The Fall River Community Preservation Committee held a meeting on April 27, 2026, chaired by Michael Thearius. The committee began by tabling the minutes from the March 16th meeting. The main agenda item was a discussion and subsequent unanimous approval of a new "out of cycle funding" rubric, replacing the previous "emergency funding" policy. This change, based on a plan by committee member Alex Silva, is intended to provide more flexibility for time-sensitive projects like housing, land acquisitions, and those with matching funds. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to a discussion on project reimbursement policies, prompted by a specific issue with the Fall River Rowing Club. The club required upfront payment for dock materials, which is contrary to the committee's standard practice of reimbursing for completed work. After a lengthy debate about holding back a percentage (10-20%) and the process for paying for materials versus labor, the committee reached a consensus. They agreed to pay for the materials upon receipt of a detailed invoice, allowing the project to move forward. The club has a remaining balance of $63,685 from their $135,000 grant. The committee also reviewed a new grant recall tracking form to improve documentation, received a detailed update from Administrative Assistant Sandy Dennis on the status of various deed restrictions, and heard project updates on the Children's Museum, Central Fire Station, Little Theater, and others. They discussed their upcoming meeting with the City Council regarding the annual appropriation order. The meeting concluded with a farewell to committee member BJ McDonald, who was attending his final meeting before moving out of town.
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Public / Other
Welcome to the community preservation committee meeting being held at one government center city hall hearing room uh at 6:00 uh April 27th, 2026.
0:11Uh pursuant to the open meeting laws, any person who make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium.
0:18Attendees 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 to my left.
0:29Michael Thearius, Alex Silva, John Bryant, James Hornsby, Rick Mansami, Chris Benvites, BJ McDonald, and we're missing uh Christine Olive. We also have in attendance Craig from FRGTV and Sandy Dennis, administrative assistant and and we're missing Joanne and Joanne Bentley is not here. Uh no citizen input. Uh we don't have the minutes from March 16th. So, can I have a motion to move table till next meeting?
1:01I'll make a motion that we table the minutes till the next meeting.
1:05Second.
1:06Roll call.
1:08Okay. Roll call then. Um, still need a vote.
1:12Okay, let's vote.
1:14Okay. All in favor?
1:16I I All right. Um, next on the agenda is uh um out of cycle funding discussion which used to be what we called our emergency uh funding. Um my idea with the changing the name was um emergency is I think for us to do the work I think it takes too much and if it's an emergency I think that's by far past emergency needs but out of cycling opens up for housing projects land acquisitions and say
1:55something becomes before it's a shovel ready that has uh matching uh funds coming from another agency that we wanted to entertain. It gives us the option of uh kicking that out of cycle.
2:08So, uh I thought we would discuss that.
2:10We also have uh in that we went back to Alex's uh plan that he sent us um a while back on voting to see if it would uh come before us as a project.
2:25So, I know I've handed them out before. Does anyone not have it and would like it? So I change I changed the language to out of cycle from emergency and I added like the the out of the the acquisition part to the language. Um but other than that it's the same as the old copy.
2:45Do you have an extra copy?
2:46Yeah. I have I don't have it here.
2:48It's in your packet. It's in your package.
2:50This is okay here. Yeah, the one of it I think it just gives us the benefit of uh looking at some projects that might come later in the season. Um now if it is close to like when everything else is in cycle, I think we would just group it with the rest of the applicants if it comes in after o September. Uh, but if something comes in midsummer that, you know, I'm just saying like the
3:23park gets a grant for 50% and needs something from us, it'd be worthwhile taking a look at it, you know. Uh, and then housing, that's always a priority. That's something that can't be uh planned on. Land purchase, again, can't be planned on. So, coming in out of cycle, I can see that being uh worth projects looking at. So, you guys have discussed this before. Yeah, I just want to uh thank Alex for pulling
3:52this together. I think this looks great.
3:53I think this gives us opportunities and you're absolutely right. Uh timing is uh inevitable when it comes to especially housing and other projects and when grants come in. So I think there's a couple can't hear you. Could you talk to the microphone?
4:07Yes. I apologize. I just said thank you to uh Alex for this and I think that this is a uh a good mechanism in which we can evaluate uh based on uh projects and not just on a deadline or a schedule. So I think this is great for that I Okay, any other good?
4:28Yeah, I have a couple of comments. I like the improvement.
4:36Okay. I was prepared to vote against an emergency.
4:40Um, what isn't clear is this a one-step I think it should be a two-step thing or we should consider two things at the same meeting. In other words, we haven't um for example for an historical item, we have to determine that it's historical. Well, what would happen is we would get the application would be submitted to us.
5:08Then we would vote at that meeting to whether proceed with it or not proceed with it. So that would give us the time to do our research and homework on it and then we would go from there.
5:20Okay, that's what I was asking. Y not not in all not in all cases but in many uh in fact I'm going to say most we find that the applicant generally uh presents to the historical commission prior to and gets a letter of support and usually there's a letter of support supplied to this board so that assists Jim Right.
5:53But there might be other reasons for wanting to do it in two steps.
5:57Yeah.
5:58Normally there's an ex the regular procedure has two steps. I'm just making sure we follow.
6:06Yeah.
6:07The same kind of steps out.
6:11This uh Jim, this might I'm a little extra loud. I think um this might uh address or at least it's it's in line with what you're saying. So, one of the changes that I made um since last time uh if you go to like the category pages, the second category was changed to time sensitive or time sensitivity and previously that was I I had it as CPA eligibility um which may have previously
6:38answered your or alleviated your concern. However, I swapped it and we could add it back. It could be just another category as well, but I took it out because I think CPA eligibility should be like the precondition to applying. So, it shouldn't really be involved in like the scoring. It should be like is it eligible? Yes. No. And then it moves on to this is what my understanding or what my thoughts I
7:02guess are of it shouldn't should being.
7:05Um, so that could be done one of two ways. Like, you know, the an el a traditional eligibility application could be submitted along with this. It could be like a two application submission sort of thing or it could be, you know, one submitted before the other as as normal.
7:21Yeah, that's I prefer this pretty much the same format.
7:25Yeah, we would get the application submitted, the eligibility application, and then we would do this part to make it go to the next meeting.
7:35So we'd have two meetings, right? We would get the the the eligibility, then we would do our voting and then the next meeting we would move on.
7:46Yeah.
7:48Just a quick question. Uh similar to the historical preservation, you get you obtain a letter or the applicant uh typically obtains a letter for a historical preservation. Uh does that apply also for affordable housing? Do we go through I know Joanne's not here, but um have we had that in in the sense of uh if it's going to meet a certain standard of affordable housing, would they get a letter of recommendation as
8:12well?
8:13We normally if we get something from housing, I'll call Mike Dion for his input on it.
8:18Okay. Thank you.
8:19From CDA.
8:19CDA.
8:20Thank you.
8:22Being that our expertise, you know, I I I tend to lean on him on that matters.
8:27We haven't had too many applicants come before us. So, but we would seek uh his advice on that.
8:33That doesn't mean we can't make it a new requirement.
8:37Yeah.
8:39Yeah. Just because I know uh there are different avenues or what they call affordable housing, whether it's workforce housing, affordable housing, there's a whole u matrix associated with that at the state and federal level. So, but if you could obtain like a just a simple letter from uh the local housing authority, that would be great.
8:59Yes.
8:59Thanks.
9:00Okay.
9:02Good.
9:03Any other comments?
9:06Does somebody want to make a motion?
9:07I have one comment to add land acquisition to the open space. Well, that's under open space.
9:15Yeah, but it wasn't.
9:18Okay.
9:24Make a motion.
9:26Make a motion to accept the out of cycle funding determination rubric and evaluation toolkit.
9:32Do I have a second?
9:33I'll second that motion.
9:35Okay. Roll call. Start to left.
9:37Michael Ferris. Yes.
9:40Alex Silva. Yes.
9:41Yes. I just don't need Yes.
9:44Rick Mansini. Yes. Chris Benze. Yes.
9:47BJ McDonald. Yes.
9:49All right. Um, next is uh um that form in there, Sandy.
9:56The uh I put all three in there.
9:59Okay.
10:00uh the project reimbursement uh disc oh discussion we had uh um with the uh rowing club um they needed money to get the project started but we sign off work has to be completed uh so we thought we would discuss that um on how we feel with moving on that um do we add a line uh in the completion where um we hold back 10 15% and pay and then when the
10:43project's done we finish the rest of the payment we add that in the line good practice generally dictates that there is a a percentage held back till the completion of a project so that should be part of are this I I would make this a pretty much industry standard would be as follows.
11:06Um depending on the level of input you have from a professional like so for instance if you don't if you've gone through the process of hiring somebody and they've done construction documents or write through bid documents the minimum that they usually put aside is 10%. So for instance, that's 100% of documents that are supposed to be no errors in omissions. And so uh typical professionals if there is an error in
11:30emission, they have insurance for that.
11:31They miss something on their part, it's on them that you could go after them. So what I would suggest is perhaps 20% uh hold back based on what level it is because you know once it's given away, it's kind of like a construction loan.
11:48you giving the money away and and the work is not done or it's not completed.
11:53It's a better safety net for us at the end of the day. So, um but that's that's what I would at least minimum of 20% on a a hold back on that until the the the project has been authorized and and you've gone through and done a walk through and did a punch list and everything is done. So, but we also just pick up on that, we also do not pay, we only pay on
12:18invoices, which is again a protection for us. It's not that we pay in advance.
12:25You know, the the payments are made, the project is is looked at, the percentage is done, you agree, they submit an invoice, then that gets paid. So, you you're not pushing a lot of money up front, which is a good thing. you know, so 20% 10% that would be that would be more than adequate.
12:47Okay. So, we should put another line in that uh um payment for upfront 20% held back till completion of the job. Is that what we're agreeing on?
13:02Well, I don't believe so.
13:06Thank you.
13:07Okay. Just because Go ahead, Jim.
13:11Go ahead. Um I just ask if um this would necessitate a second vote of the city council. I don't think it would, but I want to just double check that as far as we know because they would approve the funding.
13:30Well, no, that the funding's already been approved. Uh right. But that okay they would improve they would approve the entire amount and then we would disperse it at our discretion. Is that right? Well the thing is you have the problem with uh the rowing club where they need to get paid.
13:48Well I was going to get to that. That's really a separate issue.
13:52Well that's the issue. Well that's why we were discussing it because uh it might come up again. So, we thought we'd bring it up for discussion because so the rowing club was quite clear. They needed the money. The the person building the dock. The company building the dock wanted the money and we said we we'd send it. When the thing was done, the dock people said we need to have it in advance.
14:18I actually offered to loan them half the money. This is to Mr. uh forget his name. called something at of all places my bank where he's an executive but I'm offering him a loan but the the the problem is real for them.
14:38Yeah.
14:39They didn't have $50,000 you to upfront. Is there a way through that?
14:45Well, that's what we're discussing now.
14:47There's got to be a way. Possibly an exemption by unanimous vote or something like that. Could couldn't or shouldn't the uh company have just sent a invoice bill for the materials that could have been paid and then they could have been sent over in advance? Yeah.
15:07As an advance like just sent the invoice for the material.
15:11So that what was the problem then?
15:13Problem is the invoice is for the supplies, not construction and the labor, right? And we've always reimbursed on each portion of the project being completed. Then it's it's looked at to make sure it meets Secretary of Interior standards. And then if it Yeah. Not for this one.
15:33This is Yeah. This is a This is a different situation.
15:37They sent the I've got the invoice. The invoice is more than they have left. So, it's not going to get paid in full anyway. But they can't order these and do the job.
15:49Could you sit here? I can't really hear what you're saying.
15:53Rick, next time Jim talks, do you need a mic for him?
15:56And there's a mic right there. Thank you.
15:58I was just explaining the rowing club how we did get the invoice, but the invoice basically is so that they can get the supplies to actually put the docks in. Um, and we've always reimbursed an invoice when the job is completed because the CBC member has gone to the project site and reviewed the project and signs off that it met Secretary of Interior standards. Like Jim said, this is a little different.
16:29There's nothing to review to see it meets Secretary of Interior standards because they can't stop the job until they get the materials, which is what I have the invoice for. I haven't paid the invoice. And Joanne brought it up that she she's CPC member on the job, so she I don't think feels comfortable signing off because there's nothing to review.
16:53So this is a this is traditionally contractors do the work and then they get paid for most jobs. So I don't understand what the problem is in this instance.
17:03In my line of work it's actually the former how how Sy's describing it is typically how I am accustomed to seeing work done.
17:12Usually there's an advance of payment to secure the resources in order for the services to then be rendered. Right? So it's not out of the ordinary that you are describing it the way you are. In the instances that some industries or companies do it that way. I'm I'm not so concerned with that method if that makes sense. So if it becomes a vote for us to say hey this vendor looks clean like I
17:35think you know if we go ahead and advance the payment I think we're going to be safe with our money and services.
17:40I mean that's probably an okay method on occasion where that's the stipulation of the company or the vendor providing the service because they're not going to stop.
17:48Not that that's our stand right. They won't start the job. Exactly.
17:51And I think in this case too there's probably not many dock building vendors. They probably don't have a million different choices or labor to just secure. They probably are backed up on jobs. And yeah, I would I would um boil it down to this because I've done these types of projects. I would say on materials to order them because a lot of materials of this nature have to be ordered in
18:14advance that you could do 100% of cost of material.
18:18They were ordered though and paid for.
18:20That that wasn't the problem, right?
18:25We haven't.
18:26Yeah. So once you get once you get their receipts, so they can order them, but you have to have receipts of purchase um from them and then you can pay that component of it. And to help with the stipulation cuz you are trying to schedule this stuff is that maybe you have a percentage will will allow up to 10 to 20% to schedule the project, the the labor component of it to put it on
18:51the books for them. And then once the project or phase portion is done, then you pay that component to it. So for instance, you're really paying the labor component, the 20% say um in advance.
19:05You're giving them the money, you're putting it down, you're saying, "Schedule this. This is the time frame associated with it." You already have receipts of the materials already being bought and they're either on site or at their warehouse. And then their their their second uh would be the next phase of work that they do. So they typically do you know again uh 25% 50% 75% and then the final billing of a project. So
19:32that would protect us because when you know that the materials were bought and and you'd be surprised like cuz a lot of this stuff has a long lead time and then two you've given them 20% to schedule it and they have the people power to do the work and so that's already paid the first invoice that they would have for labor and then you know again they continue to you know send it out after that.
19:56So that doesn't necessarily help the situation where you're saying they don't have enough to finish the project. So there isn't going to be a subsequent invoice or anything. This is essentially the total sum of the allocation because I what I did is in your packet I included the invoice that has been received from the company. So I' I've included that in your packet. I've also included the piece that Jim forwarded me
20:22on the docs.
20:25It's right here. Um, and as you can see, um, I also broke down how much we've already paid them for the project and how much money they have left. And you'll notice that the invoice exceeds how much they have left from CPC.
20:44Are they aware of that?
20:45They are. I've Yes, I've made that very clear in all my emails to them. um that this is how much money you have left in your project.
20:55So is this is this the um 202181 in the amount of $69,365?
21:02That was the invoice paid.
21:04And so you have 128947 with $1,950 invoice paid. And then you have a balance of 60,000 $60,685 remaining. So that that spreadsheet tells me that. But what was the total allocated for the project?
21:24Oh. Um 185.
21:31Yeah. Uh I'm going to look it up right now.
21:33Do you have the invoice the the newest invoice?
21:36That's the newest. You have the latest invoice. I I gave you all a copy of the most recent um invoices.
21:44Do you have I will I have two of the same ones. So, I think I'm missing one.
21:48No, there's two. Yeah, you I just Oh, it's the same one. So, I think I copied everything.
21:54The one.
22:08Do you know what fiscal year that was by any chance?
22:11I got it. Let me see.
22:13This this invoice is dated October 19th, 2023.
22:18Yes, that's the invoice.
22:19Okay. So, they were FY24. They were awarded $135,000.
22:24I don't I just don't see the newest invoice that exceeds the balance. I only have the ones that were paid. Um, so do we know what the newest invoice is? Cuz if it's materials, I think that's fine.
22:36Um, so this is all they sent me. This is what this is what was sent for Joanne and Jim to sign off on.
22:46So the 2023 invoice has not been signed off on. It says it was paid the same invoice.
22:51It is. Yeah, it is.
22:52Yeah, it is.
22:53It is.
22:54So there just we don't have that invoice yet. So we can't even really look at this. Okay. Cuz I think past presidents and my opinion I would say is ordering materials is fine. um that's what we've done I think in the past and if the applicant is aware that you know they don't have the remaining balance that's on them there's no um pre-existing condition that you know they can get additional funding or
23:21anything they should be planning for that accordingly I don't see any problem to signing off on a material you know invoice um we can make a condition or something of it being one final inspection after the work is actually done since there's not going to be a final invoice, right?
23:39You know, like I don't know if that's in the actual close out that that close out application we have before us. Um, but it could be it could just have an added part that says final walkthrough, you know, sign off sort of thing. Just one final signature from the committee member.
23:54Yeah, I have no issues with with that statement. But could we go back to the original problem set? I thought I thought we were I thought we were discussing the payment of services for services not yet started.
24:05Right. They're going to have to pay for those services because we just have enough money now for them to finish ordering their supplies. And I don't know if you want to hold 10% back from that until the job's inspected.
24:17I that's up to the committee.
24:18But they're not going to be able to order if you hold back 10% of an invoice for materials. They're not going to be able to order.
24:23That's what I was saying. I don't I'm fine with paying for materials.
24:27Okay.
24:28It's, you know, it's it's on like if they if it's an escalation that wasn't planned for, there's usually a 10 to 20% contingency already built in with the numbers they send us. So, it should be covered in that. And if not, I mean, we're under no obligation.
24:42Okay.
24:42They can submit an application the next year if they need if they need another phase. But, you know, so Joanne and Jim can basically sign off on this.
24:50Just make sure Well, make sure we have the in like the invoice cuz I don't think this is it unless I'm misunderstanding. sign off on 63,685 not even well yeah just less like when when the reimbursement paperwork is filled out just the total won't be the full invoice total will be the she'll have to know the grant amount total so just if you could make sure that's clear yeah so when they fill out this paperwork
25:14it'll be the um certificate of completion they're going to have to put just the amount that they have left which is what I'll give them because 638 they're not going to get reimbured for their invoice voice.
25:26So, they're going to sign the certificate of completion even though the project isn't complete because we're zero and out.
25:32No, no, no. I wouldn't I wouldn't have them sign. So, that's the you want them just to do the certificate of payment request.
25:40Yes. I think they should do a certificate of payment request for the invoice for materials and then once you know the committee receives notification of project completion, then they get the final sign off. Um the the kind of rub I guess is that there's no funding that you know is potentially being withheld but if the project isn't completed um there might be something in the grant agreement you
26:05know for the when that that switch where the committee can re reclaim the funds you know through legal action which I I've just got a quick question here.
26:14So when I'm looking at this simple uh matrix here, it's just the four lines, it is the um uh invoice uh 20 uh 202181.
26:24So that was the amount of $69,365.
26:28Then you had another invoice for $1,950.
26:32Then you say there's a balance of $63,685.
26:36You add that all up, that's 135, $135,000.
26:40So my question would be is if they're ordering materials now, typically the first thing you do is you order your materials. Where did this where did the $69,000 $365 go to?
26:52They did some work last year.
26:53Yeah, they laid the wiring and that stuff.
26:57They're finishing the dock this year.
26:58The buoys, remember the underwater buoys. That was explained I think when they asked I don't remember what they asked for an extension.
27:04They had those diagrams with the Okay. the buoys on the floor of the pond that release.
27:11So is this total project $135,000?
27:15So the $135,000 now they're asking for the $63,685 just for the materials for the dock and all the other work has been done. Okay.
27:25Because these are the two invoices we paid and then that's what their balance and it's it came before us just so I understand because we're basically going to zero out the grant. There's going to be no money left. No, but the project isn't necessarily done.
27:39Well, they're going to buy See, my my concern with that is that you got the you got the material now, but you don't have any money to install it.
27:46So, you can kind of they've been fundraising, so they're going to that's possibility.
27:51Okay.
27:52But that was I was trying to understand how we got here, but I think I understand now there's $63,000 left in their grant bucket.
28:01Yeah.
28:02And they need the money up front so that they can pay it. Y but we have never this board has never had a mechanism where we've zeroed out the grant before the work has been done essentially is where we're at.
28:14We have never which I don't have an issue with fronting them in this case because they've already done part of it. It's not like they're not going to finish it. They're going to figure out a way to get it.
28:24Y you hope.
28:25You hope. Yeah.
28:26But I I think but I think with this particular job I mean with you're you're on the water. You have a contractor who's already done Yeah. half of the work or you know a percentage of the work. Um I don't have an issue with it.
28:40Yeah.
28:40Rick.
28:42Yeah. Uh just a couple of thoughts that that that are coming up here and one is uh one would think that probably from this group that a call would be made to to find out or to check on the integrity of the company. Are they a new company?
28:59because we're we're going to be submitting a large sum of money to this organization. Um is it 6 months or have they been around? Are they well well established? So it gives us a little more confidence in relinquishing the funds. That's number one. The other is I'm still in favor of holding back a percentage. Uh the 20% is good. 10% I would feel adequate with but 20% is even better. And the reason for that is when
29:30they someone enters these situations with us, what they do is they know upfront they they allocated x amount of dollars but the project is much larger.
29:42They have to have cash on hand to proceed. So they should be able to supplement some of this with their own cash on hand. And I'm very cautious in my thoughts with if we supply them with 100% of our contribution and the project is only I'm using numbers here I know but only 50% accomplished how are we assured that the project is going to be completed if we hold back a percentage
30:10and let them use their own money that they were going to use to fill in that void and then we just at the end of the total project then give them the remaining 20%. It's an insurance policy for us that the project does get completed in total and and I understand all the other concerns about paying for materials ahead and maybe in that particular practice or particular organization
30:36that's that's their practice but we too check the integrity of the company and secondly our own good I don't know confidence I guess holding back some funding and allow them to use some of their money up front because that would that would have solved the problem.
30:59It it's almost that they should have had a phase two to this. And so of the $135,000 they've already gone through $71,315.
31:08And so now they're looking to buy the materials for phase what I would call two because I don't see any money to do the work. Like if you spent $135,000 honest.
31:22Where where is the other invoice though?
31:24I'm sorry.
31:24We don't have the other invoice to say what that 63,000.
31:28Well, I'm just saying. So, okay. That's a very that's a very good point. That's an excellent point. So, is that six the the remaining balance of $63,685?
31:38That's what's in there. We're just saying that's the balance.
31:41That's what they have left from us, but they're in 80,000.
31:45True. True. True. Or it could be it could be $25,000 for materials and the other 40 is is for the labor. I don't know. Yeah, that's a good I I think these are just questions we need to get answered a little bit. You know what I'm saying?
31:58Maybe just a different perspective. So maybe we should just perhaps change our thinking of project completion because there are projects where we're only funding parts of it, you know, or or partially funding a total of it. So, you know, there's plenty of scenarios that come out where maybe we're funding the earlier half of it and we don't actually see the completion when we sign off of
32:21the total project. So we can look at it you know one of two ways where it's the holistic project's completion which you know depending on any number of circumstances can be delayed like perhaps they should have invoiced for all the materials at once at the beginning um they might still be in this problem you know uh because of the multi-season work schedule um but there are you know partial project funding
32:44grants that we do um where it doesn't happen so we could look at you know our project completion just being the expenditure of the full funding towards the the project that we awarded it to.
32:56Um if it comes down to situations where not everything was done that was originally pitched in the application because of you know cost escalations and you know hard choices were have to make perhaps there's a section in the form the certificate of completion where you know it's just like scope that had to be excluded for whatever reason you know you know and then just committee members
33:17can identify whatever scope wasn't included that the committee was expecting. So, say they apply in a next year or in two years for additional funding. At least that's documented and recorded about why they didn't finish the scope. You know, if it affects whoever's decision one way or the other, at least, you know, there's a there's a path for it. Um, so I don't know if that helps anybody with this one or not.
33:41Well, the the first one was they they put in the lanes. So that was the work that we paid for already and that's done and they have no issues done but it was the same project that they applied for you know one it was one grand to finish the project is the docks that's what they're doing now so they're asking for the funds to finish the docks and then they're going to pay for the
34:04the funds that they've already been awarded to do the scope that they were already approved the work done which happens in a lot of cases and it's not a different contractor so it's the same one that's already started the same we vetted during that application process. You know, I think they said it was a leader in that four lined up so far this year. So, they uh it's kind of timesensitive that it's done. So,
34:28so can we make a motion that uh you know pending the the invoice? Do we allocate the rest of this like the with the 10% hold that?
34:39Well, do we have the invoice? Do we actually have that second invoice?
34:42We know what it costs.
34:45All I have here is what your remaining balance is. If we have a a breakdown like I would want to see an invoice.
34:51We have an invoice for the for the dock cost. Yes. Where is it?
34:56It just needs to be submitted.
34:58I'll email them.
35:00Yeah. I I would we need to have at least a breakdown of what the materials are and what the installation is, which I mean that'd be fine.
35:07And that's normal. That's that's the normal process. I think we're going past. We already voted on what they're going to get to 135.
35:14We're just trying to have decide.
35:16Well, we don't Jim's responsible for do we want to get them the responsibility on our hand to sign off on uh giving 20% holding 20% back?
35:28That's our question.
35:29That's fine.
35:31I don't think it's I don't think it's uh um too much to ask for what the invoice is. If I saw if I saw a breakdown of materials in the thing, I would say, "Okay, this is great.
35:43I agree with you get the invoice, I'm sure."
35:46Okay.
35:47Quickly, to Sandy, that the one of the problems with this is it's not usual, and John said something. We're buying a dock.
35:56Yeah.
35:57Um and essentially, we're buying a second dock, which is needed because the current dock is too small for the regatas that the Those are laid out what they are. So there's not really they're not when there's no labor and they just get hit with the $50,000 giving me the 50 grand ahead and as you point out there are not a lot of dock makers and they wanted the same dock from the same builder. Mhm.
36:34So I I think a 20% hold back would be fine. I also think it ought to be rare and I think it should be an unanimous vote of this committee.
36:45Do do we know that the 20% hold back will be like I agree with with you Michael that the invoice is needed because in some instances some vendors don't like the 20% holdback is not in their policy. They they either need it all up front or nothing at all. So this this this discussion around 20% might be a moot point if we don't know how much we're we're funding for. So in other
37:09words, if we know exactly how much we're funding for, we and and we know whether or not the policy 20% is workable for the vendor, then we can vote on it. But if we don't know what the number is, nor do we know if the vendor will accept a 20% hold back, we're going to vote on something that's just going to get squashed the minute we leave. So Jim, you said $50,000 would solve the
37:29problem. I think so because so I now see 69 there and I'm not sure anymore.
37:36So if there's 63 in there and we held back 20 that's $12,000. So we could we could technically tonight say we'll advance 50,000 hold back the 13 cuz that's the remaining balance provided providing that they submit a provided they submit the invoice that solves the problem I think. Yeah, I have no issues with um funding materials at all like on a project especially with lead time to it 100%. But we haven't
38:05seen an invoice of what this money is and that's and and again I think if if you're saying it's $50,000 that they need seen the invoice.
38:12So they have the invoice in there and have the receipts that the material has been purchased and and and submit that like that's not a problem whatsoever. If there was an issue with like I need to schedule this and I need to I need a 20% or 25% down then that's okay as well.
38:30But but what I'm saying is I we haven't seen I haven't seen an invoice. I haven't seen what the materials are. We haven't purchased it yet. You need the money. So that's all I would say is the first thing. Get the invoice.
38:42We'll review it and then we'll we'll submit the $50,000 if that's what they want. 20% at this time is really an insurance policy for us. That's what it pertains. That's that's what it is.
38:54The issue though with submitting the invoice is that we have to wait a month.
38:57I think we're agreed on the 20%.
38:59Are we are we fine with Jim getting an invoice and paying holding back 20%.
39:06Yes.
39:06And 20% of the remaining balance, not the grant award amount, right? I don't think it's so I don't I don't think it's so we need to see the invoice obviously but usually that's at the discretion of the committee member I think if the invoice is just for materials and it exceeds the grant amount then perhaps we need to have this discussion but if the invoice is broken up you know Jim in a
39:26way that it's just the materials and it's under it's under the amount then they can just order the materials they'll still have some money they'll know how much money they need they can work on funding it they don't have to wait for the materials to be ordered and then they could fund raise and expend the rest of the funds as they see fit for project completion. No 20% needed because we always fund materials
39:48in full ahead of time so they can get ordered. That's always that's always traditional. So I don't I don't really see the need to withhold 20%. I don't see the need to vote on anything unless unless there's material costs are exceeding the amount and they can't make the order because they don't have enough money. And if they can't pay for it, then that's not really that's not really our our issue.
40:07That's correct. for this.
40:09So, Jim, just get the updated invated paper out.
40:13Just break it up, you know, or or or if they can't break it up, you can just submit the full invoice and only pay the amount of materials.
40:21See, they did not write the invoice. The dock company wrote the invoice. Okay.
40:27But, uh, it's possible the dock company said, uh, we will we will build and install a dock.
40:35Okay.
40:36That's okay. Invoice from the That would be some labor. So that's why I And just to be clear, you don't Jim, you don't even have to have them send two invoices. If you have the invoice and it's clearly broken out for the materials and they tell you how much the materials is. You can just attach the invoice and then, you know, fill out the amount only as much for the materials.
40:56You don't have to like wait for a new, you know. I bought docks and on you buy a dock. It's almost the same way you buy a car.
41:06You don't there's no very little install. The insulation is proper in the in the water on on top of the uh things that hold it up. But I will we'll get it to Sandy. And um thank you. Do we need a vote on that?
41:22No.
41:23Okay.
41:24So when I get the paperwork signed off by Jim and Joanne, then I'll pay the invoice.
41:29Okay. And just, you know, pay extra attention to Yeah. because I never pay invoices that exceed and I don't know. Yeah, I would like to get it in by the next anyway next regata.
41:44All right. So, stuff about I did include uh just because we had a uh just for a little more paperwork uh uh tracking form when we uh recall a grant. Uh just to have everything a little more uh paperwork wise. just it's just a a sheet that has the project name uh year funded uh primary person uh contact log who is uh on the project uh we we'll list the dates that we email send a
42:24letter phone meeting all that would be documented then a checklist from uh um community chair and the community members that are checking on the project. So this way we have it.
42:37Do we have that in our packets?
42:39Yeah, that's in your packet. That way we have it on file. Just a little extra paperwork for our our benefit of you know most of our agreements follow the uh but you know just to have a little extra protection of paperwork and we can show people that we did our due diligence.
43:06Okay.
43:14Okay.
43:16Yeah, that's fine.
43:20I think everything is that looks I I I wouldn't even mind having that uh being public knowledge. I mean, if they know it' be on the web page. Yeah.
43:33Yeah. Okay. Yeah. All our paper all of our paperwork's on the web page.
43:37Okay.
43:38So, if you don't if you ever need to download a copy of something, it's on the web page.
43:44Perfect.
43:45We have nothing we hire on CPC. It's all on our It's not It's more for It's more for the populace than it is for us, I think. That way they know where the money's going, who's kind of overseeing it and people have create a nice paper trail of like if things go on for years and years, how many times they were contacted.
44:07And so the expectation is that once they receive whatever uh communication, they'll sign this and get it back to us every time.
44:20Uh no that's just for us to um like the bottom part for the signatures of the grantee is so when do they sign that whenever there is um an action?
44:34So whenever they receive something like an email they assign like we'll send this every email and they sign this we'll track their emails. We'll track the letters go out to them. Did they respond to you? No they did. So when you have a particular issue, so you could have one issue with just one sheet, you know what I mean? So it doesn't have to be you sent an email, they sign, they
44:58send an email, they sign, you send another phone call, they sign. It it's per issue. It should be this is up to you all how you want it. Um I just did a draft. You can pick and choose how you want to use it and what you want on here. How I see it personally is it's per issue because occasionally you're going to run into issues with projects that you're going to have to
45:22justify what you've done as a committee and a committee member. This again is another insurance policy for you all to make sure that you're acting on an issue or a problem. someone can't come back and say you didn't do this when in fact you did do it because you signed off on it.
45:43This way people say like ah did we email did we call them? We have it where we can go back and say yes we did email this time and we called committee members assigned to it went and called. So we did our our best to try and you know solve the problem whatever.
46:01This is a this is a rough draft. This is like the first draft that I I did for all of you. You can change it, add to it, make it however it's going to be easier for you all to use. And you can pick and choose how you want to use this.
46:17So I was going to ask I notic there are two different copies.
46:20No, this just one copy.
46:24Oh, okay. Sorry, I was looking at the uh certification. So this this is a lot of like extra administrative work or you thinking it's going to be something you can take off handle. Well, we've only ever recalled too long. So So is it just Well, it's not just for that, you know. It's for a lot of other potential inspections. It's almost for like every communication we send about not even just problems, but like So I'm
46:49a little concerned it's a little too much. Um but if we have time to look at it, I like to sit with it. It might be like you saying that it you're thinking of it as an issue related form. I think there's changes that can be made in that regard. Like perhaps there's a log where you just list the communications and they sign off like once a month or once every something f like once every while
47:11not every communication because I can foresee you not getting these signed almost all the time and then like what is that going to do? was just how many more emails are you going to send to have them sign this, you know? So, uh, one other thought is if it's not issue related, it could be just like the the applicant related and in which case it's more like a log as well of like the
47:32issues and you could even break it down by contacts. So, there just two possible ways.
47:39you all if you all look at it and you can all decide how you want to use it and then you can let me know and then I'll implement it however it is you all want to use this form.
47:50Yeah, it could be like tying to uh the project updates that the committee member give like every time it's something warrants an update this is submitted on the agenda day you know and it kind of details the contact history too.
48:04Yeah. because the the nature of sending emails or text messages is in in and of itself a log. So you already have that documented in theory or actually in practice. Um so yeah, I kind of agree it's a little bit redundant in that sense.
48:18Yeah, it should it should be just like the milestones like should be milestones, right?
48:21Because I I I've reached out for the the um children's museum roof and they're still in the process of doing what they said they were going to do. So it's really that you don't need a updated report on that. But if there's a milestone like they just found something that was needs to be addressed then that would be a milestone.
48:39My thought pattern on this was for when we resend uh a grant that we do have you know.
48:47So not necessarily every project we would need to use it on but projects that are you know.
48:53Yeah. No, no, no. I think I think this is a good uh working because this way when we sit down with whoever we're discussing it with, we have it in writing that this is how we contacted them. This is why we're resending it. And yeah, so another way to think of it, um, if I were to apply this to more of like a business term, it's like if you have someone going on a performance improvement plan,
49:17that's typically when you start documenting all of the activity based on achievement or progression. So in this sense, if we are starting to see that we're going to resend money, then all of a sudden we start enacting what would you consider like a performance improvement plan. We're documenting specifics as opposed to maybe normal form of business. So I can understand I can understand why that would happen in
49:38this instance for the application where it becomes a little bit more redundant but necessary and that would likely start with a project update meeting. So it would start with there and then each time it's updated you just add any past communications that are notable since the last uh update.
49:55Yeah. Yeah. Great.
49:57Okay.
49:58All righty. Let's see. Moving on to uh deed restrictions.
50:04Here
50:14we are.
50:32Do you want me to come up and explain it?
50:34Yeah, come up and explain. Uh, okay. Basically, what I did is I just did an update for all of you because, um, I wanted everybody to know where you stand with the D restrictions that have been filed with the attorney. Um, so I gave you a one sheeter, which tells you nothing because it's just an address.
50:55So, I knew it said nothing, so I broke it out for you all. Okay? And basically the top portion, Third Street, Rock Street, Rock Street, Pleasant Street, Troy Street, Middle Street, Central Street, North Main Street, Pleasant Street have all been um filed. The ones at the bottom, 162 to 170, has not been filed. It's an affordable housing, and I I put an explanation. Um John's actually been following up on that.
51:29North Main Street, which is the Children's Museum. They've had a change in staff over there. So, the check was cut. It was sent to them. They didn't send it to the attorney. It needs to be followed up with a little bit more. I've been working with them to find out in finance how we can get a new check cut and stop payment on the first one that they said they never got. So, anyway,
51:53that's going out the Children's Museum.
51:56Um, San's shrine. They just need the second deed restriction signed. Rock Street, which is a school administration building. Um, the check was mailed. I've left voice messages waiting to get messages back. I'll probably do a physical visit there to find out why they haven't sent the check to the attorney. Um, Freedom Street, that is because they were awarded 150, but in this next appropriation order is the
52:23remaining $500. So, if the city council approves this year's appropriation order, then they can get their remaining $500 so that they can pay the attorney for their deed restriction. Uh, they've been on top of it. Um, but it's not their fault. Uh, Prospect Street, Little Theater, um, their payment's going to go out soon. A lot of this that's contingent to, I believe, on the appropriation order. And then of course
52:50you have a whole host of deed restrictions that are in this year's appropriation order. So until the city council approves that appropriation order, those deed restrictions are on hold. The attorney hasn't drafted them.
53:03I haven't contact the attorney to draft them. There's no reason that we need him to draft deed restrictions if the city council doesn't approve the appropriation order. So that's where we stand. And I just wanted to give you kind of a little bit of a breakdown um on what's happening with them because most of them have been filed. Rick and Rick and I have met with John. John's been in contact with John Coughlin. Um
53:27but I thought it would be a good idea to just do a quickie update for the committee just so you know where they're all standing restrictions.
53:36Okay.
53:38Uh next uh project update. Uh start down if anybody has any uh yeah I as I said they're still in the process of doing the evaluations on the roof for the children's museum and then the other one is the windows and they're still just in the order process. So it's still on track.
54:02Uh I don't have any big updates. Uh, I think Rick's going to talk about the central fire station, which is the only one I have, so I'll defer to him. If I'm wrong, Rick, I can I know, uh, actually on the central fire station and the fire museum, me and Rick are meeting with Ala tomorrow. Uh, we only had a concern about the central because Troy Street is uh, city funded. So, we
54:31want to kind of make sure they follow Secretary of Standards and Rick probably can speak a lot more to this. There's a couple more issues like it's it's a whole other architect from the side.
54:42That's why we're meeting with them tomorrow on that. So, um the windows were ordered for u the fire museum. Uh they're going to be installed uh this month. So, that is anything on the little theater uh the roof on that component of it. the last uh Well, does I'm sorry.
55:07Does Jim have anything?
55:08You have any other update?
55:09I do, but let him go and then I'll do it.
55:12No, no, I have Go ahead. You're quick, guys.
55:15All right. The uh the only update is the rowing club and we you saw the paperwork. You have the paperwork about three large regatas.
55:26Um and they're going on. One was last Saturday. I watched and I counted at between 7 and 9:30 in the morning 22 different boats going up and down.
55:44Um, two things just for the be sure the television audience particularly. One is that kids are free in this program.
55:55And the second one is that there what was the second one? I just wrote it down. That's okay. This big one was the Oh, yeah. The um there were two more regatas. And one of the reasons we're getting the riatas is because we are an Olympic size pers course. That's the word. That's the word. Course and that's the update.
56:29I think we have the uh the Navy and uh we have a Charles River Club coming down. Yeah, I I just had I it's on your paper that you have and I can't find my paper from the guy from Jeff at the rowing club.
56:45Yeah.
56:46But one of the one the past one was colleges.
56:50It was I didn't realize they were colleges. They looked to me like middle school children, but getting older.
56:58It'll make them like they used to.
57:01Okay. All right, Rick.
57:04Okay. Well, just briefly, our little theater has a a contractor come in who is a special has a specialty in slate repair and uh he rented a lift and worked for a week just uh checking the roof, did many repairs. Uh and I did speak to him and his comment to me was uh once this roof is repaired, the slate will give you another hundred years. So actually it was a good decision by the
57:33little theater people and the cost according to even the contractor should be less than cost of an asphalt roof repair or replacement. Uh Gail Powers was going to who's pretty much acting as the project manager for Little Theater.
57:50We'll be getting back to uh John and I uh with a letter explaining everything and cost and things of that nature. So that should be forthcoming.
58:02So the any questions good update central uh station uh they had or they invited Alex and I are both involved in that project and neither one of us had been to any meetings at all. Uh and there was a zoom meeting last week uh and we had an invite. Uh it was a very short meeting. Um but there were two architects working on this project.
58:31There's the architect who's working on the Bedford Street.
58:34Just just to be clear, there's two architects working on the building.
58:38There's one architect working on our project, our CPA project.
58:42There is the separate city project with a separate architect. So it's not our architect.
58:47Yep. And um so it but it's one big meeting now because they have an OPM handling the project as a whole. So we will be involved on a pretty regular basis at this point.
59:00And Anowan uh the fire museum number six is going to be putting in windows. Uh the architect was scheduling a meeting uh that was supposed to transpire probably in the last probably now six weeks now. Uh, and that's forthcoming.
59:21Okay, Chris, anything updates? No, just one question. Uh, anything on the arts association? Do we um Who's overseeing that one?
59:32I don't know. Uh, who's overseeing it?
59:34But I was by there Saturday. They have the new spindles they put in the railing.
59:40Okay.
59:40So, they are working on the porch rough. The spindles are new. So, they're just starting. So, it's still rough.
59:48Okay.
59:48But, uh, they have a, uh, Bear who was, uh, heading up the construction, isn't there's a new guy doing it. So, uh, I don't know who has I think Chris has that.
59:59Kristen and I.
1:00:00Yeah. So, she'll probably check back in on that.
1:00:04Hopefully, they are because there comes up in August.
1:00:08So, they need to get on. They were going to be putting putting that ramp up there which is which is the better choice than that electric lift that was going to destroy the porch. Uh because there are again interior secretary of interior standards that have to be maintained with that building. Uh the drawings have not been supplied. Um they were to be supplied last fall. So I'm sure they're
1:00:35forthcoming with the weather breaking.
1:00:38Thank you.
1:00:39The only update that we had had Michael was the u block windows the email we had sent out. So nothing other than that yet.
1:00:47You do anything?
1:00:48No.
1:00:49Okay. Uh okay. Uh new business. We do have the uh meeting uh with the city council tomorrow. Uh we just need like four of us. I know Rick, me, Alex, and then Chris is going to be going. the rest if you want to go and participate in the you know we can only have four of us down because we can't have a full committee. Um not sure what is on their agenda. Uh but uh
1:01:17it well it says on the city agenda to talk about um like city priorities for future projects I think.
1:01:24Well they have to appropriate the money that we've already allocated.
1:01:26That's on the agenda after that's on after. I I hoping they're taking this advantage time to uh capital improvements to include us with uh the capital improvements because like the park lead and the uh uh father Kelly Park is also under the capital improvement and CPA. So hopefully they're well hopefully they incorporate you a little sooner. They had you sit there for five hours the other night and then
1:01:52objected to it. So yeah, it is early in the agenda tomorrow.
1:01:55So it is at six o'clock. We do have uh six or seven uh applicants coming to uh speak up on our behalf uh their projects to move on. So uh uh they'll be there just to give us a little support and it's a good support for them because uh they can total CPA helped them out. uh you know little uh not little theater uh historical commission you know they raised $3 million and shipping society
1:02:22and uh but uh you know so it's highlights them CD reps come in uh new windows the stuff they do for the kids you know uh DJ even wrote a nice letter to submit to uh yes I saw that you know um and then uh they wanted Stuart to come down but it's just too short a notice and uh CP uh Stuart Norman doesn't get involved in the politics of uh they being the city council wanted
1:02:48Stuart come down.
1:02:49Yeah.
1:02:49Okay.
1:02:50Well, they asked him on Wednesday.
1:02:53Mhm.
1:02:53And they didn't send him the email till Friday. So, and I called him and he goes, "I'm already booked all week." He did uh send a letter saying and uh he put uh that RCPC was planning on attending and CPC in Fall River is an experienced, well-trained group. So, I know they will be answered any questions the CPA might arise. So, um but yeah, and Sandy put together a uh booklet that uh that looks
1:03:22good. You know, because the one thing the council doesn't think is we uh we meet with uh heads of departments I do every July to get applications in. Um some years we never got any in like the parks. We got a new park director thanks to a new uh park direct uh chairman that's leaving. But uh you know he's beginning to work with us. Dan's beginning to work with us with
1:03:48engineering. So it highlights uh if you start looking through this or we don't need to go through it. Uh it's more for your information, but out of our almost 20 million that we've uh funded, 11 million has been to the city. So this shows them breakdowns everything what uh happens uh uh kids uh you know to the children and stuff breaks down what the usage of the money goes to. So uh it's pretty ind
1:04:17depth that should answer a lot of their questions that uh you know and it's good for us to know too somebody ask you you know where's the money being spent just look right there and parks everything historic. Um, so we have that. And also I I do want to say that uh BJ's last meeting and thank you.
1:04:40It's been a pleasure serving with you.
1:04:41We're going to miss you.
1:04:43You know, the park department's really going to miss you, but uh I'm sure we'll be all right.
1:04:48We thank you for your services and uh best of luck on your move.
1:04:53Thank you. You know, is it fair to ask what you I'm just moving out of town. So, my even if I wanted to stay on, I wouldn't be able to because I won't be a full river resident as of the end of next month.
1:05:06Oh, okay.
1:05:07So, no hard feelings. All good.
1:05:10Appreciate everything everyone did, but just had to move on.
1:05:14That kind of Thank you. Thank you for your service. I just wanted to give a quick kudos. I received an email yesterday and it was actually on um the review of the Fall River Historical Society and it was phenomenal. It was a 20-minute interview. Um it basically went through what we provide for our services so that they can get that project done. But it was um it was pleasantly uh surprising
1:05:41and uh definitely a good watch and that's what I was looking for where the website is, but I haven't found Don't they have something on Wednesday at PCC?
1:05:49They they do. Yeah, they do. Uh but this one was actually just to talk about how they got the funding, what they did with the funding and what the purpose of this and and I was actually blown away with the fact that um with being a gateway city, the level of expertise that we have here in the city and the level of expertise that they're putting into that particular museum. um it basically
1:06:14outshines even some of the uh more uh affluent um parts of the state and in the country in the sense of you know historical preservations and even the uh different types of things that you will see on display there. So it's very very um uplifting.
1:06:32Yeah, good job. Um anything else?
1:06:37All right, can I have a motion?
1:06:38historical think Roger Williams.
1:06:43No motion to adjourn.
1:06:49I'll make a motion that we adjourn.
1:06:52Second roll call.
1:06:54Michael Parish. Yes.
1:06:55Alex, yes. Yes. And James, yes. Rick Mini, yes. Chris Benites, yes. BJ McDonald yes.