Capital Improvement Committee
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
July 15th, 2020
*Due to COVID-19 this meeting was conducted in person and had access virtually via Zoom*
Present: Bob Holmes (Chair), Bob Edwards (Ex-Officio for Mike Genest), Neal Pattison (Member), Michael Redmond (Member participating via Zoom), and Victor Rosansky (Vice Chair participating via Zoom.)
Staff Present: Ashley Brudnick-Destromp (Assistant) and Carol Ogilvie (Planning Consultant)
Absent: Michael Genest (Ex Officio)
Others in Attendance:
CTO: Chair Holmes called the meeting to order at 4: 00 PM.
* All votes will be conducted by a roll call, and each member will state their name prior to speaking.*
I. Review/Amend minutes from 6/10/2020:
Motion: Mr. Bryk made a motion to approve the minutes as amended, Mr. Pattison second it.
Discussion: There was one grammatical error corrected.
Vote: Mr. Holmes “Aye”, Mr. Edwards “Abstained”, Mr. Bryk “Aye”, Mr. Rosansky “Aye”, Mr. Pattison “Aye”.
II. Review worksheets and information submitted by Department Heads:
The Assistant informed the Board that she was still waiting on a response from Highway and ARTS. She spoke to Celeste from Parks and Rec, there are no changes.
Mr. Redmond entered the meeting via Zoom at 4:03PM
Library: Mr. Holmes reviewed the Library worksheet with the Committee. There were no changes, and he explained how he spoke to Mr. Wood and informed him that building maintenance would come out of the Town Buildings maintenance budget, and not CIP. There was a discussion on the requested reserves amount, and how Mr. Wood said it is to be used for other items not related to maintenance in the future, but there are no specific projects being proposed at this time.
Ms. Ogilvie explained that she left the 2020 column on the spreadsheet blank with the goal of keeping tack of projects completed or not completed in 2020. Ms. Ogilvie wanted to clarify that the Library did receive the $41,000 being requested, but not the capital reserve fund of $25,000. The Committee looked over the warrant articles, and Mr. Edwards and Mr. Holmes had a brief discussion. The conclusion was that the Library did not receive the $25,000 requested.
Government Buildings: The only item being requested was an increase in the Damn Capital Reserve Fund for $50,000 for the Gregg Lake Damn. Mr. Edwards and Mr. Holmes had a conversation regarding the letter of deficiency from NHDES. Mr. Edwards explained that a possible figure is $200,000-$300,000, and that is why extra funds are needed. Ms. Ogilvie wil make the changes.
Mr. Pattison had a follow up question in regards to CIP last year and the previous year, where it was discussed an estimate was needed to re do the layout of the Transfer Station and Highway Department. The Assistant informed him the last time she spoke to the Road Agent, he was still trying to get an estimate for how much a re design would cost. She will follow up with the Road agent again on this when he turns in his CIP worksheet. Mr. Edwards mentioned the thought of having someone come in and access all building under Town Buildings Assessment, and doing a full review of each building for future repairs. Mr. Pattison mentioned the Town should start budgeting now for it.
Police Department: The Police Department is requesting $60,000 for RMS Update/Server. The Committee discussed spreading out the $60,000 into 3 years of $20,000 and asked the Assistant to verify with Chief Lester if he would be ok with this, as well as the mileage on the 2017 Dodge. The worksheet he submitted said the current mileage was 22,000, and the spreadsheet says 70,350. There was also a discussion on the possibility of having a Police Department Capital Reserve.
Water & Sewer: There was a discussion of the Water and Sewer debt service annual payment of $14,231.22. The Committee wanted to know what the Towns responsibility for the Total Debt payment was. If the $14,231.22 is a percentage or a set rate. It appears $40,701 was paid on 6/8/2020, and that $14,231.22 of that was Water & Sewer.
In regards to changes in the worksheet this year from last year, Mr. Edwards explained why the $1,560,000 total was there, and how much of that number is grants vs. borrowing. Currently there are 2 grant opportunities and 1 borrowing opportunity. There is currently $1.5 million requested in grants, and $600,000 contributed by the Town, but that it was denied. Mr. Edwards explained the grant process and the current challenges of determining percentage from users, percentage from taxation, and percentage in grants. Mr. Holmes asked about the Town well, and how the $250,000 is no longer on the worksheet so is it completed? Mr. Edwards said the new well is already drilled, but Water & Sewer payed for it. Mr. Edwards discussed the possibility of the Town needing a Treatment Plant in the future if the State determines the Town’s water levels are unable to be controlled, and it would possibly be a $3 million dollar project that they need to start making the Town’s residents aware of it, even if it is way further down the road.
Mr. Redmond asked about what happened to the old well. Mr. Edwards explained the levels were not that great, so the Town needed 2 options in case Antrim’s well failed so they wouldn’t have to rely on Bennington. A secondary line was needed and the State had put pressure on them for a new line. He added this has been an ongoing issue for 3 years, and they are not sure yet how to spread the total.
Fire Department: No changes this year but an increase in Capital Reserve for a fire truck. Mr. Edwards and Mr. Holmes questioned the amount of $125,000 for capital reserve engine 2. Ms. Ogilvie couldn’t determine where it came from, and will remove it. There was a discussion of the new AirVac system and self-breathing apparatus. The new AirVac system has not been installed yet due to COVID-19. The Assistant briefly went over the data for response calls that Mr. Genest had requested. Mr. Redmond had a question about police vehicles, and spreading them out. There was a discussion of the operating budget vs Capital Reserve Fund. There was no further discussion that the Committee had.
III. Schedule the next meeting:
Next meeting not scheduled at this time. Waiting for CIP from Highway and Transfer Station, and to see when Chief Gale can meet with the CIP.
IV. Correspondence:
There was none.
V. Other Business:
Mr. Edwards spoke about the Rec Departments grants, and how they were expecting $140,000 in grants. $40,000 from Antrim Wind has already been received.
Adjourned: Mr. Pattison made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 5:05 PM, and Mr. Bryk second it.
Vote: Mr. Holmes “Aye”, Mr. Edwards “Aye”, Mr. Pattison “Aye”, Mr. Rosansky “Aye”, Mr. Redmond “Aye”, Mr. Bryk “Aye”
Next Meeting: not scheduled yet
Respectfully submitted,
Ashley Brudnick-Destromp
(Assistant to the Land Use Boards)