Swampscott officials to scale back fund requests

SWAMPSCOTT – Department heads are working to keep capital improvement fund requests to a minimum due to fiscal constraints the town is under.Department of Public Works Director Gino Cresta, who is a member of the Capital Improvements Committee, said the DPW needs a new street sweeper but he would not ask for capital improvement funding for it in this budget cycle.”A street sweeper costs about $120,000 so we’re going to wait until next year,” he said. “We’re fortunate we have an excellent mechanic and he has been able to keep our equipment running.”The DPW isn’t the only department trying to scale back its requests for capital projects.Police Chief Ronald Madigan said the department needs a new police cruiser but he is trying to find a way to fund it out of his operating budget instead of asking for money from the Capital Improvement Committee.Madigan said he is asking for CAP funds to upgrade the communication system.”We try to improve the communication infrastructure annually as equipment nears the end of its reasonable life span,” he said. “We need some additional portable radios and two laptop computers.”Fire Chief Richard Carmody said the department has a 1997 and a 1988 pumper. He has requested CAP funds for three years to replace the frontline pump truck but hasn’t received funding.”It’s a big investment,” he said. “An engine costs $350,000 to $400,000 and we understand the fiscal constraints the town is under but this is a front line piece. So we submitted a capital request again this year. With all the wear and tear the engine gets it really needs to be replaced.”But to help save the town money and secure much needed equipment for the department, Carmody said he has applied for a lot of grants, which has helped keep Fire Department capital requests to a minimum over the last several years.”We’ve done pretty (well) with grants,” he said. “We received a thermal imaging camera, personal (carbon monoxide) detectors and other equipment.”Carmody said he applied for a federal grant to replace an engine and made it to the second round then Hurricane Katrina hit.”Katrina destroyed almost every piece of fire apparatus within a large area,” he said. “Federal grants went toward replacing the resources lost in Hurricane Katrina so we didn’t receive the grant for the engine.”