CIP SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
October 21, 2003
ROLL CALL:
Lee
Maloney, Chairperson, Planning Board Member – Present
Nancy Prendergast, Vice Chairperson, Planning Board Member – Present
Suzanne Jortberg, Secretary, Citizen Member – Present
Marcia Unger, School Board Member – Present
Bev Donovan, Alternate School Board – Present
Roger Hohenberger, Selectmen – Present
Galen Stearns, Alternate Selectmen – Present
Jack Merchant, Citizen Member – Present
Julie Morgan, Citizen Member – Excused
Ms.
Maloney called the meeting to order at 7:13 PM in the Planning and
Development Room.
CORRESPONDENCE:
Ms. Maloney read a letter received from the town department heads
stating that they felt the 15-minute presentation time was not long enough
and requested the subcommittee consider follow-up workshops after the
initial presentations to better relay their requests and to invite
discussion in a teamwork effort. Mr. Hohenberger stated that this year’s
subcommittee process is now in its final stages. Their request for
subsequent workshops could be implemented next year. Ms. Unger felt that
this subcommittee asked lots of questions following each presentation and
those questions were adequately answered and that no specific time limit
was actually imposed. We also asked some dept. heads back for further
information during our subsequent meetings. Consideration was given to the
idea of sending out a preliminary CIP spreadsheet to the dept. heads and
to give them the opportunity to make a subsequent appearance if they so
desired. Ms. Maloney agreed to respond to the letter regarding our
discussion. Mr. Merchant added the idea of having the CIP subcommittee
make its preliminary presentation to the dept. heads before making it to
the Planning Board.
MINUTES:
Motion by Ms. Unger, seconded by Mr. Merchant, to approve the minutes
of the CIP meeting held on October 16, 2003, as written. Motion was
unanimously approved.
OLD
BUSINESS: Mr. Hohenberger invited Mr. Poulson, Transfer Station
Manager, to this meeting to discuss the future needs of the facility,
particularly, expansion/improvement needs. Considering future needs of the
school district, the Selectmen (present) felt there was a need to fund any
needed improvements now. Mr. Poulson discussed the study that was
conducted about a year ago which called for a $400,000 renovation project
that would remodel the transfer station to provide for more storage space.
He felt that type of project was not necessarily the right decision at
this time. Mr. Poulson expressed his preference of "don’t store it,
but move it out". The discussion moved on to the property next to the
transfer station to the East. There are approx. 9 acres, for which
topography has been done, but nothing further. Any infrastructure issues
spelled out in the study are being addressed under Mr. Poulson’s
operating budget. He wants to do an in-house feasibility study with Mr.
Sullivan, and then bring in an engineering consultant to consider the
options. The feasibility study would consider projections of the town’s
growth, outsourcing and curbside pick-up options. Mr. Merchant and Mr.
Hohenberger suggested allocating $100,000 for 4 years, 2005-2008, because
they felt something will be needed in the future and it should be funded
now. All present concurred. Mr. Merchant also commented that a full study
of the adjacent property to the transfer station should be done now. The
discussion with Mr. Poulson moved on to the articulating loader, which he
requested in 2005, but is currently scheduled for 2008 in the CIP. Mr.
Poulson would like to consider a lease program with a service maintenance
contract, but he hasn’t determined the cost of such a program. The
subcommittee expressed its desire to see Mr. Poulson acquire the 5-ton
truck he requested at a state surplus auction. In the future, it was
suggested that the transfer station and highway agent consider
collaborating on vehicle purchases and shared use. The subcommittee
thanked Mr. Poulson for coming in.
NEW
BUSINESS: Following up on Mr. Hohenberger’s request, Ms. Unger
explained that due to its bond size, Nashua bonded its school project in
stages. The last portion bonded was almost $39 million and was bonded for
20 years at 4.73% in January, 2002. Mr. Merchant then requested a
discussion about the funding of the school district’s future high school
bond in relation to the CIP. He commented that when paying tuition to
Salem, there was always a capital recovery component to it (Ms. Unger
guesstimated it was approx. 2%); therefore, he felt there should be a line
item on the revenue side of the CIP spreadsheet to account for this which
would offset a portion of any bond obligation. A credit on the revenue
side equal to the Salem capital cost allocation amount. Mr. Hohenberger
questioned whether such monies would be reflected elsewhere, in the school
district’s budget. Mr. Merchant went on to say that Windham has always
had a level funding CIP program. It should be noted here that the school
district’s elementary school needs could possibly be delayed until 2010,
at which time additional CIP funds will become available as the present
bond obligations expire to apply toward this new obligation. Mr. Merchant
went on to say that by putting the high school bond in the present CIP
program, we loose the ability to ever balance the CIP budget again. Given
the needed high school bond amount, the CIP level or tax rate will need to
be raised. It was suggested keeping the high school bond in the CIP
program, but to create a separate section from the current CIP program to
distinguish between the current CIP level and the additional tax rate
needed to fund the high school bond. All present agreed, but this format
would likely need to be adopted next year since our preliminary
presentation to the Planning Board is next week. Ms. Unger mentioned that
this idea should be discussed and we should be prepared to answer
questions about the CIP figures in the years 2008 and beyond.
Lastly,
the following subcommittee members agreed to write the specified
departmental narratives for the CIP report: Mr.Hohenberger and Stearns:
Fire Dept., Highway Agent, and Selectmen; Mr. Merchant: Transfer Station
and Planning & Development; Ms. Unger and Donovan: School District and
Conservation Commission; Ms. Prendergast: Library Dept., and Recreation.
The subcommittee’s preliminary presentation to the Planning Board is set
for October 29th at 7:30 PM in the Planning and Development
Room. The subcommittee then scheduled a follow-up meeting for October 30th
at 7:00 PM, at the same place.
The
meeting was adjourned at 9:00 PM. Motion to adjourn by Mr. Merchant,
seconded by Ms. Unger. These minutes are in draft form and have not been
approved by the CIP Subcommittee. Respectfully submitted, Suzanne Jortberg
10/26/03
