Town finds funding for senior center, school windows

Finance Director Jim Murgia presented possible financing solutions for two major projects at Tuesday night’s selectmen’s meeting, suggesting that the town could use free cash to pay for renovations to the former Knights of Columbus building and a long-term bond authorization to cover window replacements and door reconstruction at the Galvin Middle and Hansen Elementary schools.

Murgia said there is approximately $3.2 million in the town’s free cash reserve, which would be enough to cover the additional $1.23 million needed to renovate the K of C building for use as a senior center — pending approval at town meeting — as well as the $460,000 deficit in the snow and ice removal budget.

As for the window replacements, Murgia said the town could take advantage of its AAA bond rating and finance the project over 10, 15 or 20 years at a low interest rate.

Last year at annual town meeting, voters appropriated $754,000 for the window replacements, with the funding contingent on the schools receiving a 45 percent reimbursement from the Massachusetts School Building Authority. However, the total cost has since skyrocketed to $2.3 million following the recent discovery of contaminants, including asbestos, in the windows at both schools.

School officials stressed that the contaminants do not pose a danger in their present dormant state. Superintendent Jeff Granatino said plans call for the windows to be replaced in the summer of 2014 when students are out of school.

The consensus of selectmen was that the window replacements should be done as soon as possible and that the School Committee should not “cannibalize” its future capital spending.

“We are in this together,” said Selectman John Connolly. “We support you. We have an obligation to do this, the sooner the better. Just in energy efficiency alone, it’s the smart thing to do.”

Selectmen, in turn, asked for the School Committee’s support at town meeting in requesting the funds needed to complete the K of C renovations.

In other news Tuesday night:

* Selectmen announced the hiring of Cynthia O’Connell of Sharon to serve as the town’s new conservation agent pending successful contract negotiations. O’Connell, the top choice of the Conservation Commission, will replace longtime conservation agent Robert Murphy, whose contract was terminated in December by selectmen. BOS Chairman Bob Burr said all three finalists — O’Connell, Mary Guiney of Plymouth, and Debbie Anderson of Norwood — were exceptional candidates. O’Connell is a landscape architect who has worked for a private civil engineering firm with an expertise in wetlands. She previously worked as a part-time conservation agent in Dedham.

In related news, selectmen announced the appointment of Jerry Carmichael to the Conservation Commission in place of Bruce Rohr, who resigned recently for personal reasons.

* Selectmen will meet with representatives of the Planning Board, zoning board, and School Committee at their next scheduled meeting on April 9 to discuss the findings of an independent study on the latest development plan for the Plymouth Rubber property on Revere Street. The report was due to be issued to town officials on March 20. Burr said a pair of zoning articles submitted by the developer will be withdrawn at the May town meeting and the project will be revisited in the near future, most likely at a special town meeting.

* Selectmen began their review of the 41 articles on the annual town meeting warrant. Among the articles they discussed was a proposed moratorium on medical marijuana treatment centers in light of the legalization of such facilities in the November state election. Selectmen are inclined to support the recommendations of Town Counsel Paul DeRensis calling for up to a three-year moratorium on siting a facility in Canton pending approval of state regulations. Burr said it is not the intention of selectmen to frustrate the will of the voters, but rather to give the state and local boards enough time to set regulations and find a suitable location in the town for such a facility.

* Selectmen voted to restore funding for the Fourth of July celebration as part of the Recreation Department’s annual budget.

* Selectmen appointed Keith Flavin as a new firefighter/paramedic effective March 25.

* Selectmen approved new three-year contracts for Deputy Police Chief Helena Findlen and the Superior Officers Association.

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Posted by Mike Berger on Mar 21 2013. Filed under News, Schools, Town Government. Both comments and pings are currently closed.