate Mixville's usually soggy ballfield. And there would be more parking spaces at Mac/Legion.
5) Norton School would have a request for $500k, including $100k for new boilers and $400k for new windows. This request for energy improvements makes a lot of sense. But realistically, we could probably spend $10-20,000,000 very easily right now on energy improvements for all town buildings. So while I think this is a good project (the boilers are necessary), we really need to come up with a priorities list for all of these projects before we go much further down this path. I believe that everyone at the meeting was in agreement with me.
The $500k for Norton would go to referendum.
6) Smartboards were reduced from $1,500,000 to $275,000. This makes sense, in part. Smartboards have real benefits that are worth the cost, at least in some situations. My main concern with this though is that I'm uncomfortable with the $275k being just below the referendum question threshold. As well, I haven't heard the basis for the $275k. I would be much more comfortable with this if the voters had their say. That's the reason I would prefer this $275k gets increased to $350k.
Tim White
Town Council, Budget Committee
TimWhite98@yahoo.com
2 comments:
The West Mian Street project, even with State money only, should not be a project the residents supports. Just because the moeny comes from the State, disquised under a STEAP Grant, to be used for economic development only does not make it right for the Town to pursue the funds and accept them. We have infrastructure requirements with greater importance; repair of our Town buildings i just one issue. I would like to see the Town Council and our Rep Adinolfi withdraw the request, return the money. Just because the money is in this particular "bucket" from the State does not mean we have to go get it. The justification of "if we don't use it somebody else will" is not a reason to pursue this idea. Fix what we have.
The work has not been done and discussions have not been held with the business owners of that area to show them the plan and to get their input. As of today, we do not even have a plan. The idea of the Town collecting increased taxes from the rents of the buildings is wrong, the people who occupy the buildings are the landlords. Are they going to raise the rent to themselves?
The overall safety of the area has not been studied. Drawing pedestrian traffic into an area that has high truck traffic along with a conglomeration of autos pulling in, pulling out near a curve and the amount of access driveways is just asking for trouble.
I sincerely hope the Town seriously considers changing their mind on this issue.
hi Bill... my preference would be to get the state to take non-recurring funds (such as STEAP) and use it on energy projects. Say perhaps, the $20million in STEAP funds goes for new windows. And the $60million in farm grants should be linked to energy independence... making ethanol with corn, feed the corn byproduct to chickens, take the chicken manure and make electricity.
If we think big picture, we can make this stuff happen.
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