Capital Projects Regular Meeting

1. Call Meeting to Order

Chairperson Janice Snyder called the meeting to order at 4:37 p.m. 

 

 

2. Roll Call

Members Present

Dr. Kate Carter, Superintendent of Schools, Board of Education

Chris Chemerka, Director of Finance and Operations, Board of Education

Michael Gantick, Director of Public Works

Michael Gonzalez, Board of Education

Patrick Hankard, Director of Facility Services, Board of Education

Janice Snyder, Town Council (Chairperson)

Craig Zimmerman, Board of Education

 

Members Absent

Dr. Saud Anwar, Town Council

Elizabeth Pendleton, Town Council (Vice-chairperson)

Matthew Riley, Board of Education

Scott Roberts, Director of Information Technology (Town Manager’s Designee)

 

Guests Present

Raymond Favreau, Director of Parks & Recreation

Clay Major, Facilities Manager

Walter Summers, Fire Marshal

 

 

3. Approval of Minutes Previous Meetings

 

Mr. Michael Gantick made a motion to approve the January 21, 2015 Minutes; Mr. Michael Gonzalez seconded that motion; and it was approved unanimously with one abstention from Ms. Chris Chemerka.

 

 

4. Discussion Items

 

Final Review of Projects

Chairperson Snyder began the discussion by reviewing her draft proposed project list (Exhibit A).  The projects are tentatively ordered by grants and safety.  The projects currently total $2,363,120.  She would like to see a consensus on each project as it is reviewed.  Also, the turf field will be removed from the Capital Projects budget, and Town Manager Galligan will manage the project through Debt Service as the Town Council would like to move forward with this project.

 

Mr. Patrick Hankard updated the Committee on the turf field project.  He and Mr. Michael Gantick attended a meeting with Milone and Macbroom.  The present estimate is $1,500,500.  The figure may change once the project goes out to bid.

 

Chairperson Snyder moved on to reviewing the projects on Exhibit A.  She will be looking to the Committee for consensus on which projects should be supported.  The draft priority of each project and its support is listed below.  The project total a little over $2.1 million.

 

1. Avery Street Reconstruction Phase 2 – Supported

2. Main Street Bridge over the Podunk River – Supported

3. Abbe Road Improvements – Supported

4. Fiber Communication Network (Phase 2) – Supported

5. Phone System Replacements – PD & CC – Supported

6. ADA Upgrades at Town Hall – Fire Code Related – Supported

7. Timothy Edwards Sidewalks – Supported

8. Wapping School HVAC at $50,000 – Supported

9. Town Hall Ventilation and VNV Upgrades - Supported

10. Rye Street Basketball & Tennis Courts – Supported

 

Mr. Walter Summers said that the ADA Upgrades project was reduced by $50,000 because $150,000 will be enough to cover fire alarm installations and the second floor vestibule area.

 

Mr. Craig Zimmerman said that the current total is $1.5 million.  He asked how the projects can be supported if the Town Council takes the proposed amount as a mandate.  He fears that there will be cuts from the Town and Board of Education budgets.  He also expressed concerns over level funding.

 

Chairperson Snyder said that the Committee does not know what the Council will support until the last minute.  It is her impression that when the Capital Projects Committee puts together the packet and brings it to the Council, if the Council says $1.6 million is the limit, the Committee needs to reassess the project list to be within the $1.6 million.  The Committee should stay focused on presenting the projects that are supported by Committee consensus.

 

Superintendent Kate Carter asked when the list will go to the Town Council.  Chairperson Snyder said she would like to get the list to the Town Council at the next Council meeting.  Superintendent Carter also echoed Mr. Zimmerman’s concern about Capital Projects level funding.

 

Mr. Zimmerman suggested making two priority categories.  Priority A should be necessary projects that have to be done, and Priority B should be projects that are not as necessary this year.

 

Ms. Chris Chemerka asked if the Council would receive the list in priority order.  Chairperson Snyder said she would like to submit the list to the Council in priority order.

 

Mr. Patrick Hankard said that the Committee’s fiduciary obligation is to present the items that are essential for the operation of South Windsor.  The Town Council also has an obligation to the community.  If the Council decides to not increase taxes, then it cannot be helped.  The Committee still needs to stick to their fiduciary obligation.

 

Superintendent Carter said she is interpreting Mr. Zimmerman’s concerns as fear of losing control over what happens to the Town and Board of Education budgets once projects are approved by the Committee.  Chairperson Snyder suggested that Superintendent Carter should relay those fears to the rest of the Town Council.  Superintendent Carter asked if there was a target number from the Town Council yet.  Chairperson Snyder said there has not been any directive from the Council yet.

 

Mr. Summers said that Mayor Saud Anwar was at the Committee’s last meeting, so he knows that the Committee is considering $2,363,120.  He suggested moving a Board of Education project into that $2.3 million to cover removing the turf field project.

 

Chairperson Snyder said that she personally feels the Committee should be at $2 million or a little over.  She asked the Committee to stop worrying about what is going to happen down the road and only focus on supporting projects.

 

Mr. Hankard said that the weather that has occurred in the last month has moved the Timothy Edwards sidewalks to a mandatory project for the Board of Education.  It cannot be safely extended to the 2016-2017 Fiscal Year.

 

Superintendent Carter recommended that the T.E. Sidewalks and the girls’ softball field should switch places on the draft list.  She said that Ms. Chemerka feels confident that the Board of Education will have the money to address the girls’ softball field.  Superintendent Carter said that the T.E. sidewalks are presenting a major safety issue.  The Committee agreed with Superintendent Carter’s recommendation.  Chairperson Snyder said that the girls’ softball field can be removed from the list if it will be addressed by the Board of Education.

 

Mr. Zimmerman asked Mr. Raymond Favreau about the Wapping School project.  Mr. Favreau said that the Council does not want to spend money on any outside consulting.  Chairperson Snyder said that Town Manager Galligan’s concern is with the HVAC system, and there will need to be an expense for that.  The project should be reduced to $50,000 from $100,000 in order to cover HVAC and no other outside consulting.  Mr. Favreau said the $100,000 amount was a package to look at both Wapping School and the Community Center.  Wapping School is currently not set up for summer weather.  Chairperson Snyder will edit the project description to remove the Community Center and clarify Wapping School HVAC.

 

Mr. Zimmerman asked Mr. Favreau what he would prioritize between the tennis court project and the basketball court project.  Mr. Favreau said he would recommend the basketball court first.  There are some currently usable tennis courts.

 

Chairperson Snyder asked Mr. Clay Major about the cost for the Town Hall ventilation upgrades.  Mr. Major said that $300,000 is an accurate price and would manage ventilation for the entire building except for the Information Technology Department, the Sprenkel Room, the Madden Room, and the employee lunch room.  Mr. Major said the only other option would be to split it into two phases, but that would be risky.  Chairperson Snyder said she would rather see the commitment up front.  Mr. Major said the project could take up to six months.

 

Chairperson Snyder suggested putting the basketball court and tennis court projects together to total one project at $140,000.

 

Mr. Favreau said he would like to see Wapping School HVAC higher on the priority list than the Rye Street Park improvements as his department is looking to relocate to Wapping.

 

Mr. Summers suggested moving the VMP Parking Lot Paving to the priority list as it has been on the Capital Projects list for 25 years.  Chairperson Snyder took that into consideration.

 

Mr. Major suggested switching Town Hall Ventilation with Wapping HVAC as the Wapping project has a more critical timeline.  The change will be made.

 

Superintendent Carter asked if there will be something in writing about the turf field once the list goes forward to the Town Council.  Chairperson Snyder said there will be a notation when it is submitted.

 

Mr. Gantick asked about capital projects funding.  Chairperson Snyder said that Mayor Anwar wants to do an ordinance regarding capital funding.  He is currently having the Town Attorney draft an ordinance so the Committee can review it at their next meeting.  The Council would need six votes to bypass an ordinance if it is in place.  

 

 

Finalize Budget Amount

The proposed project total is just over $2.1 million.

 

 

Presentation to Town Council

Chairperson Snyder would like to give the Town Council information and a presentation on March 2, 2015.  Mr. Summers asked if the Town Council will be seeing just the approved projects or the entire list.  Mr. Zimmerman suggested giving the Council only the approved projects and informing them there are still other projects that total a large amount of money.  Mr. Gonzalez asked if the Committee can see the presentation before the Council does.  Chairperson Snyder said she could send it to the Committee.  

 

 

5. New Business

 

None

 

 

6. Old Business

 

None

 

 

7. Adjournment

 

Mr. Michael Gantick made a motion to adjourn at 5:28 p.m.; Ms. Chris Chemerka seconded the motion; and all were in favor.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

___________________________

Ashley Summers

Recording Secretary