1.8.2026 Community Preservation Committee

Well, folks, happy new year. Hope you had a good Christmas and a new year. Uh, welcome to the community preservation meeting. Uh, we're at One Government Center, uh, in the government, uh, hearing room. It's, uh, January 8th, 6:00.

Uh, pursuant to the open meeting laws, any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium.

Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings or transmissions are being made whether perceived or unpersceived by those present and deemed acknowledged and permissible.

We'll start with roll call um to my right.

EJ McDonald Rick Mancini here.

James Hornsby here. John Brandt Kristen Canara Olivera Alexander Silva Michael Far is here. Joanne Bentley.

Uh, we don't have any citizen input.

No, you had citizen input. It was Darren, but I'm not sure.

I think he's put it in for the talking on a meeting.

Okay. Uh, next, can I have a motion for approval of the minutes from November 17th?

Motion to approve.

Second. Uh, roll call to my right.

DJ McDonald, yes.

Rick Mancini, yes.

James Hornsby, yes. John Br, yes.

Preston Canara, yes.

Alexander Sylv, yes.

Michael Ferris, yes.

Joey Bentley, yes.

We don't need to get roll call.

Yeah, nobody's on Zoom. We don't need to do roll call.

Oh, okay.

Just saying.

Let's do roll call.

All right. Let's see here.

Oh, good. Thank you.

Next, we're moving on to the funding round.

Um um as mentioned, uh we um elig eligibility hearings and literature applications are miss. Uh tonight we'll be looking at uh applications that were put in from September. Uh all applications will have to meet secretaria standards. All projects must comply and meet secretaria standards. If any project does not meet or comply with secretaria standards, they will not get any reimburseed.

Um all projects will have a deed restriction. if they pass uh tonight's process after the uh funding hearing tonight uh and tomorrow night uh we'll go to deliberation uh which is January 14th and then after that it go to the city council for a vote. So, we'll open up the first um first uh project tonight is the Father Kelly uh parking uh park and parking facility for 500,000 are looking forward to the increase

parking, seating, picnicking area, uh lighting upgrades. Um do we have uh any questions we want to bring before Mr. Agar?

Okay, Dan, could you come up?

I do see he's asking for 500,000.

Um, it does meet the open space and recreation plan that the uh city approved.

Um, it is shovel ready for this uh summer start July. So, I'll open it up to which member has questions.

Uh, yeah, I I guess I have a few questions now. Um, one, we've got a lump sum number here. Um, have you guys developed any either p uh plans for this or has this gone out to a consultant where you've got a cost estimate or just kind of a So, this is something internal. This is internal with with my experience level with construction and being able to design parking areas and and estimate. These

are my engineering determination estimates um that I've relied upon for this and based upon similar projects that we've done in the city already.

And then the other question uh uh if this project moves forward is the total amount of the project 500,000 or is that what you're seeking and you have other funds for it? So, as of as of right now, the entire project cost would be that 500,000.

Okay.

When we went and we appeared before the the park board, we had discussions about if we were going to do this um should we make it even bigger. Um and we explained that depending upon funding through this board and through other um opportunities that we would have the opportunity to grow the project. for the for the schematic that you have seen in your submission that would be the

complete cost of of construction of that facility.

And then the last question I have uh would this go out to a public bid process for construction?

100%.

Okay. I didn't know if it was getting done internally or that's not my department. So y it would go out just like any one of our roadway construction projects. It would go off uh through the procurement process and and public bidding process.

One thing I will offer on on both of these projects, they've also been submitted um to the administration to be placed on the capital improvement plan.

Um but that has not moved quickly uh through the process so far. So there are other funding sources that we have reached out to as well. You are just the first to act on.

Joan, yeah, I have a question. Dan, if if this committee were to only partially fund the project, are you able to pick parts of it or is do you have to do all or none or can you do some of it?

No, I think we would have to do all. Um, and depending upon the what portion what percentage of of it was supported, then the ability to replace the remaining funds from somewhere else would determine whether or not the project became viable. So, for instance, if you were to decide we'll give you $10,000 now, I have to go find $490,000. That would be a little bit more difficult. If

if it were decided to fund $300,000, then that's a probably a little bit more reasonable that through the administration and through other sources, we could pick up the additional.

But Dan, could you move your mic a little closer to And this is also tied in with redoing four corners, right?

Correct. So we we received a threequarter of a million dollar grant to reconstruct globe four corners Broadway South Main and through that process in order to make improved traffic improvements that Massd do was requiring we are losing some on street parking. So this the purpose of this is twofold. One to replace some parking that we're going to be losing but primarily to address the parking needs

of Father Kelly Park and the very successful softball that goes on there.

So, we'll actually be taking some parking away from what people use for park now as well. So, this would offset that.

You have a question?

Yeah. So, is there a possibility that because I know in you're the engineer, you you're the one that came up with the bid. Is is there a way to give us a breakdown of how that would be? Because I'm just looking at a lump sum of 500,000, but I don't know what that's going toward.

like a unit cost, asphalt, gravel, curb, like a breakdown.

I mean, it doesn't have to be that specific, but just, you know, a basic idea like this much is going to go toward parking. This much is going to go toward lighting. This much is going to go toward the picnic area, things like so that we get an idea of where the money. Yeah, sure. Cuz all all we see is just a lump sum. So, it's easier for us to kind of Certainly. Good.

Good idea.

Okay, that was good. In short order.

Any other questions on this one? Alex.

Hi. Um, so do you happen to know what the net gain of parking spots would be if this project were to go through with the spaces getting removed from it's about 15 to 20.

So net gain of 15.

Net gain of 15 to 20. And so when we spoke with the parks, maybe we want when we first looked at it again working in our parks, we don't want to eat up all the green space as well, right? So there's there's a need, but we don't want to worst thing you can do is build more parking than you need, right? Because you can always build more.

Um we were sensitive to the existing walkways that that go although it's not, you know, it's not a historic park or a um an park, there are some existing historic walkways, trees, some other features that we tried to be cognizant of um and to be able to allow to stay and fit comfortably. Um, so yes, if there were a greater need, what the way that it works is that there's there are competing interests and peak parking

demands. So when the softball leagues are in full swing, usually evenings, that's when the on street spaces aren't needed. So during the day, sure, everybody needs to park down there, right? You want to go get a tattoo, you need you need a parking spot. um when when the shift changes from when the park needs it for their big peak items or over weekends, that shift. So although we would still be losing some

on the street, the availability of the lot itself should be completely open to them in the evenings when when they need it for their softball tournaments.

Okay. Um, and if this uh request were to be partially funded, uh would it be uh like your plan to use um the cap like funding from the capital improvement request to like make up the difference?

Correct. That would be 100%. Sure.

Um and so I noticed the you included some kind of like preliminary designs uh in the application. Has the project been designed yet or No. Nope. And is it going to be the whoever who did these plans is it going out to bid as well or so no there would there would in the I believe in the breakdown of the um of the scope there should be a component in there for complete construction design.

Yeah.

So what we would same thing that we did with Jerry Lton Park was I came up with a design schematic and then we hired the professional consultant to put together the specs and that that's that's the document that goes out for bid.

Okay. I just wanted to make sure because I saw like some of the plans and we if you're asking for funding for design design can have already been started if you're asking for fun for it. So I just want to make that clear.

Um and then uh I noticed that there's like a pretty aggressive timeline with construction like complete and I think May 2027. Is that is that still that's that's easily easily. Yeah. I would I would expect that it would be completed by by the end of the summer of 26.

Okay. And you already um I think answered this question. Uh but um with this if this project were to go forward, is do you know if there's still additional parking needs or is that going to be like a playby-ear kind of I I don't think there would be dramatic needs. Um so I I think you're aware of that some funding had taken place already for the park itself with lighting and so it's been very very

successful. um when you drive there and when we spoke to some of the people in the leagues, they're actually talking on the grass in the park sometimes.

Um and we had a quick conversation of, you know, would this be a dramatic improvement? And the answer was yes.

Specifically with usually softball are older guys like me, right? And you bring your family to a tournament on the weekend. Um so right now the kids that go and their parents or fathers are playing, they go across the street to Chew Park because there is a playground over there. So this parking area would would kind of be able to pull some of the families up away from the field,

have a place to park, you know, put some other additional there are some picnicking areas there already, but so plant what's there now to provide that service for that parking lot.

Okay. And then my last uh question I guess is it looks like in the preliminary plans that all of the existing trees are being saved. Is that the intent?

That is correct. I believe there there were one or two smaller trees right around the flag pole that were recently planted within the last year or two, but any significant we the again the design was intentional to try and and and leave it off.

Yeah, I was appreciative of that.

That's it.

And what's important and it's written in the in the documents is that through the the creation of the new open space and recreation plan um this was pointed out to being a need in a number of parks. So there will be if this is fairly successful, we'll be moving forward with other other opportunities in other locations to provide similar situations for for them as well.

Okay.

Any other further questions?

Would you say a little more about assuming this is partially funded? Um would you say a little more about how you're going to raise the rest of it because clearly you need to build. I agree with you. You need to build the whole thing and maybe the benches at once. You can't put in you can't put in gravel and then wait for the tire to go up.

Right. So you are 100% correct. When I had said about the alternate funding% it would come into it's it's easier for me to go the administration and ask for X than it is the whole right. So So when we have projects that have been able to get a lift and a start, it's easier for me to go get them completed. than for the administration to take on wholeheartedly and completely. So if if there is the

need for additional funding and it could be I I would have no issue if and I don't know if you can do this as a board but condition the approval based upon a certain period of time that the additional funding was secured and if it wasn't then the funds come back you know so if if you appropriate a certain amount of funding so that we're not dragging things out over years if you

say within 8 to 10 months if you can't fully fund the project then the funds revert back to the to your organization.

I don't know if you've ever thought about doing something like that or if you even can, but something to contemplate.

Yeah, that's the kind of thing and no other sources of funding that you can so besides this. So, there are some the municipal capital funds.

Well, there there are many different municipal capital funds that that come from different pools and and different budget line items. Um, so it would be up for myself and the CFO to determine where can we draw these funds from.

There could be opportunities and we talked through the uh open space and recreation plan for private public partnerships with certain businesses that can provide x number of dollars for the benches or the or the uh some of the parking area some naming rights. That's all in the new open space and recreation plan is opportunities for different funding mechanisms to provide funds for projects like this.

Right. That's Thank you.

One last question, Dan. Uh on the uh was your idea by the way on the open space recation plan. So I know uh one of the opportunities. Are you doing any bike lanes on the reconfiguration of the four corners or is there anything in that associated with it?

Oh, go ahead.

If I gave you an answer, I I I'd be lying. Um that's fine. I don't I want to say there's not room for it.

Yeah. The only reason I say that is that mass and mass motion is a big component of bikes in that type of scenario and there's some grant money associated with that. And as little as putting in bike racks and making it a destination type of scenario. So, with the last mass emotion grant that I got involved in when I first came, um, we had discussions about comprehensively coming up with bike routes through the city

and that they should run parktock if if at all possible, if the grade and space allows for that. So, we are we're looking at that as well as comprehensively because sometimes people just get money and just say, okay, we're going to add bike lanes here, but they don't lead to anything. Yeah.

Um, and that creates a bigger problem sometimes because now you dump people into an area that they shouldn't be. Um, so we we will be looking at that as well, but I'm going to bet that the new intersection does not call out for specific designated bike lanes. There might be some shar, you know, shared lanes, but I do not I don't think there's room for it.

Okay. Thank you.

Okay.

I just have just just one one last question. In um the only breakdown that I see in here, there's 50,000 for equipment, 50,000 for design and permitting. What equipment is that?

Equipment that would be utilized seating. So that there's a construction cost for asphalt, concrete, whatever we use for equipment as far as lighting, seating, things of that nature would fall under that category.

So for instance, if funding only gets to a certain point, then maybe only the parking lot gets constructed, right? And and we don't add any additional lights or we or we can't do additional seating or picnicking tables.

That's where this is this is if we do the whole project it costs this if we get certain funding then some of its yeah I'd like to live in a nicer house but we all would but that doesn't happen right so we all end we all have budgets I have one comment okay one more um just a brief comment this globe corners is an area I'm quite familiar with on a bicycle

uh it's a natural you have to go through But if you're coming up from or going to downtown over the for example over the Veterans Memorial Bridge and then south to Tibetan.

Um will there be a coordination with this project and the and also the the bigger part the three quarter million dollars.

Um, so that that so that some kind of a of a so just simply a lane of of a way so that bicycles can't get through.

Again, as as Mike asked, I I'm going to bet that there is not. So the grant that we received, it's actually it falls under what's called a local bottleneck grant, and that's a mass DOT grant. So they look at intersections that have excessive backup. So for instance, if you are heading north on South Main Street approaching that intersection, how long have we all sat in traffic in front of Letty's, in front of Rays, I

mean all the way down the street. So on that side, for instance, that lane is now being converted to a right turn only lane. So now we don't have just one singular lane of traffic just like Bedford Street, right? Nobody knew what Bedford and and Robersonson was going to look like until it got done with other turning lanes and getting people out of people's way. So this is entire new

signals. I don't want to get into this cuz we've got a long night, but I'm just telling you that's an area and I don't think I'd love to talk some more and be part of a conversation later about this, but the South Main Street is not a bad bicycle street.

It really is not. It's an excellent street and you just head right south and and off you go.

Well, we're still trying to get you to Mount Hope Greenway through that through that end of the city. So, well, yes, fingers crossed. I'm quite familiar with them hope way.

So, I just want to remind everyone, let's stay on point of what is in front of us.

Well, are good, but but it's not on the grant application. It's a great cause. I understand it is, but we're not focusing on that tonight. We're just No, I think it's it's just simply a part of I I know it's a good one, but if we stray off a lot, we're going to be here till tomorrow. Uh, so try and just keep a point on the what's in front of us.

Reverend Hunsby, you're always welcome to come by the office and we can sit and talk as long as you'd like.

Okay. Thanks. Next up is the uh Columbia Canal Street parklet that was uh actually donated from the church to Roman Catholic Church. Correct. Uh it does uh they're looking to do landscaping, seating, uh uh tree planting. Uh looking for 400,000. We have Dan here for questions.

Again, for this project, would we be able to get more of a breakdown of the cost of the different parts of it? Okay.

This is my first time submitting these, so I don't know how detailed of a breakdown you want. not not super detailed but just at least to give us an idea of how much is being spent on the different parts of the project.

And Dan, same logic here. Partial funding. Is this also part of the um capital?

Yes, 100%. Yeah, both both of these projects were were submitted um as part of capital improvement plan. The administration had had committed to getting that plan to the city council in December, but hasn't happened yet. So hopefully we'll be ready getting that down. and gives you a little more leverage if there's some.

It does. Sure. Yeah.

And this is also shovel ready for this year.

This is so what again has to go out for bid of course.

Um but we were in the was when we were in the process of completing the Columbia Street construction this summer which would be done by the end of this summer. It was our intention to have this dovetail completely and finish this off at the same time. Um, so even part of this estimating process, I had reached out to the contractor uh who's doing the Columbia Street project where a number of the pavers in front of the

church are being restored and reset. So I reached out to him and got a specific cost per square foot for resetting pavers, replacing pavers, removing pavers. So that's where I was able to generate, you know, a fairly accurate estimate for for what we would be doing.

And this is also part of our new open space recreation. It is 100%. Yeah. Very similar. I mean, this has been Everybody had wanted something to happen with with this piece, I guess, for a number of years. I actually came across an old application. I don't know who submitted it to to this board because the city didn't own it at the time. It was owned by the Roman Catholic Church. So, I I

don't know how I don't know what ever ended up happening with it. Um, but it's been So, again, couple of options. If we don't get funding to to create a Jerry Law and well planned out beautiful park, it could end up just being if it's entirely of municipal funds the best that you can, right? And cleaning it up. The top tier is just horrendous. The trees need to come out.

Those pavers are lifted. Lower the lower area is actually probably 70% good. So, some some of the resetting will need to take place, but it could use new light fixtures. They all work. Um, but they could use some some work. The trees are well overgrown. The benches you can't sit on.

Yeah, the benches were all broken. I'd seen them.

Are you increasing benches or just replacing the ones that are there?

I I would like to So, when we redesign the top, probably add more, but put them in different locations. Like right now, they they're they're just lined up along the outside walls. Some people don't want to go that far that far into it. I mean, I I would want to put benches right at the back of the sidewalk so that people want to sit and you're watching vehicles go by and putting them

back to back so you can face the park, you can face the street. So, those are the kinds of ideas that, you know, that we would be able to implement. But until we know what kind of funding we have, we don't know what kind of direction to give to architects that would come up with a design.

Any other questions?

This Alex, um, I was just looking at the kind of preliminary plan that's at the back of the application. I was just wondering if you could explain the intent. Um, so for that upper uh level of the market, it says that the pavers would be removed.

Are so is the plan to remove the pavers and replace them there or is that going to be like a greened area?

So the intention was for the upper parklet because it's really bad. There might there might be 10% of the pavers that even are even salvageable.

um is that would be the majority of where the money is going to be spent to re to reo to redo well not with pavers but more of a more of a green space more of a picnicking area there there are plenty of pavers downgradient at at the next level so it's to give a different feel a different opportunity for different things to happen in this space they there no need for them to be identical

especially when when someone's not using a lower one so no so so the intention would be to completely rellandscape most up top um and be able to different types of things happening there.

And would that present an opportunity to save some of the larger trees so it's not like all the newer kind of ones that take a while to mature?

Anytime we get into a project like this, we we always have the aubberist go out and and see what can we save. Some of those have just been let the species that they are and it's difficult and Michael will will attest to it because we've we've spoken about the trees through Colombia itself and and what should we be planting there and um they're some of them are fairly rough and they're and they're very dense upon

each other. That doesn't mean that one or two of them couldn't be saved and then we infill around that.

Um but that that's definitely something to to think about.

Okay. I was just I was wondering I just have two questions. I'm assuming uh the majority of the structure itself, for instance, the um the large uh structures that are square and then the stairs going from the lower tier to the upper tier, are those going to stay? Is that they're in great shape? Yeah.

Yeah. Okay.

And then um Okay.

Only reason I say I'm mentioning that is that then all of a sudden you have ADA compliance that you have to start dealing with if you start changing stairs and everything else.

Correct. So, and what we did on on Jerry Lawton and if you look at that design, we were able to provide ADA compliance from the existing sidewalk, which is what the requirement was in certain locations, set ballards in location that preclude people from getting in or trying to get into the area through an area that's not ADA compliant. So, we were able to put stairs on each outside

end, but also in other locations provide ADA to throughout the entire area.

Okay. Thank you.

And in front of this, all of Columbia Street in this area, um, including all of the sidewalks, all the all those pavers are remaining and being reset.

Um, fairly expensive to do. So, the remainder of the corridor sidewalks and some of the other aprons, that's all being removed. The sidewalks will be rebuilt like Bedford Street with the two-foot stamped red uh brick pattern that will be mimicked here for the remainder of the car. But we felt being in front of the church that we needed to maintain that the integrity of those uh those papers that are there.

Okay, sounds good. No other further questions.

Great. Thank you all very much.

Thank you.

You and you'll just forward that other pass on to us. Thanks.

Next we have uh forward waterworks complex repair shed number 12. Uh they're looking to restore it's using a storage right now. They're looking for 240.

It is on a national register

questions. We'll start on this one. Any questions?

So again, like the previous um projects, all we have is a request for 240,000.

There's no breakdown whatsoever on what's where that money goes to like so is is it possible to get that?

There's there's nothing.

No.

Okay.

Yeah.

A little problem.

Okay. Um the difference between the um um the original um the original project as it was configured last year actually uh removed the roof aspect part of the project which which reduced um you know the total Mike could you talk oh I'm sorry um so the project was um um modified to to remove the roof aspect of the project which is going to be funded from a uh from a different award department

source. Originally, we were looking at $400,000 project. So, we um um just you know reduced the scope of the project and so that the roof would be um paid for from another source.

Yeah. So, we found funding we found funding for the roof. We'll be doing that. Again, that's why eligibility we were asking for 450. We're down to 240.

I apologize. It must have been an internal document and we have that breakdown but we'll provide it to the committee.

Okay. Thank you.

One one quick thing I noticed I think from different uh from last year's application is you're committing $40,000 uh from your own capital budget this time to this project, right?

Yes.

Okay. I just want to confirm. And then it says, would you would you lay that in when you submit additional materials? Other sources of funding are really important.

It's on it's on the application on page.

Yeah, it's second page. It's on second page of their application.

Okay. I've got it here.

It's under total project cost.

Yeah, that's something that the water department we committed to uh to do because you know this is a nice building for that we're planning to use for cold storage for all of our material. Keep it keep stuff out of the weather uh so that it uh uh our equipment lasts longer.

Okay. Anyone else have any questions?

All righty. You hear that? We move to a public repair station and wash house for Anderondac Farm and Bio Reserve. Uh to construct a comfort station, bicycle repair uh kiosk for the Anarondac Farm Bio Reserve.

Um we have any questions on this one? This is also break down. Thank you.

Yep. Not a problem. I already wrote it down.

All right. Awesome.

And your shovel ready for this one.

Yeah. So, I don't know if any of the committee seen, we have the current work going on at Idonac Farm, uh, which is, uh, new roof on the bond, as well as some, uh, structural restoration, uh, on the bond structure and a deck that's going to a viewing deck that'll wrap around the back. Uh, this was one of the things that was one of the projects that was identified in the full uh, reuse of

that whole entire site. Um uh so again this is uh that's why we submitted that for CPC funding.

Okay.

Right. No other further questions.

And so uh I just for the breakdown it can it's going to include like how much the bicycle repair station cost the like every aspect of the project. Could it be broken down to that just in case it has to be partially funded?

Yeah. So, so in in this building, the way the way that the building's actually designed, it's kind of all integrated in the stuff, but things could be taken off. You know, originally we kind of staged it where, you know, there's there's a bathroom side, a pic a picnic area side. We structure it where we could do just the bathrooms now and picnic later. So, uh we'll provide that that separate breakdown for cost.

Okay.

And the washroom is a full like restroom or Yeah. So, that would be a full restroom.

composting toilet. I think it says in the plan.

Yep. That's that's the plan for out there.

Thank you.

Jim, did you have a question?

Yeah. Um um it's a lot of money that you're asking.

That's um and I hope when you break it down, and that's where I was going, that you will lay that out. um and uh as well as other sources of funding.

Yeah, definitely. You know, and we came up with this number based on uh you know, we had almost full design, 100% design of this building.

There are sources of funding for bicycle stuff.

Yep. Yep. So, no, we'll look at uh naturally, we always look at multiple different type types of funding, sources of funding. Um and again with this uh we actually bid this out with our full uh with our bond restoration project. Um but the overall cost of the full project was too high and then we had to scale it back and this was one of the uh one of the portions of that bid that was value

engineered out.

Question the the amount um you have another 100,000 and uh services onto this. You're asking for the 816750 100,000. What's the where's the 100,000 coming from? And then have you looked at any of like the mass emotions or anything of that nature for because it is a bike facility.

Um we have not gone after any of those particular grants as of yet. Um you know again it is something this is uh this is newer project. So we about a year ago was when we got underway uh with this overall project. Uh about 8 months ago is when we needed to just before actually this grant funding uh the uh application was due to this committee.

Just before that is when we this building got value engineered out. So we haven't fully uh exhausted all options of funding additional funding sources on this project yet but it's something that we're going to be searching for. And where is that 100,000 data? Is that from your other budget?

Uh yes.

Thank you. Okay. Any other?

Okay. We'll move on to the next one then. Next one is the historic property survey uh bio reserve area part two. Uh we funded the first one. So this is going to be for the remainder of what 40 50 historic sites and architectural design in that area.

Yeah. So good evening. Um so you will recall the first study which uh actually had a presentation in the fall and uh P public archaeological labs I I think we can agree did a really wonderful job in identifying uh the first uh uh uh you know group of properties which are almost 90 in number different properties and sites and so forth. Um, so this is the same uh basically a a um an

extension of the same uh contract with the same group. Uh we're really pleased with their work. It really served, I think, the city very well. Um illuminating some of these uh sites that would be, you know, potentially forgotten, potentially unprotected, potentially, you know, over the years just uh uh lost. So, this is it's the it's just a a smaller extension, a smaller version of the original project

with the same cast of characters.

Anyone have any questions on this one?

Just a comment. There's a nice breakdown in there.

So, thank you.

No, appreciate it. And, you know, one thing I just want to mention on this, you know, this really isn't a water department project per se, but it's something uh that has to do with the bio reserve, which we care for with uh other partners as well. Um and we felt that this was something that the city should continue to move forward with.

It would be historic commission too.

Yes, correct. Exactly. Historic commission. We have lots of partners that worked on the previous one and this one. Uh we just felt that we should submit the application to keep this going.

Okay. So you know for the just one one comment I didn't say this but that at the uh presentation of the fall survey in the fall for the survey uh it was explained to me that u the other areas of the bio reserve are doing the same thing. We don't own them.

we don't have to worry. What we really need to worry about is just simply the property that that we that belongs to the city of Fall River. But I was pleased to hear that this is this kind of survey is going on in other places throughout the bio reserve.

Well, specifically these sites are located within the boundaries of Fall River. As you know, the bio reserve boundaries extend into Freetown and others. So we're concentrating on on Fall River and I mean it just happens to turn out that the majority of these sites are on Fall River owned properties. The Wats up reservation, the Copa Cut. There are a few that happen to be on the state and there's some

redundancy. I think the state has in the past looked at some of their own things, but um it seemed important at this time to do something comprehensively so that we're not leaving anything out. And I think this will be the comprehensive inventory that will last and this ready to start this summer. So, okay.

Right. We have the quote in hand for the work and they're ready to go.

Alex, and I just want to confirm. I think there's a typo in the project budget.

Um, total project budget is 33,000, not 38,000.

Oh, right. It's one place in the middle, but I figured it's a typo. I just want to confirm.

What pages?

It's that it's the total budget page six under the budget summary.

33 column number six. Page six.

Yeah, I see that.

I have 33.

It says 33 everywhere else. I just want I have 33 on page six. Yeah, I can't I can't explain what you have 33 on page.

It says total project cost 38, but then CPA funds requested.

So I just I was just wondering if outside funds were being used for if there was an additional um it might just be a type.

I I honestly I think it was the 33.

Could you just confirm and just get back?

Okay.

You have you have your AR uh your actual uh bid proposal from PAL and it's a total of 28. So, I would assume it's either $10,000 more or uh 3,000.

Good pickup.

Yeah. 105.

We'll we'll confirm that and we'll get back to the commission.

Thank you. Okay. Oh. Um Okay. So, um I I think the original was for 28. Um there's going to be an additional Oh, interesting. So, the list that we're using for the for the um parcels uh for the for the sites is a little bit fluid right now because there's there still may be a few more that are going to be uh added on as because a lot of this diligence is done either with volunteers

or within the department. Um and we ran out of we ran out of season. Um so it anticipates that there could be an additional 10 at the 500 per. So that's so that number should be 33.

Okay.

Okay.

All right.

So, any further questions? We move to the next one, which is the uh proprietor's way and parcel uh W-15-0073 land protection uh to get a clear uh deed on the uh article 97 protection.

Any questions on that one?

And I would simply say again, this is sort of a repreeze of a of a similar thing we did with over 800 acres a few years ago where we put article uh 97 protection which is simply a deed uh affirmation on on on properties that the city already owns. This these have a little bit different title issues and so these funds will take care of the title issue and uh in the end have that

article 97 uh deed affirmation.

based on it.

Uh then see no questions on that. Do you have a question?

Just so it's just this like thin strip of land that I'm guessing maybe was like a logging road or like some kind of Yeah. So So the the funny story about that is that although you know the scale of this map is so small and the fire reserve is so large that it looks insignificant but those two strips of land are 34 acres. So in the you know in the numbers game of protecting land and

protecting the percentage of the water supply and what those access ways could potentially represent for sort of overall threat to lands and so forth. Um it's it's kind of a big it's kind of misleading to look at.

I'm not diminishing it. I just found it interesting how this the shape of the parcel that you're you're Yeah. And so one of them is sort of an ancient way and the other one is just happened to be a very long parcel that over the years was split the long way.

So and in fact that adjacent property along the Westport line is I mean the adjacent property is is the exact twin of it because through some inheritance or whatever they said split the property in half so they did it the long way. It makes it a little bit impractical but Okay. Thank you.

And just one other question. Uh, I notice there's a $5,000. The total project's 30. You're requesting 25.

There's five coming in. Assuming that's coming in from the city.

The coming in is is a kind of a inind match.

Okay. because um way we've kept the prices low on these uh land uh a lot of these land projects are um we just happen to have some staff that can get that can be very helpful in the field and save us a lot of money whether it's a survey or you know different things we can do to assist even even um registry uh research so we can do in house.

All right, no further questions. Uh next would be the uh Samson partial land protection.

Uh looking for 720,000 open space. Now is this something that it's going to be I mean it's on our open space recreation. It protects our water.

Is this Yeah. So um I'm going to share this this number is the new ask.

Well, yeah, we can we can talk about we can expl we can explain it all out.

Yeah. No, again this this is a very exciting parcel. Um, you know, whoever doesn't know this parcel, it's directly on the side of Aderondac farm just to the north. Uh, it's a parcel that stretch is all the way from Blossom Road all the way down and actually touches uh touches the Northwood Tupper Pond uh on the shoreline. Um, so it's um almost a twin to Aderandac Farm. Uh, this parcel

takes and it connects Aderondac Farm to other properties that we own. uh that would make it where you could go from Aderondac farm all the way into the full bio reserve with just crossing roads rather than having to travel with roads to be able to uh to get to to get into it. So, uh, it's a nice piece. When we developed our whole entire site, uh, development plan for Aderondac farm, how

we would like to see the flow, uh, we actually also included this parcel in that site development to show, uh, how this parcel could be used with, uh, with the Aderondac farm for future educational purposes and stuff like that. Um, so I think that's something very good. We're in talks. We've always We've been in Mike's been in talks with this property owner for 30 years, 20 years with the family.

Yeah. Um so, you know, it's one that we've always had our eye on it and uh we're right there at the finish line right now. Wanted to cross it if you want to talk a little bit about where we are.

Well, yeah. So, so we actually um we have a purchase and sale agreement that is about to be signed. and it's being reviewed. But um we you know we've agreed on a price and um and as we always do with these land projects, we seek a match from the state. So we have we have a grant lined up um which has a deadline of April and um would be a 60% match.

So the to the project is a 720.

You know that was the number we used. Um but we're hopeful that uh the grant will supply us with um just about $300,000 toward that. So as as we've done in the past, it's a chicken and egg. We could apply for the other grant first and then have and then go to the CPC and say, "Would you match it? We the the the grants are cyclical and it happens that

the CPC grant is first." Um, but and it's anticipated that in April, like within within several months of the of the state grant, we'll we'll know that that other grant came in and that that would be the matter. So, we we might be in the end, we're probably looking at needing less than $400,000 and not the full 720.

Well, we'd be approving you before that.

So if we did approve this, we would just if it was with the condition, you know, that if we got the match, of course, we would yeah, we would we would seek the lesser number. And and one thing I I just want to bring up to the commission again um a project that uh that you guys were very supportive in the past and I think it was probably almost 10 years

ago now. Costamelo Farm uh we did purchase that property with uh and the CPA was able to bond that project out so that it wasn't a hit within one year and I believe either this year or next year is when that debt service comes off for the uh for the CPC. So, uh, something to consider possibly bonding out, uh, the cost of this project as well.

The what?

Bonding it out.

Bonding it out. So, getting a 10-year loan so that it uh, you know, the cost gets advertised.

Just bond. It was an odd story question.

Is that a problem?

Do we have Alex?

Yeah. Um, just so actually in that line of thought um, like if we were I was thinking if we were to go a bonding route, um, so what are the chances of this sale not you know going through? I know you said you have a PNS um close to to finalize. It's just I know some of the other land acquisitions you had before us, they were withdrawn. So, I was just hoping we could maybe do our

best to prevent a situation where we bond for something and then it falls through.

I could fill you in on that. Talking to Emily or the uh treasur's office, whatever. She said uh from now on bonding would not go out till we get invoiced.

Okay.

We bonded out first and then invoice. So we've been paying on things that have not been done that past where now we don't do that till so that that was my question. Yeah, and that's a great point and that and that kind of alludes to the sequence of things. We wouldn't expect to be bonded until we had a purchase and sale that was absolutely executable and um and we would close on the property.

Okay.

Um but um you know the the one that we did the Costello and the Demaris properties um that was the sequence there.

And and just just one more thing kind of just maybe to answer a little bit more of your question. So, purchase and sales, yeah, you know, we've been through it, but and this owner um fully understands what it takes for a municipality to be able to purchase a property, uh how long it may take uh for us to be able to get additional funding and stuff like that. Mike's, you've made

that very clear to her and she understands that it could be a lengthy process and won't happen tomorrow.

Okay. Thank you.

I don't know if you can answer this, but is the 720 the number on the purchase and sales if you don't want to disclose that but yeah, so I'd rather not disclose it.

that is but the number will end up lower because because of um well because that's what we try to do we try to you know but but honestly I mean we so I you know I think it's important to to think about certain contexts of things we have we have this rare opportunity um that we we can we deal with families without u without needing necessarily you know having realtors involved in this and that and we're

dealing with families that that is are generational land owners and it kind of means something to them to be able to sell the land um you know be rewarded for the you know for the for the for the investment that they had there but not you know not necessarily make a killing because this land is um is sort of a higher purpose for it.

Um this 10 acres is the this the second to the last privately owned shoreline parcel on the Northwood upper. Um, a lot of folks think that the Northwoods upper is fully protected. It but it isn't nec, you know, but the the lands are generally um, and there's only just a handful left, but um, this is owned by private individuals. They're not investment properties. They're not corporate or anything. And so we're able

to work with these owners and they they kind of get it. And so um, you know, although we've been in talks for a long long time, they really wanted to do this. And so this is their moment to to to be able to work with the city. And so, you know, if we need a little time, you know, that's fine. Um, but they're in agreement. They want to do the the

sale and and actually the purchase and sale is is is been the price has been agreed upon and it is in the hands of their attorney to just, you know, give it a final review. So, yeah.

Any other questions?

I'm assuming that this all this land is landrestricted development even though it's privatized. Am I correct? It isn't restricted from development right now.

It will be it's it's it's privately owned non protected land when we when we when we when the city acquires it. There will be a conservation restriction applied to it which will permanently restrict it from development. That's it. Its proximity to the water does not uh eliminate development opportunities.

It doesn't eliminate it. It it restricts it somewhat but I believe Yeah. It's a 25 foot there's a there's a 200 foot setback from from the pond but you're talking about a th00and foot deep property 10 acre property so there's you know there's potential there to to do things and um that's why we try to proactively nip it in the nip it in the bud yeah and and one thing on that you know

people may say well you're taking a property pulling it off of the tax role this property has been uh in uh exempa yeah chapter 61A so the taxes that have been paid over, you know, and continue to be paid is very minimal compared to So, it's not like we're taking a parcel that pays a lot in taxes per year to the city and pulling it off the tax role. It pays very, very minimal pennies on the

dollar.

Thanks for that.

Well, Mike, I want to say it's been a pleasure dealing with you. You're retiring, I hear. So, uh, that's the rumor.

We wish you the best of luck and it was nice working with these projects. I I I appreciate the uh I appreciate the support of the the the committee. It's been great working with you all. Thank you.

You're welcome.

You will be missed.

Appreciate it.

All right.

He will.

Thank you guys.

Have a good night. God.

Uh let's see. Next is Abbott Court sensory playground constructing a new sensory friendly playground for children with autism. Uh um installation. We're looking for 200,000.

Dion and you could just state your name.

Uh my name is Marcel Marel Riley because you're looking for 200,000. Your project's 650. So you have outside funding coming in which is nice.

And uh they identify themselves.

Yeah, they did.

Um, my name is uh Michael Dion. I'm the director of community development and also the CFO of community development here in the city parks director.

So, you're right. You have an application in front of you um for the Abbott Court sensory playground. The Abbott Court had a playground previously um but that playground was deemed unsafe and was torn down a couple years ago. Um we're looking for a funding request of $200,000.

The total project to uh institute it is I guesstimate at around $650,000.

Um the request is consistent with the goals of the uh CPC uh community preservation act because it will create new outdoor uh recreational facilities in Fall River and support the needs of disabled children thereby improving the quality of life for River residents. Um we didn't just you know pick this project out of the thin air. Um the city uh is following the city of Fall River's

master plan which addresses uh um the need to restore and expand the Fall River Park system and expand recreational opportunities. The city is also uh following the past open space recreation plan which also lists its goal as expanding recreational opportunities in Fall River Parks. Uh we put together a uh budget for the project. Um, we're looking at going after a parkland acquisition grant and

renovation grant through the state for about $400,000.

The community development agency uh has made a commitment of $100,000 to this project. Uh, every pot grant that comes through the city requires, I believe, a 20% match. So, the community development agency would would follow and and and take care of that match. And we also have a great fundraising system uh that I'll have uh Mr. Riley talk about uh going forward. Uh right now um next week

I'm meeting with the disability commission to partner with with that group. We've uh talked with other groups throughout the city. Uh and uh you know we haven't been at this very long. We've put together a real good fundraising system. Uh we've run it on the city's website where where fiscal agent is uh community development recreation which is a nonprofit agency. Uh we've put it on their website. You can make a

donation uh on the computer or you can also make a donation. We we take cash and checks. Um uh we have a uh a timeline for the project. A timeline that is very uh um uh able to be done.

Um, we're looking at uh this park to be open and for public use sometime in early 2027.

Um, it's going to take us uh about a couple months to put together the PAC grant application to apply for that PAC grant. Um, it's something that, uh, you know, we're really uh, uh, enthusiastic about. Um, it's something that's going to be good for the city. It's going to be the only one in the city. Um, and at this time I'd like to turn it over to Marcel uh to give you uh an update of

what we've been doing. Before we do that though, I just want to, you know, in your application, you have colored photos of what um you know, the the uh what it'll look like. Um we might deviate a little bit from that. Um at this time, uh it will go out for bid uh like any Fall River project would. Um but Marcel, if you'd like to uh Yeah, sure.

So, uh let me give you a little history about the project. This this all started um I got a 4-year-old non-verbal autistic daughter and uh I needed to make a space for her cuz we didn't there wasn't one in Florida and um we needed to make it local cuz my girlfriend and May's mom is battling stage four longer brain cancer. So that's how it originated and uh the story it kind of

took you know caught fire a little bit and um the great thing about it is a lot of people reached out to us special education teachers reached out to me ABA counselors um everybody as credible as Fluty Foundation and um which they have uh told us that they're going to come in and give us the uh Brio boards and the communication boards and they want to be a private. They're uh they love our

fundraising ideas that we got going.

They they love our website and they add credibility to the project for us, you know, because they're the pinnacle of autism awareness. And that's what this park is for, you know. It um it's it's it's for bringing autism awareness to the city and uh it could be a centerpiece in the great things that are already going on in this city when it comes to autism. Um we have places like

uh Little Wanderers and everything that um is going on. We need to have a place where these kids feel that they're uh included, that they're they're going to be part of what's going on. And it it's like anything else, you know, if um if a kid has uh is is into baseball or if they're into uh skate parks or if they're into basketball, they have them out there. Paul River doesn't have this

for the autism community. And um since September, since last time we were here, our website's taken off. our Facebook page is taking off. We we've constantly um are getting approached by people that want to be a part of this project. It brings out the best in people. You know, it's really something special and I really feel it's going to be the beginning of something great in this city.

Now, how's the hits been on the uh website when you hit the uh city link?

You Yeah, we um it's what we do is if you go on for river municipal page, we're right there. Right. Right. Banner right in front. when I hit on that will take us right to our right to the website and we also have a Facebook page where cuz we're out there in the community. We're uh doing century hours and we're doing fundraisers and we're we're passing the word along, you know,

and uh it's it's the feedback's been great and um so our our Facebook page is going to continue to grow and I I I figure that with that and some fundraising that we got planned, we got a bolathon that we're going to be announcing pretty soon. We we're going to be selling t-shirts, bracelets. We got a big fundraiser with uh some of the people that do it best in the city.

They're going to be helping us with that. And uh and and we we're going to celebrate every accomplishment with this park. You know, everything that we do, foundation, every to every apparatus brings autism awareness to the city. And it's it's it's like I always been saying and preaching, this is bigger than just a park, you know. It's more than just a park. It's it's something very special,

you know, and this is the foundation. We need this grant is the foundation we need to get the ball rolling, you know, to be a big part in getting this going.

Now, on the uh parks uh grant, how pretty confident in that one coming through?

Yeah, we've applied for many park grants uh through the state and we've been successful with a lot of them. Um the last one that we did was the Captain Assad Tot um redid that whole u project.

I want to say it was somewhere around the $3 $400,000 range. Um, all of the new pickle ball courts, tennis ball courts down at Kennedy Park were all done through a park grant. Um, I mean, I've had 30 years I got 30 years with the city of Fall River and we've used that park grant on numerous occasions.

Um, you know, one of the things that I want to let you know is that this, as much as this is a community development project, we're a funding source in this.

This is actually a city of Fall River project. Yeah.

Um, so it's it's really it's really important um that you know that that that it's not um it's for the residents of the city. Um and like I said, you have a lot of different funding sources that are going into this project. Um but we're committed to this project 100%.

Community Development is and I know the administration is because when this was brought to my attention and the mayor's attention, we sat down with Mr. Riley and we gave him 100% commitment that we would get it done.

But we like to tie up with that have other sources coming in. It makes it a lot easier us for us to donate our side of it. So yeah, I wouldn't come here without more sources. I I I appreciate what you guys do. It's a wonderful thing that you're doing in the community, the the community preservation act, but you do need multiple sources, especially nowadays with everything that's going

on, how scarce it is, how scarce federal resources are and state resource resources are. You have to really combine resources to make something work. So, I do it every day.

And this is also part of the open space recreation.

It's part of the open space and recreation. Um, a lot of people say, you know, there's really no plan on how we do things. There is definitely a plan how we do things. We follow the master plan. We follow the open space and recreation plan. Um those are important to the city. Um you know, we follow the park board. We we follow um what we need to follow and what we need to do. Okay.

Any questions from the board?

I just have one. So what exactly is the 200,000 going toward? Is that going toward buying some of the playground equipment?

Solely going to the playground equipment. All of the $650,000 is going to a playground playground equipment. Currently, right now, we're doing playground equipment in Columbus Park, which is costing us about costing the community development agency about $165,000 to do it. When you start doing sensory playgrounds, when you start doing playgrounds for disability, the cost increases substantially. Substantially.

So, I'll be honest, I don't even know if $650,000 will do it, but we're hoping that it does. We're hoping we have a real robust um uh fundraising. We have a lot of people a lot of people that want to join us. Um it was very good that the fluy association and the disability association looking at private donorship uh our bell of insurance all kinds of different programs to raise money. I'd

like to raise somewhere around 100 to $150,000 above the 50.

All right.

Go Alex.

Thanks. Uh, so that was actually kind of my main question was I was wondering um how much typical playgrounds and parks cost versus how much the sensory playground um will cost and like where you know some of those cost increases might come for members of the public who might not just be aware of it. Um and I was also wondering how much uh funds you've raised slashg committed to date if you have that number.

I probably have committed to date probably the $50,000 that we we need right now.

Um uh um you know, like I said, the the uh um sensory playgrounds are very expensive.

You know, if you look at the playgrounds that you have currently now, which let's take North Park for example, that playground down at the bottom of North Park, that playground is about $600,000, $700,000 at the time it was put in. It's probably gone up to close to a million dollars now. Um, uh, we typically, Community Development typically handles playgrounds, um, in the, uh, I said 200,

$250,000 range. Um, Columbus Park is a smaller park. So, you, you know, you can only put in a playground based on the on the size of the park. So, um, we we do have our work cut out for us.

There's no doubt about it. Um, I would say over the next six months, you'll see the uh the fundraising take off like like you wouldn't believe. That's what I think.

Yeah, absolutely. Um, I like I'll also like to add there's a pocket uh similar to this Noah's Place in New Be that a little over $2 million tag on it. We're not looking for anything like that. Like anything like maybe half of that. That's that would be huge, you know. But um they just built one in uh Portsmouth and it's got a tag of $750,000. That was parking lot, water structures. We're not

looking for all that either. Um the space uh when vendors got there, they they it's a great space. It's and what we could fit in there, I think we could be able to keep it at a reasonable number, but it is expensive. Like Mr.

Dion said, it's uh because you got to deal with foundations that got to be different. You can't just have wood pellets or whatever a kid could pick up and put in his mouth or something like that. You have to really look at texture of things. They have to be a certain texture. Um so yeah, he's right. It's it's absolutely um we got a lot of work in front of us, but um I'm confident

that we can get it done. I really am.

I have a quick question. Um I'm an actually landscape architect. I've done hundreds of parks like this or similar to it. It's roughly 25 to 30% more increase on when you're designing for uh we don't like to call it ADA accessible.

We call it universal design principles where everything it's accessible for anybody. What depending doesn't matter what type of sensory project uh situations we have. One of the things I'd suggest on this is that um when we do projects, we've done a ton of these up in the city of Everick. We actually phase these projects out so that when you go and build this that you realize that um you want to get this project

done and you design it in a way and you phase it in a way where you can build something now and when additional funds you continue to uh add to the project.

Most of the projects we do up there, you're right, they're about $6 million give or take and we typically get about a million dollars every year to do a project. and we'll do one major project that's $5 million and then we'll do about I say a half a dozen that are roughly a half a million to 500 500,000 to a million dollar. So what I'd suggest in this particular case because I do see

the layout on this and this looks like it's all um basically rubberized surfacing on this for exactly what you're talking about. It's none of the pellets. It's none of the mulch. um it's very costly but there's a ways of designing this that you could build one phase of it now and then continue on it year after year and and again it's just having that insight and oversight to it.

Yeah, I agree with you that that we we that we were looking at this as a phase project also of of you know doing what we can with what we have originally and then adding on as we went on uh uh years down the road. um uh and and also looking at something with uh being able to uh maintain that project too.

The other thing I'd recommend to you as well, seeing that you do this on other projects within the city, is to come up with kind of a standardized what you're looking at and an approach on materials.

The reason be you can actually start to cut deals with the suppliers and the vendors on this, whether it's a bench, whether it's a play structure, whether it's a a surface. So that basically you're getting the best unit price on that and again keep it competitive. So yeah, the thing with community development is it has to go off a bid.

Uh the the and and you have to take the lowest price.

You're right. But there's I just finished the waterfront development project and you can actually put in some caveats. This is what our standard is and this is the reason it's our standards and so you have to bid on that based on or and or approved equal. And then that basically gets you into that price range and and it's also helpful to your maintenance uh people as well uh when you're trying to maintain these in

in the long term. So when we get close to it, we're going to invite you to the table cuz if we can have another person at the table, that's great. I mean, you know very much about it and uh the more the marrier. I mean, we have an architect on board to do but uh definitely. So, I was just wondering if you could are so are there sensory components that you're planning

already or is it just um No, there's plans already for sensory and and plans to to put the playground, but there'll be things that'll be added probably in the future because we we want to be able to give uh a person a full experience, but we know we're not going to be able to do that right away.

Okay. So, so like the the park and the plans, we could expect to see something similar, not more like of a reduced scope if you were awarded the We're going to try to keep that the way it is. Okay. Um uh and give you what you guys approved.

Okay, that's where I'm getting at.

Believe me, I don't want to come here with a plan and you approve it and you give the money and then I switch the plan and make it all different. This will be going on once if it's approved, it will definitely be going to the park board for the park board's approval because they have, you know, their say in inh what's going to happen on that land. So, thank you.

I just want to say I appreciate your excitement and your enthusiasm for this project.

Thank you. Thank you very much. I appreciate that.

Thank you. Thank you so much.

All right. Thank you. All right. Thank you.

And remember, what we don't finish, we can always come back next year. Right. I will definitely We expect you to play on it too.

Put me on the mail list on the swing.

Excuse me.

Put me on the mail list for funding.

I will do that. Thank you so much.

Okay. Next we have uh Maplewood Park, Brooklyn Park, Highland Park, North Park, Chute Park, Rubbles Park, Lafayette. Uh resurfacing cracks in uh basketball, pickle courts, uh hopscotch, etc., etc. Uh looking for 250,000.

Yes. Darren, you want to just do we have any questions first?

Darren, isn't it less than 250 though?

It is. So, I know so I got I know last time I had gotten two competing microphone.

Sorry about that. I know last time I had gotten two competing bids and they were not like kind. So, I learned from that with these. I I did submit two sets of bids from two companies. So, the numbers actually came in lower than the 250. one was I think it's around 180 and one is about 172 uh to complete these projects that was done um the middle of November and the

quotes expired I think uh December 10th but I'm not uh expecting too much of an increase from that depending on time frame because earliest that they could do this speaking with them because I wanted to get if approved as quick as possible is probably when springtime breaks.

So this would be a shovel ready this year.

This is shovel ready. If it gets approved, I could more than likely a month, maybe not even two.

I think contractors too, they've also done other resurfacings in the parks in the past.

Yeah. So they've done Maplewood Park.

They redid a tennis court in Maplewood.

Um in this uh proposal, there is a second tennis court at Maplewood that's going to get converted to a pickle ball.

So instead of having two tennis courts, I'm going to convert one. The actual one is hasn't been used for years and years.

Okay. Does the board have any questions?

Just uh on the phasing of this, you have several different areas almost like a half a dozen. Um I don't know the size of the crew that they have on this.

Would it be a scenario where they do one and they go to the next one, they go to the next one, they go to the next one, or do they have enough to kind of get it done within a whole summer cycle or or cycle?

The they told me they could do it within a two-month time period. All of the projects all of the projects and but I had a list of what I wanted to done it do of importance one was to start this is all started with Griffin Park that's one of the biggest ones it's got three three tiers that need to be resurfaced that was the priority at the time because I was told

I just list them in order of priority if I don't get approved for all of them and it was that one was number one was uh uh Griffin Park and then number two was Lafayette only to coinc coincide with uh the skate park that's being installed there because that one also has uh basketball and uh a tennis court. It's in the proposal that tennis court's going to be converted to pickle ball as well.

Okay.

And like I said with the other folks like anything that you're doing on here you can kind of figure out again work with the maintenance division because they're the ones that have to maintain this at the end of the day. And if you can kind of standardize certain things, trash receptacles, benches, lights, whatever it might be, because then um when you go to like these courts typically after like 3 to 5 years,

depending on how much wear and tear have to get resurfaced, not surfaced, but repainted or striped or whatever it might be.

Yes.

And you know, again, usually get better pricing on stuff of that nature.

Yeah. So that so I've I've only been in this position since um the end of August. So I have done that like put to your point not it doesn't have anything to do with this project is with like with the benches we've standardized those we've done that going forward in the last year so it does work out better like that for maintenance wise and pricing and it's probably something too that

came up earlier with the uh capital maintenance program that they're working on.

So I think these things are also part of that conversation but that hasn't been completed yet. So kind of chicken of the egg if they're going to pay for it or here but the courts need to be done. Yeah.

Okay. Do do the courts do this and then they continue to maintain it like for instance the resurfacing or whatever it might be.

Yes.

Yeah.

But there's some like for example there's some courts on this that I mean they haven't been used as long as I've worked for the city. I've been here 22 years is like that court one court at Maplewood was done for tennis court. The second one has just been left to to rock and and they just got we just got that court done this past summer that tennis and now it's being used at Maplewood. We

we would recommend too is that um adaptive reuse spaces are are the where to go especially like with tennis courts now they're pickle ball courts or whatever it might be and whatever you can do for the striping and stuff like that even non you know non asphalt surface types of fields or recck spaces like because I know like the number one uh one of the biggest requests we've had in

the LA since Kennedy Park pickle ball has gone in is pickle ball courts. Yeah, that's the number one request for parks to park.

I I I just have that's probably just a follow up. That's probably true today. It may not last for the length of the court.

So the only thing the good thing about tennis is like what they did at Kennedy Park.

I was talking pickle ball.

Well, I'm saying like so like some of these uh things can be easily converted back and forth from tennis to pickle ball if one goes back and forth to the other. I don't know if you're familiar with the bottom of Kennedy.

There's so the lines are set up. You see is some of the lines are inside the tennis court for pickle ball and then if somebody decides not to play pickle ball, they can play tennis.

Yeah.

And we can and we can go in and set up the nets as needed.

Like basketball courts are or floor hockey or whatever it might be. There's several different or even you know uh um the uh foosball type of scenario. So Joan, you had a question. Yeah, I um I see that you have prices in here. Yes.

Per park, which is a wonderful breakdown, but they are less than what the request is. Would the request be modified to match this or um what do you think you might do on that?

See, I I tried to talk to the vendors just on if it does get approved and I know I'm working with the time frame for springtime. That's my goal is to get off in the springtime if approved. I'm think you know the in conversation it was like a five to 10 percent difference in their quotes from higher than what they higher than what they quoted me. It depends because I want like I got these

as close to the submission as I could.

Understood.

Um but it that goes to say I don't know uh come March if that if maybe it doesn't change hold these prices or not.

I think they'll be pretty close. I I I'm not I can't I can't guarantee anything but I don't think it's going to be anywhere close to the 250. I think it's going to come under because the cheapest one actually right now is 172. I'm 8,000 under the second highest and I'm asking for 250 because I I kind of round the uh you know like did as close as I could

but I I wanted to get the quotes. So potentially an ask of 180 could do it or 185 or I'm thinking if if I just said 10% um maybe I'd be at 195 maybe 200.

Okay. Thank you.

I will have another conversation with the Thank you.

Any other?

And sorry if I misunderstood. Did you say that you also have a capital improvement request in for these projects as well?

It's in my capital improvement if it weren't to be. Okay. So, if there was uh partial funding, you have some kind of mechanism to possibly make up the dis the difference.

Yes.

Um and then no, I know it's no guarantee, but but you have you have that possib for the parks, like if you put in the requests and if because I have I'm going to apply for a block grant. through uh Mike's office next week. That that's going to be an I I'm I'm going to apply for that as well.

Okay. And I noticed um you said that you had put together like a priority list of the parks. I didn't I don't think I saw that in the application. Was that in there? Like which ones are just worse off than the others of the list you're planning on doing?

It wasn't worse off. They basically all in the same type of condition. They all got cracks. They need the the restriping, recoloring. It was of importance as as they came into the parks. Griffin Park has been on the radar long before I've t took this job over. That was the original one that started it. And the only reason why they they did Maplewood Park last year. The only reason why they didn't do Griffin

was for funding because to do that park, I think it's one of the most expensive ones on the list. I think it's 30 one has it at 325.

Yeah, it's it's one of the most expensive ones, but that's the one we have gotten a lot of requests to repair and a and list of priority. Okay. And one second and uh last thing in terms of you know maintenance and future upkeep have you kind of addressed or are you addressing how all these courts got to this condition and like have you implemented or are implementing steps um to make sure like if you were awarded

this grant and they were repaved that they're maintained and they'll last you know as long as possible like has that been addressed? So like with the Kennedy Park pickle ball, those are maintained almost daily with they get they're blow they're blown off either they're power washed, they're swept because they did leave some trees around there, oak trees that do dump like some acorns or

branches, whatever, but they are maintained daily uh that they should be, but we get a lot of calls because they're used. You can't use a a court when it's got acorns or twigs on it. So these guys are there every morning. They take a walk through on them if they need to be cleaned because there's a lot of runoff at Kennedy Park and a lot of sand gets onto that court that has to be addressed. So

they do address it daily and with these that it will be the same implementation of maintenance.

Is it like a like an established plan that you know will be followed long after you depart like you know just forever going forward like has is that something like that in place for maintenance for these parks? Okay.

Yes.

Thank you. So the parks we do up in Everett, we basically put in a new court and after three years we have it uh transferred over to the maintenance division and they have the seal coated.

So basically depending on how much use it's on, like if you have one that's very popular in Kennedy, it's going to get worn down the seal coat. So, what I'd have is some type of a program or maintenance plan with them that once you're done that they take over and they'll they'll seal it or re repaint it or re, you know, coat it, whatever needs to be done. But it's just like painting

your house. Once you put the shingles on and you paint it once and just leave it there, if you don't do anything to maintain it, it will just wear down.

You'll have to replace the whole thing.

Because I because I think like what you say, if like the main plans is to keep it if I'm getting keeping these sealed.

to avoid the cracks because once it cracks that's when the excessive cost comes in you expansion freeze and thaw and then the other question I had is now were these any predicated on uh one company um and is there like unit pricing so for instance if you end up getting only half of this and you can only do half this project are those prices going to change or are these pretty solidified

those are pretty solidified per park I had him do I didn't want him to give me a lump sum estimate breakdown I wanted him to break down every single park because like my initial thing with him was if I don't get funding for each park, say I get only funding, you're still good with what that number is per park.

If I do those four parks, it'll be covered.

Perfect. Thank you.

Another question.

All right. Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you. Uh let's see. Next up is Quest Rock Church tower. This is space three and I understand they're looking for 350 50,000 and I think he just told me this is the last phase uh that he's looking to finish up.

So we'll let him have a seat and then any questions?

Open up. Any questions right now?

Go ahead and introduce. Yeah.

Mike Keane, Civotex Architects.

Paul Showcat, director.

Rob Canavan, uh, Christ Direct Church pastor.

So, could you go actually do a kind of overview of what the work is going to be done on this?

Well, we know what the overview is.

Yeah, this is the third phase of I know it's the third phase. And so what we've had unfortunately is a lot of overruns to do to get to this point. And you know uh I want a clear definition of what you guys uh are willing to uh do on the project. That's that's what I'm as I say we've done the review of what we've had and we've kind of stopped at the

last goound and I know um the stop start becomes um detrimental to the final installation of this project but the reality of it is is that that's a huge cost especially when you're doing about staging and such. So, um, I would like to know when you say this is the final phase, is this the final phase for the entire tower or is it just to a certain point? So, I want to clearly make sure

that that's defined.

Um, I wouldn't consider it cost overrun. It might not be the the right word for it.

I think it was originally uh estimated at a million dollars.

uh and I think that what we took is a phased approach based on uh the amount of funding that we were uh the church was awarded. So yes, the intent was that this would be the final phase for the tower and that's all four sides north, south, east, and west.

Yep. and all the way to the top from where you finished all the way up. Okay.

From the roof line to the top and and understanding, you know, we the the um structural stability of what's there now and what you've already done from the base all the way up um that you feel comfortable that these numbers are what's going to get us to the finish line.

Yeah. And I I don't want to speak for Paul, but this phase uh is priced a bit higher than the previous um there is and I I think you you know Mike uh and Alex too with the site visits that you've you've done is that uh the tracery at the tower needs to be restored and that's a bit more labor intensive than just the masonry repointing. Uh so there's delamination of the of the stone

uh tracery so you see the exposed rebar.

So that exposed rebar needs to be treated and coated uh before they can do any sort of consolidation.

Um and you've done some consolidation already but more along the base banding of the tower. Uh so this is definitely much more labor intensive. And I guess to go back to um one of your earlier points, um you're not looking to scaffold this.

No, just one section.

So it's a bit of a different approach.

Um so instead of having you know full scaffolding like we did for phase one and two and Paul kept the scaffolding in from phase one to phase two so there wasn't a duplication of of work in the sense that he had to demobilize scaffolding and remobilize and uh so there was some efficiency there I would say uh this time around it's a different approach using a lift to gain access to all four sides

so which is not something that he could do in the previous two iterations.

Any other questions?

I just want to say thank you. I mean, you guys have been great to us uh for the last three years. Uh we did just get somebody in the city who wants to do another $10,000 match with us. So, every dollar that comes in, this this guy's done it twice so far. this owner of the city. He just wants to be anonymous. Uh so we're hoping we can continue and to

Alex's point and he's talked to me a lot about uh maintaining it now that these guys have done all their hard work and we're going to have a line at him every year that will be make sure it's in there to keep and he said he's going to show us how to do it where we can maintain it oursel. I mean I'm not climbing the tower to do it but we'll find somebody to do it. But

but I appreciate you guys. You guys have been but you have a big task ahead of you to give away money to a lot of people. So, if we have to do it in a phase, I know we can do it again, but then we'd be back next year unless, you know, we get a lot more money somewhere else. But thank you. I appreciate you guys.

You're welcome.

Thank you.

Happy New Year.

That's it.

That's it. That's it. That's it.

All righty. Next we have up the Coughlin School. We did get an email. You'll see it is attached to uh uh some of your copies that came in. Uh this project was uh slated uh uh weed for a sixmonth which was August as the date ended. They had 180 days to organize and give us detail. They have gone past that. Uh we did get an email now which was quite late but uh they

sent us saying they secured electrical painting underground contract uh to do the work there. Uh they had a letter from Elizabeth Warbert Burbertton that said uh the state still considered it a national register u and the board's going to vote on a 30-year capital improvement plan. That's just the email we got from Ken Fiola just to let you folks know that uh but yeah, it should be on your package there.

Uh this Yeah, probably in that uh right beside the Yeah, it's in I mean, so what's the board's discussion of how they want to handle that? They went past the agreement date. Uh so it's up to you guys. They went quite a bit past the agreement date and this came in today, the day of the meeting.

Yes, we have sent numerous emails and tried to contact them. Uh if you want uh Rick and BJ uh met with them a few times. Uh if you want some Yeah, I could I can comment on this project. I guess BJ also just speak out.

But um the the the building initially last when we were funding the project last year, there was a lot of discussion about the building and the changes that had been done uh and the concerns. We had a real concern about even accepting the project as a historical project. It was determined after much of debate uh with this St.

John's cloak that as we would put something in the contract where they would have the building looked at. Okay.

Similar to a form B look at and uh we set up a time frame of 180 days which the St. John's Club signed and actually within the contract if you don't mind me reading just a small portion it says first step of the capital plan is starting the process the first step starting the process of updating the properties form B doesn't say a form B is the properties where it is look at

what a form B encompasses and updating that particular scenario within 180 days of the grant award board which commits the organization to making full or sure all future work and repair to the Kaufman school complies with the secretary of interior standards for the treatment of historic properties with the guidelines preserving etc etc of historic properties. Uh we it's 180 days we're into 10 months

minus two days now. So it's gone over four months beyond. Uh BJ, I have not heard from anyone. I don't know about yourself, but no one has contacted us from the club that there was a change in their operation. Uh I just looked at this this evening when I came in. This is the note from uh Kent Fiola. Uh and it's it's a little misleading. It says Elizabeth Warbertton stated that it

would be unusual to update form B's. We never asked to update a form B. We asked to have something similar too and submit new research to the Mass Historical uh commission unless it is part of a state review project. And then she also stated that uh uh let's see this could not envision any scenario where the building would be listed or delisted from the national register. That's very true.

Even if a piece of land is completely barren of any building, believe it or not, the National Register still carries that. It has to be a formal presentation, an investigation and then submitted at a rather high expense to get it removed.

So of course this is very this statement made here in these uh very misleading in my opinion. Uh uh the historical commission has not been notified in the last 10 months of any changes to the proposal. Uh the CPC board, John, has it been notified just as of uh today?

Two days. Yeah.

And the St. John's Club, uh Leonado is very aware that BJ and myself were representing the committee on that project. Uh and we have not been notified at all. So, uh, I personally at this point would like to make a motion that we resend resend the funding for this project.

I'll second that motion.

What was it? What was the amount for?

And what was it for specifically?

$225,000 for the sprinkler system.

Okay. Thank you.

They need the sprinkler system to get up and running.

Yeah.

To do their kitchens and stuff, but Oh, I I remember that now. Yeah.

So, they haven't complied to any of this stuff and so are they have they done any of that work?

No.

Can Can we have them in before we make a vote? That's my suggestion.

Well, we have a motion and a second. So, they were invited.

We had them in and they they were invited tonight.

The plan was pretty clearly laid out what they needed to do.

They didn't do any of it. They they did not give us any updates whatsoever.

We were out there. Aren't they supposed to give updates every 3 months or something?

Yeah, BJ just made a Rick and I were out there this summer and uh the aside from the form B's and the historical component of it this summer, we walked through the building.

Mhm.

And there's a lot of stuff in there.

There's a lot of storage and I don't know, I haven't been back since we were there and it was probably June. Mhm.

Um and part of the issue that he was having with the sprinkler contract in there. So there's two issues. There's the historical component and then there's the sprinkler piece.

Yeah.

The sprinkler guy couldn't do the work based on what all the stuff that was in there right?

He had it's being used as storage. They have a lot of Yeah.

stuff in there.

Gotcha. So, there's another component of where do we put all this stuff to get the sprinkler guy in here to do the sprinklers. So, I don't know if that's also part of the holdup. Um, but that was one of his concerns when we were there was where do we how do we get this guy to do it? Because what's the what was the time frame when it was the the grant was um submitted?

The only reason I say this was March the 10th.

Okay. So, so the only reason I say this is that I made another phone call about the window project on North Main Street and I was last update that I gave you was we're going to do it sometime next year and so I I don't know the time frame like are we talking because this hasn't come to fruition within a a year.

Do we just resent that or how do we how how do we address this other project if that's the case? Well, this one was under different circumstances because when he bought the building, he did changes that changed the historic part of it, the roof line, the gutters. So, that's why we put extra protection in.

Okay.

And the time frame normally for any award to anyone for any project here is two years.

And if nothing is done within two years, then they have to come back and ask for an extension or the monies get rescended. Is there any precedent for rescending the money before the two years?

We've done it before.

Yeah.

Okay. So, we have a a motion and a second.

Can I just I would just feel more comfortable if we actually had the like rescending the grant on the agenda before voting on it. Um it's just my personal preference. Um also, I'm not comfortable making a vote when I haven't seen the attachments that they emailed with this as well. So, Oh, the attachments are right there.

Where's the PDF of St. John's? That's right. Where's that PDF?

PDF.

The one that says it's attached. Um, so that's just my That's just my thoughts.

If you want me to carry on with this one.

Oh, we have a motion and a second. So, we do roll.

The second.

I need a second.

Okay. So, we'll do roll call. Am I right?

No.

No.

No. as to I think I agree with Alex. I think you know if the timeline is typically two years um I know that these are a little bit different circumstances but they and I know it was the 11th hour again but we did get something. Um so my agreement is kind of with Alex. I don't know if it's the corrective thing would be to table it or have it where but I don't think it's fair

listed on the agenda as a vote to resend it. I think would be safest.

Well, the motion's been made, so we have to take a vote at this point.

So, my vote is no to not resent the money tonight.

My vote is a yes.

James Hornsby, yes.

John Brandt, yes.

Kristen Canara Oliver, yes.

Alexander Silva, no.

Michael Faras, no.

Joey Bentley, yes.

So, motion passes.

So, we send.

All righty.

Okay.

Next, uh project updates.

I'll just give you a project update. I did reach out to both the um children's museum um roof project. They're still in the process uh for the contractor. It's probably going to be at least until the springtime before any of that work starts and that's awarded. And then the other one was the gentleman uh for the uh windows project and I left him a message twice and hasn't gotten

back. But I think it's still um I wanted to know if he was definitively going to do this in the springtime because that's the last time I spoke to him a month and a half ago. That's what he had said. I was just trying to get an idea whether he had ordered the window yet, purchased the window yet, and had the contractor under. But I didn't get and I left those

me I left those exact messages with them. So that's why I was um wanted to at least give you some update.

Okay. Uh all right. Then under new business I do have uh we had uh CPC has received five uh public uh records requests. Four separate requests were from uh Christine Terrell for the waterfront cultural district project uh over the last 20 days. And we had one from Patrick Higgin requesting minutes from CPC from 2024 to 2025.

All matters have been addressed.

Timely matter.

The first one was that just for the application that's currently before us.

The request was Okay.

Yeah. So she's requested four times. So we've uh sent all that just the application.

Quite a bit of information, but that's all been handled. Uh she's received everything. Uh the only other thing I have under new business that we can think on is it's the 250th anniversary. I didn't know if we just to put it out there. We can bring it up after we get done with our funding. If we want to participate maybe with like the Lafayette House and do something for

the 250 year think about it after we do deliberation, we can put on the agenda and talk more about it. Um, another thing I wanted to put in the future too is uh combining a maintenance program, which we can talk about after we get through this, but I wanted to kind of tie preservation and historic commission and CPC with walkth through of buildings to help them maintain and see what they need to do to

bring before us and maintain their building instead of waiting till they get to a point where the roof's been leaking for so long the windows leaking.

Bringing in two windows to be repaired is a good idea.

Yeah.

So, just that we can put on our thinking caps and as we get through after all this stuff, bring it up to later meetings.

Um, that's all I have under new business. Do we have a motion to adjurnn?

Can I just ask one quick question? Sure.

That the money that was just plugged back, does that get put back into this year's for deliberations or where?

No, that'll take a while to get back in.

Okay.

Yeah.

Um, so motion to adjurnn.

Motion to adjurnn.

Second.

Uh, roll call.

DJ McDonald. Yes.

Rick Mancini. Yes.

James Hornsby. Yes. Jabbrand. Yes.

Kristen Canara Oliver. Yes.

Alexander Silva. Yes.

Michael Ferish. Yes.

Joan Bentley. Yes.