SWAMPSCOTT — During the Capital Improvement Committee meeting on Thursday afternoon, the committee gathered to review the town administrator’s recommendations with the aim of voting on upcoming projects for FY26.
Town Treasurer Patrick Luddy gave a presentation to the committee during the meeting, where he elaborated on potential projects that the town is considering. The goal would be to fund roughly $5.6 million of General Funds projects in FY26, which was approximately $4.3 million less than requested, according to Luddy’s presentation.
“We looked at the funding and available resources, and we tried to be mindful of the competing needs between the departments in town, but also what resources are available to fund these requests at,” Luddy said.
Among the recommendations, Luddy said the committee was looking at $1.6 million for a solar canopy at the elementary school, with the possible utilization of $300K from Free Cash to support the project. There would also be another $1.6 million toward a new ladder truck for the Fire Department.
Luddy took a moment to reflect on how the installation of a solar canopy at the elementary school could be beneficial for the town in the long term. “That has an operational payback through savings and electricity utilities,” he said. “And we recommended using $300,000 of Free Cash instead of borrowing it because we received some National Grid reimbursements related to the school project.”
He noted that the reimbursements will help close out the amount of the town’s Free Cash at the end of the year and that a surplus can be put toward funding the project.
Speaking on behalf of the request for a new ladder truck, Luddy said, “This is a project that has been pushed out several cycles now, and it’s come up again and again.” He noted that Fire Chief Graham Archer has attended meetings with the department’s union to determine the best path forward. “Do they get one with a bucket and an aerial plat? Or do they do a straight stick, which is just a ladder?”
Another topic discussed during the meeting was the project to replace the old windows at the middle school. “There’s no disagreement that the school has a lot of needs, but it’s the first year that we’re seeing it pulled out of a larger project, and being put in as a request, and we thought it would be prudent to delay it one year,” Luddy said.
The committee reiterated that the discussion on certain capital needs is still in its initial period, and the committee will continue the discussion on the matter in future meetings once it has had a chance to digest the potential new developments.
Archer reflected afterward on the search for a new ladder truck, where he explained there are many moving pieces in the intricate process of finding a replacement. He said the department is working to find what works best for its needs.
