SWAMPSCOTT — Representatives from town organizations including the fire department, library, and senior center brought project proposals that will require the use of town funds or Town Meeting action before the Capital Improvement Committee at a meeting Tuesday.
The committee voted to recommend that four of the capital improvement projects be approved at Town Meeting and deferred its vote on eight other proposals to a later meeting. The committee will meet again next Tuesday to hear proposals from the town’s police department, cable access team, and recreation department. It will meet again on Oct. 18 to determine which of the remaining proposals it will vote to recommend for Town Meeting approval.
Big ticket items requested include a $1.6 million ladder truck to replace the fire department’s current 18-year-old model and the transformation of Hadley Elementary School into a Center for Active Living for seniors that would cost the town upwards of $3.8 million.
“We have a lot of proposals and not everything will fit,” town Treasurer Patrick Luddy told the committee. “Listen to these proposals with that in mind. We will have to make decisions at the end of this process.”
The committee advanced a $110,000 proposal for necessary elevator modifications in town buildings and a $70 thousand proposal for critical repairs to the Town Hall parking garage. However, Facilities Director Max Kasper said final town payments for those projects will likely end up lower than those requested dollar amounts.
The committee also advanced Public Works Director Gino Cresta’s request that the town use grant money from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to conduct a state-mandated lead service investigation project.
The final project the committee voted to recommend for Town Meeting approval came from the Director of Community and Economic Development, Marzie Galazka. She proposed the town reallocate $100,000 from last year’s budget to fund upgrades to Abbott Park.
Glazka said the upgrades will include the addition of accessible swing sets, benches, equipment geared toward young children, and a new musical section in the park. She said if the project receives approval at Town Meeting, construction will likely take place next summer. Galazka added that the park’s grass field and basketball court would remain open to the public during construction.
The committee deferred its vote on Galazka’s two other proposals which include a request for about $9,000 to retain a landscape architect to make additional improvements to Abbott Park and a $50,000 request to hire a consultant to make consistent town branding and signage.
The committee also deferred its vote on Public Library Director Jonathan Nichols’ proposal to replace 27-year-old furniture. He said the library needs to replace a desk in its children’s room that is falling apart and other service desks throughout the building. Nichols added that the library is considering the addition of “parental pods” in which parents can use a computer while their children have a designated space to play close by.
“We are kind of slapping Band-Aids on things to make it work,” Nichols said. “We are really just trying to address the functional needs of the building.”
Director of Aging Services Heidi Whear requested $40,000 to acquire an electric vehicle to transport seniors in need of rides to doctor’s appointments.
Fire Chief Graham Archer requested $83,000 to replace the department’s cascade system, which enables firefighters to fill portable containers of breathable air that they take with them on calls. Archer also requested $36,000 to fund a project removing copper wires around town that once connected fire alarms to the station following the department’s decision to move to a wireless alarm system.
Committee member Ryan Hale suggested that in addition to considering this year’s proposals, the committee conduct a review of the projects it advanced for Town Meeting approval last year.
“It’s important for us from a financial accountability perspective to make sure we have closed out those projects,” Hale said. “There are maybe things we have learned from those projects that could inform the next cycle.”
Rachel Barber can be reached at [email protected].
