Tomorrow's Council mtg
Some thoughts on tomorrow's meeting (see agenda below)...
4A - Energy efficiency improvements are obviously very important... We need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. And since more than a year ago I asked that we do a townwide analysis... describing which town buildings will get the quickest payback for energy efficiency improvements... I guess that townwide analysis is complete and the Hitchcock-Phillips House is at the top of the list. I'm looking forward to seeing that analysis on Tuesday night... and pressing forward with other energy efficiency improvements in an expeditious manner.
4F - This is the money received by the town from the RWA toward the curb-to-curb repaving of Brentwood Drive, Towpath Lane and a couple other streets.
4I - $50,000 matching grant for Lassen Farm. At first glance, I guessed this meant that the town had to spend $50,000 to get the grant. But that's not the case... staff and volunteer time can be applied toward the $50k match. And with people, such as Kerry Deegan and the FOBK, already helping... I'm hoping we can get the $50,000 without spending much in the way of property tax dollars.
7A - We're having a public hearing at the start of the meeting. And the volunteer firefighters pension is starting to cost some money, but my hope is to defer a paid department for as long as possible. I'm guessing that a paid dept could get much more expensive, in a matter of only a few years.
7K - This relates to David Schrumm's request from a few weeks ago. I need to read the info on this still, but am wondering if the October 29 Inland Wetlands report relates to David's concern.
Tim White
Town Council, 4th District
10 comments:
Tim, we are holding summer school in facilities without central air conditioning. You don;t have to be an Al Gore gloom and doomer to see this is a problem right about now. Which is why we need a comprehensive review of cooling needs as well as heating needs in the school system in doing an energy usage review
The cost to start repairs and reduce the energy costs at the Historical were about 25k. This is based on a new furnace, insulation, windows new zones for the heating system. Based on grant money the State would pay about 50% of the total costs. After the Energy Commission submitted their expected costs additional work was added on by Public Works; such as removal of old furnace, oil tank etc.
The payback was about 6 yrs if I remember right on the original amount by the Energy Commission. The house would burn 3000 gals of oil per year when it really should only burn about 700 at most.
What will a paid fire dept cost? This should be an easy number to come up with since it didn't take any time or effort to recommend and approve change to the interchange zone.
All the people that pushed this mall don't want to recognize any of the costs. Well, the mall and NE are pushing this date to the immediate future. None of the proponents were willing to ask the questions of where would we get the volunteers for the NE, would the additional traffic afffect response tine, would businesses allow their emmployees to have increase time away from work, why would a volunteer want to risk their like to protect mall stores?
Remember professional fireman can retire after 20 years and claim disability at any time. To start, will the current volunteers get credit for the time they have already served. If so, many are ready for retirement now. Imagine the cost of these additional benefits. These costs alone will more than top the tax revenure of this ill concieved mall.
Paul Bowman and Doug Calcagni will make a bundle at our expense.
Now will we be having a lot of fires in the north end? Why would that project require a paid fire department? Anything to stop it.
All we need is one.
The last council meeting went with a bang. 5 to 4 what a surprise! I guess we will be in for more of the same the next two years. What does the Town lawyer do? Matt Hall had the reg,s why didn't he. We need some leadership and legal expertise at these meetings....
The town voted for two more years, I am not sure why! Maybe the Republicans offer no alternatives.
It could be a D or R it doesn't matter. This town needs just needs good old honest leadership. Someone step foward please...
I wish that S. Dill would run again, he was a great leader. He was a true statesman and would be a great council chairman.
S. Dill - a great leader??? What are you smoking?
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