After many months of study, interviews, research and more interviews, the Mattapoisett Capital Planning Committee, an advisory board to the Select Board, voted on a list of 12 capital requests (needs of over $10,000) at its March 14 meeting.
Prior to the vote, the committee members met once again with Old Rochester Regional School District Facilities Director Gene Jones to firm up understanding on a $96,651 request for mechanical systems (primarily ventilation) needed in Center School. Jones said that a $55,328 grant was received from CARES Act funding needed to replace obsolete controllers at Old Hammondtown School, but that the larger grant of $96,651 requested for Center School had not been awarded. Thus the late entry of the needed funds now appears on the capital list.
Also attending was Town Administrator Mike Lorenco, who shed light on the school district’s plan to assess the Tri-Towns more than $100,000 each for repairs needed on the high school’s outdoor track with ORR’s plans to structure a capital stabilization fund. Lorenco said that issues with the school’s ability to raise the needed funds via borrowing was concerning and that in his discussion on the topic with Marion Town Administrator Jay McGrail there was consensus that it is better to fund the track than to borrow $500,000.
Capital Planning Chairman Chuck McCullough asked each committee member to prioritize each request with a number 1 through 12, No. 1 being the highest priority item. When the tally was taken the list was: 1) $250,000 for roadway improvements; 2) $96,651 Center School mechanical systems; 3) $240,000 new hook-lift truck Highway Department; 4) $40,000 telephone systems at town hall and other locations; 5) $50,000 tasers for the Police Department; 6) $12,500 Center School master electronic clock (not to be confused with the clock tower); 7) $25,000 library exterior lighting; 8) $10,000 library security cameras; 9) $25,000 flooring Old Hammondtown School; 10) $25,000 Police Department motorcycle; 11) $55,000 police cruiser; and 12) $50,000 Fire Department inspector’s vehicle. The list totals $879,151 against an available $676,000 in free cash as noted by Lorenco.
Before finalizing the prioritization with a vote, McCullough read from a prepared motion that clarified the capital spending vote. It read: to accept the priority ranking set by Committee members through individual ballots covering the identified Town of Mattapoisett Capital Needs for FY2023 that are to be funded through Free Cash. If the total of the FY2023 Capital Needs identified to be funded through Free Cash exceeds the available amount of Free Cash, it is understood that the Town’s Finance Committee and the Town’s Select Board will follow the Committee’s priority ranking and advance to Town Meeting only those needs that are able to be funded with no impact to operating funds or debt exclusion. Further, those FY2023 Capital Needs that are not advanced to Town Meeting for lack of available funds, will be moved on the Capital Plan to FY2024 for reconsideration during the planning for FY2024. The Capital Planning process cycle will coincide with the Town’s Annual Meeting cycle. Special Town Meeting Warrants may include out of cycle recommendations from the Capital Planning Committee for Capital Needs deemed by Town Leadership to be quantifiable emergencies where the health and safety of residents and/or Town staff is at risk.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Capital Planning Committee was not set upon adjournment.
Mattapoisett Capital Planning Committee
By Marilou Newell