← Back to search

5.19.2025 Community Preservation Committee

Fall River Government TV May 20, 2025

Transcript

449 blocks
0:00

Uh welcome to the community preservation committee meeting tonight. Uh we're at one uh city government uh hearing room uh 6 o'clock uh May 19th, 2025. Pursuant to the open meeting law, any person make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium.

0:19

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

0:29

We'll start with roll call to my left.

0:32

Michael Faras.

0:35

Chris Benvites present. Alexander Silva here. John Brandt. James Hornsby here.

0:41

Rick Mancini here. BJ McDonald.

0:45

Okay. No citizen input. No. Can I have a motion for approval of the minutes from April 28th?

0:53

Motion to approve. Second. All in favor?

0:56

I. I. Motion passes. Can I have a motion for uh approval of the annual meetings from uh April 28th?

1:05

A motion to accept. I'll second. All in favor? I. Okay. Motion passes. Uh first on the agenda is uh extensions for Kennedy Park Overlook. We have uh Mr. Aguiar for planning. Uh he's just taking these projects over. So, good evening. For the record, my name is Dan Aguiar. I'm the director of engineering and planning here for the city of Fall River. I'm here this evening with regards to two outstanding

1:40

projects that the planning department had uh received funding from from your organization. The first we would like to speak to this evening is the Kennedy Park Overlook. If you may recall, this was funded back beginning um in 17 with some additional follow-up funding in 2022 of an additional $35,000.

2:02

Um over the last few years since I've been here, we've been able to pick up um with a little bit of work that had been done previously utilizing the consultant Brown Richardson and Row had come up with some preliminary designs for both the landscape um proposals for that area which was walkways, landscaping and parking and then there was also um you may recall a pavilion component that

2:27

they had contemplated adding to it. So we went through that exercise, had some preliminary drawings done, had them put together a preliminary cost estimate for the complete project. Um the number for the complete complete project was rather outstanding and much larger than anyone I think anticipated.

2:46

So at that time, Chris Pirano, who was the assistant planner at the time, and I were working with that organization, trying to determine were there additional funding sources through OPA or other different forms uh to be able to fulfill the entire construction project through the OPA process. We were not able to secure funds um from the city. So that leaves us at the point now where we have a preliminary design, a

3:13

cost estimate, and we're at a crossroads to determine how grand of a project do we build here. Is it more of a landscaping parking area? You know, um it was a walking path component to it as well, some clearing of vegetation along the top of the slope to be able to look out at some views over Mount Hope Bay.

3:31

Uh so that's where we're at now. So with that being the case, um we do see a need for the continued funding for the project so that we can still move forward in some form or fashion. And my guess is that we would probably be able to get to full design. We would not be able to construct um anything on site with the funding that is remaining, which from what my understanding is about

3:53

$106,000. So, we would ask that you extend the ability for us to continue to work with the consultant and see how far along a design uh and permitting we can get uh for that location. That's all. If you have any questions, I'd be glad to answer them. Any questions? I I I will I as you know, this is the type of work that we do here. Yep. And so, what kind

4:13

of what was the overall budget? Like typically when you do a master plan or schematic design like this, you kind of say, "All right, we're thinking about it's a $2 million project." What kind of what did they come back with a cost estimate to that? You roughly We were at approximately $2 million for the full build, I believe. I can actually I'll actually forward the um the actual

4:39

construction estimate. That That's fine.

4:41

What I'm trying to do is I'd like to see if it's a good project and it's something that you want to see done.

4:48

Maybe um part of this schematic design does it so that it's phased in where you can get the most bang for your buck right off the bat. Yep. And maybe that's more digestible. As I said, we do have the CPC CPA funding. And so maybe it's a phased project where some of the bigger ticket items as you know uh if you if you let a designer design what they want

5:12

instead of what you want we're going to build the Taj Mahal and you know everything. Yeah. No and that didn't happen. I mean we had we had lengthy discussions with them about the proposed structure and being an Mstead Park upgradient of us. We asked them to consider similar architecture to the pavilion, the larger pavilion that sits above the hill with some of the arches, the roof lines, and they've they have

5:33

some preliminary drawings for that. That structure is what really added to the cost of this entire project. So, in exactly with what Mike said, we think we will move forward with a design and permitting and the construction portion of it will be a phase. And we've talked about this at length, many of you, with me. the city has the ability or always has the ability to build these beautiful

5:56

things, but then we don't take care of them. We want to make sure that that's not the case here as well. Um, so if we had received $5 million in opera funding, then yeah, that would have built our project, that would have provided some, you know, a few years of operation and maintenance and keeping it all there. But to me, it doesn't make more sense or make sense really to build

6:15

something beautiful again and then allow it, especially a landscaping feature. Um although you think it's just lawn and it's just No, that's not that's not the case, right? We we look at everything that gets built, even the new train station um where they can't even keep up with and that that's not the city's responsibility, but keeping up with just basic lawn cutting, tree trimming, um and things of that nature.

6:38

as part of that master plan and we've talked about this because I know myself and John are on also the open space committee and uh when designing these things it's all about sustainability once you build it how do you maintain it or how do you have a program in place that's going to help pay for functions or maintenance or whatever it might be and so maybe as part of their master

7:00

plan their phase that they come up with a program that that kind of that looks at the sustainability and and the economic influence of possibilities of you know sustaining a project like that so you don't fall into it. We built it now it's falling apart in 5 years because no one can maintain it or you don't have the for some of you that don't know over the last year um the open space and recreation committee is

7:25

putting together our new open space and recreation plan and it's a 10-year plan.

7:28

We were just at the end of our year seven. They've actually just extended that time frame now to be 10 years once we have the plan in place. We had another open house last week here. Uh we had Mike attended, John attended, I attended, and I think three residents attended. So, it it it's kind of it's disheartening and it's it's kind of difficult to ask for input on things and

7:49

then nobody comes to give input. We did have a survey that went out earlier, maybe a few months ago, and we got about 500 respondents on that. just citywide the amenities that we provide whether they be hiking, boating, open space, preservation, all of these different items, different categories. Um, but we really got limited response. So it part of the process of what we discussed and

8:10

our goals for that plan are to have a number of shovelready projects that every year we can come to you and discuss what project can we hopefully move forward with this year because what I've seen over the short period of time that I've been here is it doesn't seem like enough people come to you with viable projects ready to go. It's like if they don't come here to even start it

8:33

then there's no project at all. Right?

8:35

So that's we want to make sure that we have the ability to and whe whether they're very large, whether they're very small, coming up with an overall maintenance program for anything that we build citywide. Even if it was, okay, we need a thousand benches throughout the city parks in this city. Well, this year we don't have a construction project, but can we can we have funding for 200

8:57

of these benches and then the next year another 200 of the benches? So have these things in the hopper ready to come to you and other permitting and other funding agencies as well. That's all in this new open space and recreation plan that we're hoping that will get approved approved through the state and then that'll be the guidelines for the next 10 years. This project is listed as one

9:17

of the highest priority goals in that book as specific projects to have completed over the next 10 years.

9:26

Any other questions? Could you elaborate a little more on the Okay, I have couple couple things.

9:36

One, how fancy is the new design?

9:42

My understanding of these very special parks designed by a very special architect is that there is simplicity. and the previous one didn't seem pretty elaborate. So, the last plan that we had was very simple and if if you would like to see that rendering before you make a decision, completely fine. I can come back and if if there is time available and and we can show you that. So, it was very simple, very

10:14

similar shaped walkways as an Mstead park would have. Um and again the structure in keeping very small but in keeping with roof lines the arches that you see shingled uh the columns were all very similar. So the landscape and the walkways and the the parking area very simple but still costly believe it or not. And then the structure was of course much much more expensive and really should be considered a separate

10:42

project from the actual groundwork.

10:45

Okay. but very simple. Okay, that's what I'm pushing for. Yeah, I just have a quick question. Um I know Kennedy Park and North Park are homestead parks and I know there's a couple of pocket parks throughout the city that are suns um projects and they're on the registry of historical. I don't know if the overlook is though or I don't believe that the overlook is actually part of Kennedy Park. Okay. and

11:15

and the structure that you speak of that wasn't an existing it was something that was proposed or is there an existing there's nothing on this property okay got just lawn trees and then a very steep slope down to Mount Hope Bay so so one of the things that I when we do these types of projects we look at a park we look at getting open space and recreation funds to it and then we also

11:36

do the historical component of it an example of that would be the restrooms in Kennedy Park um that has come across to us and so that would like a dual opportunity historical preservation and then open space and parks. In this particular case, it's just a proposed park with design overtones of Mstead to it. And so, um, again, I think if you you phase this and this is a great opportunity, a lot of these to to come

12:05

up and have a big picture of what you'd like to do and then do something that's digestible over a period of time. And yeah, because because it made sense to I mean if you are adjacent although there's a street in between us, you are adjacent to a park like that. Yeah. How can you not try to make it look at least look or appear as an extension of that park? And that was the intention with

12:26

with the consultant that we used.

12:30

Hello. Um so this project predate like it's a award agreement predates I think a lot of us on the committee. So and myself. So pardon any of the like more um basic questions. Uh, so how old is the cost estimate? It was fairly recent.

12:45

It was about a year ago. Okay. Yeah. And then when Because again, we were waiting. We had gotten it and then we had tried lobbying for opera funds.

12:52

Yeah. Okay. Um because I don't think the project really began until then. So is that when design started around as well?

12:59

So it didn't funding again began in 17.

13:03

when I started in 22 um we had requested those the additional funds of 35,000 um to get us moving with the architect because they had provided us with an updated fee schedule and contract from their 17 which required the additional funding before we could sign a contract for them. Okay. So they're still under contract for the 106. Who was the consultant? Brown Richardson and Row Brown Richardson. And are they do they

13:30

have landscape architects on Okay. Yeah.

13:33

Yeah. Um, and how far in design did you say they've gotten? Is it SD or schematic design or this is just schematic? Just schematic design.

13:41

Schematic. But they they had they had the underlying complete survey done which again past practice in the city sometimes is you start off with a drawing that's really too cartoonish to put real numbers on it. So when I came out having more of an engineering background, we try to make sure that what we're starting with is we're starting with real information and we're not saying okay well we can do this.

14:06

Well did you contemplate what the grade is there or how much fill needs to come in or so they did complete the full survey topography um determining where the wetlands were and everything. So we knew how much land do we really have to work with not getting threequarters of the way through this project and finding out can't build this right. So we we did we did we did send spend some money on

14:28

consulting up front to make sure that we had real information to work from. Okay.

14:32

Um and would you say uh schematic design is complete or is that still ongoing?

14:37

No, schematic design is complete. Okay.

14:39

And how much uh how many funds are remaining in for this grant? $16,69429.

14:49

Okay. Again, initial award was 150,000.

14:52

And there were follow-up funds in 22 for the additional 35,000. So remaining 106.

14:58

Right. So you spent like 39ish, right?

15:03

Um and uh so was the pavilion in the original scope? I don't believe so. The original scope was grand and wide open.

15:13

It actually contemplated clearing the entire slope down to the water and providing access to the water's edge at least in some form of narrative. Um, which again with the slope that's there and the different resource areas, conservation commission or wetlands protection act resource areas, it would be almost impossible to build what I think was kind of initially intended.

15:38

Mhm. Um but there there was always to be intended some scope of structure um at this overlook. Okay. And what are the city's plans right now for like other funding or filling the gap? No. No.

15:53

Nothing right now. Nope. Okay. Okay. So then so our thought is to one let's get design complete or at least far enough along and then I would assume come back to you depending upon let's look at phase one let's look at phase two which would be the structure and not that we're hoping for another pandemic and another round of $75 million to spend and hope we would get on that list but

16:14

um yeah there there would there would need to be other resources and funding mechanisms. So, what we've been able to do since I've been here in the planning department, um, if you look at one of the other projects that that was before you, which was the Quicoan Rail Trail extension to the Westport line, originally funded by this organization with that funding in 2023 while I was here, we were able to

16:38

reach out and get a match trails grant.

16:40

Um, but we didn't part of that grant was that we needed 20% matching funds. So the CPC funds we only utilized to provide the match and we returned back on that project $195,000 because we were able to go get other funding sources and that would be the case here as well like those were construction funds. Once this becomes a construction ready project then it's easier to go out and and acquire other

17:03

funding whether it's through serpent different types of prog uh different programs mass trails parks there there's a whole number of a litany of different funding mechanisms that that we would be reaching out to. Mhm. Okay. And when you say um like design complete, how far is that to you? Is it like design documents or like you want to be like shovel ready? To me, it would be 100% design plans. Okay. Um not quite

17:28

ready to go out for bid because we're not going to send it out for bid until we know we have the money to build it.

17:34

So, it would be the set of design plans that this is this is a you with this set of plans, you could go build this. So, um, and whatever conservation commission permitting needed to take place. Would you say you're at like 30% now with SD?

17:47

I think that's I think that's probably about right. Okay. Um, so kind of what I'm thinking is that this project has changed so much over the 8 to nine years that the scope really has changed like the pavilion being a new component and that's included in the SD right is the pavilion the pavilion is like being designed as part of or it was designed as part of SD. It it was it's contemplated in this preliminary

18:11

drawing. Yes. Okay. However, the pavilion can be removed. So So part of this design would not include the construction drawings for building the pavilion. Okay. Okay. That would be that would that would be that would be a few hundred,000 on its own to actually have construction drawings. Okay. So when I say design and permitting, site drawing shows a footprint of okay future pavilion by others at another time. And

18:39

do you think the funding you have available is enough to get you ready to design completion for that footprint?

18:46

Yes. Okay. Because that's what the contract was proposed from Brown Richardson and Rome. So they so they're under contract to complete those documents for this amount of money.

18:55

Okay. That's insightful and helpful. um if you were pursuing the pavilion, which I'm not saying you shouldn't. Um I'm just saying it would have been outside the scope of the original grant. So, we would probably have to just deny an extension and have you kind of reapply with like the new project. But since you are um trying to finish um just like the topography and site plan which would

19:16

basically be the basis I think for any other phases going forward I think an extension with the budget available and everything everyone working I think that's that's reasonable. Um, I would advise that like in the future, um, you do probably submit like a whole new application with the plan for the space.

19:37

Um, and even if you like phase it out with the pavilion and stuff just because the scope has changed so much, it probably just for the public and for the committee, we need to see what the current status is. I don't think um anything you've described as as your intention for the remaining funds goes outside of the scope uh of the initial grant award. Um so yeah, that was helpful. Thank you.

20:01

Well, I think if we did make the motion to uh extend this, makes them shovel ready for when he puts an application in September. And then the application, we can do this in stages like we've done with a lot of projects where we start and then the following year he comes back and we just keep adding to the overlook. We don't have to fund it all in one year because we can't. But we can

20:27

break it up and this will start the process to be able to do that. Uh any other questions?

20:34

Um, and could you act could you provide the rendering and like any updated information about the current forward all to Sandy Sandy? Yeah, I'll send over the the cost estimate the last preliminary design. Sure. And just as like a head like a kind of getting ahead of it. Um, for like any pavilion or even just like the landscape nature of the project, I would maybe recommend just visiting the historical commission to

20:57

get an opinion at hand to help kind of head off any problem. like, you know, they'd be just very insightful for how to make it maybe more um Homemsteadesque um or at least, you know, just get the synergy to go with the the rest of Kenny Park. It just be helpful. Um and usually if you're applying for historic preservation funds, which you wouldn't be able to for a new construction, we're

21:18

not preserving anything. Yeah. So, it would be more so um if you combine it with the nor the rest of the park. Um it's the parks department, not Yeah. Cuz we had seen like a walkway proposal and like the bathroom one. So if the city's intention is to kind of go that larger route with like multiple phases, just Sure. Okay. Thank you. Thanks. Just just one more comment. Uh typically when you

21:40

do a master plan or schematic design, you're doing 20%. and I commend you about uh I don't know who made the call, but the the more information you have when you do a schematic design, I would say because you did the survey component of it, a lot of times you'll end up doing this and find out you can't build it because you didn't have enough of the uh existing conditions information and

22:01

that would be like the survey, the topography, the utilities, wetlands, anything of that nature. Uh I commend you because it sounds to me like it this would be probably at a level of 30% for schematic design. having that information uh and having a cost estimate um that's closer to what the true cost is going to be and then as you go you have typically 25 50 75% 100% and

22:26

by the time you get to 100% you might have a contingency of we've got an overrun of 10% by the time you get there. Um, I would recommend that any project that you do of this nature, first thing we tell our our clients, go get a survey done even before you do this. That way you you hold the the designer accountable. And then also, you also have an idea of where your budget's

22:50

going to be if it's a million-doll project or a $2 million project. So you don't come back and a lot times you see something that's a $10 million project and you're like what's you you went off the rails there. But um I you know I would recommend you know based on what if we could see these documents in that type of scenario. Um and then just as for the uh the pavilion um just set it

23:15

up as if you're going to have utilities there like you're going to need electricity there or if there's going to be bathrooms or whatever it might be you might put that stuff in now. So you don't have to rip the park apart and you just have literally a pad site. If you do get the funds, then you can build it right where it was designed originally in the schematic design. So with that, I

23:35

yield. All right. So can I have a motion to grant a two-year extension? So move.

23:40

I second it. All in favor? I I I. Thank you. Next is the Mount Hope bike uh bay bike path. Great. This is FY28. So again, for the record, my name is Dan Aguar, director of engineering planning for the city of Fall River. This um this request for funding extension um deals with the Mount Hope Greenway project, which has sat idle for a while. I know Rick's had great um interest in this

24:10

project. um we've met multiple times and I would say was about a year ago that Rhode Island started to show that interest and um what the city was intending for this this project. And so what this basically entails is taking from the state pier and correct me if I'm wrong because you probably know better than than I and extending a rail trail to the Tividan line. Um when this project was initiated

24:39

back in 18 and the funding first provided, there was comment and um a little bit of opposition from the sewer treatment plant, Gold Medal Bakery, about the revitalization of the rail line, which would have precluded a trail only project uh because of their interest in wanting to now. So this is kind of morphed now into a rail and trail project. So there was some preliminary design done there.

25:11

There's a there's a report done uh for the Mount Hope Greenway project. And then again about a year or so ago, we were approached by um the town of Tivan that wants to now pick up from where we would have left off and really bring it all the way to Newport. Right. So, we're we're looking at different locations where we have the ability to provide rail and trail because the width of the

25:36

of the of the rail right ofway, the location of the tracks, there are some locations where the path may end up coming back to a street coming back down. And so, there's we're at the very preliminary discussion stages of where are we at? So, one of the last calls we had, um, I believe Rick was on, myself, um, a number of local legislators, including Senator Rogers, that that was

26:03

on the call as well, um, trying to see where are we at with this project. How do we move it forward and how do we proceed? And, and we're at a point now where we would like to stop moving forward with this project, but again, would not do so unless we were guaranteed of the additional funding.

26:21

So, my understanding of the funding, as convoluted as it may seem, and I don't understand at all, there was an additional uh sorry, an initial $60,000 dispersement for the Mount Hope Greenway project that that was back in 18 and that was a 5-year bond. And from what I can gather, and Sandy's kind of confirmed, that it would be 5 years times the 60 would be the total amount of funding if I'm correct. That's why in

26:49

my letter I I don't know what is the remaining funding, but anything would would be a benefit to us moving this project forward.

26:57

Again, because of being sidetracked with the need for rail that the sewer treatment plant wants to be able to revitalize that rail and be able to take sludge from the sewer treatment plant to the state pier and ship it off in a pier right in a in a barge. Right now, they put it on trucks, drive it to the state pier, and then unload it. So, uh, sewer treatment plant and then Gold Medal

27:22

Bakery wants to be able to they they've just invested I don't know how many millions of more dollars into their facility there. They're not going anywhere. They're actually in the process now of building a much larger facility. So, they would like to stay, but they would like to have this that rail component open to them. But, there are so many other hands in that in that fire dealing with getting that back

27:46

revitalized. It's really beyond the scope of what I do here. Um I'm trying to find a home for the trail part of it to still come to fruition. Um so with that, we would like to u have the funding extended so that we can at least offer that as part of us trying to to move this project along. Okay. Is that about right? That's about right.

28:10

Is there a way of seeing any of the is there a way of uh getting any of the plans or figuring out what has been done to date and then kind of the breakdown?

28:20

Uh again, this going from a rail to an active rail trail program is a much different approach and and I don't disagree with it, especially operational wise if you're trucking the sludge from, you know, the uh the the storm water sewer uh plant to the the um the loading dock um the deep water port. Uh it makes sense to have the the uh the trail I mean the rail active for that. Now, um,

28:50

would Gold Medal Bakery also be using now? I'm assuming they truck everything in right now and so they're looking at using this. I want to say there's Don't I apologize if I'm wrong, but for some reason 18 flower trucks a day. Wow. Bring flour to that facility, I believe. I I I'll I'll confirm what that actual number is, but wi without this funding and the first conversations that we had with with the

29:22

bike commissions and and with Rick was I think the trail project is dead. Okay.

29:28

And so if it was only for the city of Fall River, I don't think I would be here to asking you for this. We would have said we have enough trails in this city. We don't need to add more. Yeah. The ones we have are difficult to take care of already.

29:44

Mhm. Sewer department needs it. Well, metal. This is a rail line that yes, if it's inactive like many of the other rail lines, it makes sense to make a trail, but when somebody needs to use it Mhm. that has to take precedent for putting in another trail. So, it was really when Rhode Island came into play and wanted to extend this to Newport that we said, "Okay, I get we really

30:06

should do everything that we can to make this happen." Does it happen? I don't know. All I can tell you is that without funding, it probably won't go any further than where it's already gone.

30:17

And I I wouldn't want to see everybody's time and effort that they put in at this already to not give it a real go. So, just one question. I know um uh I was following this in the Tiveran papers as well. It was kind of a contentious portion of it where uh the city council or the town council was basically some were for some were adamantly against it.

30:39

Um and even trying to reactivate the old Sconet Bridge uh where the rail line used to be. They have their own issues with with getting to Newport. Yeah. And and so I is it um from my understanding from what I've read in the paper um is it now feasible for them or does it sound like it's more acceptable or we just I don't know where they're at. So what what the commitment that the city

31:04

made was basically a letter saying that we have interest okay in becoming part of the entire project. And that's I think that was the one singular letter that we had written probably about a year ago saying yes, we would we we would like to be a party to this. But Rhode Island, go do your thing. Mhm.

31:24

Before we go crazy doing our end of it.

31:27

So that's that's where we were at with that.

31:32

Is Newport the end the end of the trail?

31:35

I I would I would think that I don't think it's going to continue on. And I think it would be a loop. I have not seen plans of okay where it even goes. So if any of these other towns Rick may may know more than that. Okay. So anywhere along the line somebody could say no this and then at that point everyone's out. Exactly.

31:53

So everyone has to be in well to get the entire loop. Sure. Right. Right. But then at the end of the day if if it gets us you know out of Fall River into Tivetan at least. Yeah. But if I I don't I don't agree with this assertion, but there have been ideas that because of the of the rail line now with MBTA with commuter rail that people would actually

32:17

bike from Tibetan to get to the train station. I find that a bit of a stretch, but that's part of the argument. Sounds a bit that that that's being proposed.

32:27

They they would bike for two months. But sometimes I'm a little bit too much of a realist because I mean let's be honest they they they they'd bike for three months out of the year maybe four nothing happen in the winters. So um yeah I think I don't know for me like the the totality of the bike path is very intriguing but if like Tan is having problems and they don't want it I

32:47

don't know to me it doesn't seem like a like that the grandness of it fantastic.

32:53

Yeah. kind of like the rail trail, the bike path that goes from Providence that ends at the Westport line. Sure. Did we have to spend $500,000 to finish the Westport? Well, we did it because we hope Westport picks it up and they are, you know, so see by us leading hopefully it continues, you know. So, I sit on three different Serpent JTP G commission, SMMPO, and a regular SERD commission member as well. and Westport

33:20

is putting together a project to finally pick it up. They're actually, if you drive down Martin Street onto Route Six, you'll see a new line of wetland flagging the pink flags that you see from where we left off to go up behind where the where the power lines are. And they're trying to figure out how they can continue on. So, they are picking up where we left off because they have a

33:41

new planner in Westport who I've spoken to. I explained to him how we did what on our end, how the grant funding worked, where we went and got the monies from and try to give him some direction.

33:51

So, they're going to pick up. So, it's one of those field the dreams things, right? So, if if you build it, they will come. Yeah. So, you're saying, Chairman Brandt that essentially if if in a lot of ways we tend to maybe historically lead these types of discussions where if we commit, Tibberan might feel more right. I mean, we're going to take it to their to commit and and all we're

34:10

committing to is design. Now, now again, that design can sit until it becomes a complete project, right? Because then funding is going to this is a that's a huge huge project. We're we're building phase 4 A of the QuickShan Rail Trail that's 800 ft long at a cost of about a million dollars. So, so figure that how much that's going to cost to go that distance, right? It's it's it's pretty

34:36

incredible what these things cost. And just to I I I think I heard this, but correct me if I'm wrong. wrong. I just want to make sure I got this clear. Um, did I hear that there's a conflict with the trail and the rail part part of conflict once they look at design? Yeah.

34:52

And because the trail has to be a certain distance from rail, right? So depending upon where the rail falls within the railroad right of way, right, there may not be room to have we might not even be able to. And and that's the discussions that we've had. That's about where we're at now that the next step is to be because no one's looked at the construction of the two of them together. I got you. Everything that's

35:14

been done to date was just a rail trail.

35:16

Makes sense. So, yep. All right, that makes sense. No more questions for you.

35:19

Ju just two questions. One, uh, who's originally doing the design for this?

35:24

Like, um, you remember who the consultant was originally, right? I do I do not know, but I it's actually a pretty substantial report that I can forward to you as well. That would be great. And then the other sorry uh study they did. Yeah. Was it Stant? I don't know if I don't think it was Stantech.

35:43

I don't I don't know. Might have been VHB. It was one of the It was one of the five. Well, it's the reason I asked that. It's more of a scenario of when you evaluate a design firm or an engineering firm that's doing this and they have the capability of looking at both the engineer component of it which is basically commercial rail line compared to just a bike path. They're totally different approaches to that.

36:08

that'll that'll kind of uh ease my judgment on this because um the reality of it is you're talking a significant price change compared to a working active rail trail than just a bike path.

36:21

And so and then also um when you do these things, you want to make sure that they're um they can come to fruition once you're said and done that you figured it out. And again, if the reality of it is you can't get both of those in and you have to divert it through a street way or whatever might be um that that's a feasible project.

36:40

And the other component to this is that um so this whole component of what we're doing here in Fall River um I commend Fall River for it because th this this has been going on for about 30 years. is a professor uh Julius Farbos who was doing green space and open space and connecting communities and um when we were working on the Veterans Memorial Bridge that was the first active uh draw

37:05

bridge that actually had pedestrian and bicycle paths and that was to connect western Massachusetts. you can find a way from here all the way out to western Massachusetts. And the whole goal was to basically connect as many communities.

37:17

And the idea is to get all the way out to Cape Cod and all of these different areas throughout. If you look at Fall River and you look at basically a 30 mile radius, all of the u destinations like Providence and Newport, those are all areas that you could bring people in here. And the idea with Fall River is not only do you have now bicycle paths, highways, commuter rails, and ferry uh

37:43

service here that it's not only a green green connectivity and bike connectivity, but you have blueways, which is basically ability to go down to the ferry, put your bike on air, go out to Black Island, come back. And so, um, again, I think it's we we've done our part and it's really up to the surrounding communities to to pick up the piece. But when we do our part and we we are the leaders in

38:08

this, that shows a lot for us. And I do have a lot of friends who are avid bikers, not just mountain bikers, but actually bikers. We do have this kind of broken up system here, but we are we are working on getting connectivity and even the waterfront project there. We're connecting the waterfront all the way up to this trail system. Again, in the the open space and recreation plan, one of

38:33

the goals was to come up with um a singular planned path for bicycling that has central pod locations so that if we're building a stretch, maybe it gets us from a park to a park and then the next one goes from that park to another park. So, not just through streets, but somewhere that provides for parking facilities for people to get on it anywhere, right? As out of shape as I

39:00

may look, I've spent hours on the Bristol bike path, you know, through high school and college, um, driving all the way to all the way to to Providence, um, through Barington, the whole area.

39:12

And it was it was great. But depending upon how much time you had, you have the ability to pick that up in a number of locations, right? If I wanted to hop on in Warren, I could get a Dell's Lemonade and pick it up there and park there. Or I could go to Colt State Park park and get on there. Or I could go all the way to the very southern end of Bristol and

39:31

and get on it there. Or through Barington or through Providence. So I think when we look at the entire holistic bicycle path through the city, there should be these modes of being able to get on and get off. Just just same thing with the with the regular rail trails as well. So th those are all the things. So if if I can because you all have a vested interest in potentially seeing some of

39:55

the projects that the city's going to want to do, there is still the online comment period for the open space and recreation plan and different amenities that people would like to see, would like added. And it goes down through every park, what each park provides, what each park should add. So, at the end of the day, we're hoping to create a document that gives us some framework for moving forward, no matter what it

40:20

is. Like I said, a bicycle, a pickle ball court, anything more additional open space to protect the reservoir. It it runs that gamut of open space and recreation. Um, down to trying to come up with different funding sources, whether they be through advertising, uh, naming rights, all the things like that.

40:38

So, it's a pretty comprehensive hope moving forward, but we would love additional input, especially from people who ultimately will have a stake in that as well. Would you for the record and for me because this will go out to a bunch of different people who actually watch our show. I I don't know why, but they are so handsome.

41:03

would you clearly state how people could contribute to that survey? So it it's funny. So we've we had sent out an original and and this is always posted on the city's website and all the different social media. Well, they could look at the city website. They can also look at Serpent because Serpent is the C consultant that we hired to to create the open space and recreation plan for

41:27

us. Um they provide great service. They do probably a hundred of these a year.

41:31

So for them it's it's pretty boilerplate. So it's called an open space open space and recreation plan plan and that's a 10-year doc. So that that's a document that provides 10year framework for anything open space and recreation.

41:46

Thank you. And you can do it simply by going to city's website. You can go to the sured website. I can forward the links to to Sandy and she can get it out to you all as well. Well, we No, I'm more concerned with the people with the people out out who are watching on TV or or that kind of thing. And I do know that Serpentid and because they've attended. So, they're great with all the

42:09

public input stuff that and that's really what they're good at. So, we've had two events here. Well, sorry, one was here. One was in the library, I think just before the winter. Um, a little bit better attended than this one. They've went to three or four different events, neighborhood events, whether they be something on the pier or in the Flint or because it covers everywhere, right? It's every area of

42:32

the city and they have two more planned coming up that they there will be events that they're at to solicit comment. The next one is at the rec center, right?

42:41

It might be one of the CDRE events, but I know which I know, didn't their most recent one just get rescheduled, I think, too, like their block party or whatever it was, but there there were a couple of events that they're still coming up with. So, there is still time for people to at least the three or four people that showed up at the last one that we had here. I told him, I said,

42:58

"Look at whatever you guys put down here is all the information we have to go by.

43:02

So, it's it's like plunking, right? It's it's what you want probably going to get instituted."

43:08

Well, I'm strongly in support of it and I think your analysis, all of the analyses that have been thrown out are are right on target.

43:18

Thanks, Alex. Hi. Um, by the way, I may be the only person in the room that has actually bicycled the proposed route, which you can do. However, I would warn you to wear glasses and some kind of head protection and a sturdy jacket because the briars are are really heavy.

43:39

And and so just to back up a little bit, a lot of through this corridor, and you may have followed it in the news over the last 5 to 10 years, this section of rail has become occupied by everyone that lives down there. There were swimming pools built into it, fences, sheds, driveways, because when you're adjacent to that, you see the the actual metal rails 30 ft away, not knowing

44:07

that, well, the right the railroad right ofway is 10 ft off the side of your house. So, if there's open space, people tend to creep and use it. So, that's that all that that became a little bit more public during this initial survey on the dollars that they spent. Yeah, I was really referring to the the uh the area where after that where okay becomes difficult. That's good word. How

44:34

hi. So so just some clarification was the original intent um this like 60,000 per year for five years like is that that what so it's about $300,000. Okay.

44:47

what when uh Bill Kenny was uh planning to do the study, I don't know how he thought it was going to be that much money, but when he finished the study, it was only 60,000. So, we still had the remaining left.

45:01

Okay. Um and so this is just to basically kind of redo the study. No, I think well, or add on to it. We we have to add on to the study if there's going to be a rail component. Now I I I would find it only fair if the proponents interested in the rail portion of this project also provided funding. Mhm. Um so we will not or I can at least offer that I will not

45:30

authorize spending of money unless there is a commitment from others to cover their end of it. Okay. Um because this the initial funds were for a rail trail.

45:42

Mhm. Because so the the money that you originally appropriated it many years ago first of all though we're talking probably half of what we would come in now and ask for. So of course that focus of spending those funds on this portion of the project may now only go 25% towards the larger project because if the component just became that much more complicated. So this will this will

46:07

allow the city to be able to provide some funding for the trail portion of it, but the entire project would need to go forward with other funding from other agencies or other even city departments.

46:20

So this would this would just allow us to be able to contribute. This would not be the only funding source for completing this full design. $300,000 would not get you full design here. Mhm.

46:31

Um, and you're comfortable with the amount that's remaining for the work you're hoping to accomplish. I I think for what again, will that get us to construction documents? No, I don't think so. But I think this will get us further along and probably pretty close to knowing is this can this happen?

46:49

Okay. Um, I just add uh that I'm glad this is still moving forward, especially since it's a bonded project because it is something that we the city pay interest on. So like if you know the city were to kind of not follow through on it, it there would have been a sunk cost um without the original intent being accomplished and well but the report was completed but yeah, the new developments with the rail. Um so yeah,

47:14

I would love to see the report that's been completed. Um, and if possible, could you send a map um highlighting the areas that there may be conflicts where that we don't know yet. We won't know that until they get a little bit further along. That that was just verbal. What was the gentleman's name? I'm sorry, I'm drawing a blank, too. That that So, Rhode Island, we've charged them with

47:34

Listen, this is this is your baby. This is you wanting to re to bring this back.

47:40

It's on you to do it. We're not using city funding. We're not using city resources to help you plan out this route. You go do it. You show us how the city can help and and handle our end of it. And we've put that on them. Um, one, I don't need additional work. And two, even if you said no to the additional funding, it's it's it's a it's it's it's a it's a project that I've inherited.

48:05

Um, but it does have merit. So, I I wouldn't come down and ask for funds if I didn't think it was worth it. I absolutely think it has merit with all of these rail trail um projects. The real draw is interconnectivity and connecting to as many communities as possible. I know Al Lima spoke at length about the goal of connecting Fall River to the rail trail that goes up the

48:24

entire uh east coast and I believe this is the way that Taton has worked extensively with with extending theirs trying to get it down through you know through Berkeley and Dyon through Somerset to be able to connect to to Fall River as well. So everybody's doing their own part. Yeah.

48:42

Um I'm fearful that funding is going to dry up for projects like this. Um but so that doesn't mean that we don't forge ahead with doing what we can so that when like if if we knew opera was coming for instance and we had the ability to have more projects shovel ready and just moving then wouldn't that be great? So with that mindset, spending dollars on, okay, let's let's get as far along as we

49:07

have so when funding does come um and different grant opportunities come up, we've already shown a commitment, right?

49:13

The I think the last thing that that we should do is go ask for money when we haven't shown as a city that we've made a commitment towards these things. So it's it's much easier. I just had a call with um Mass DOT Globe Four Corners Intersection. So, there's a local bottleneck grant program that's um looks at some of the more severe bottleneck issues throughout the southeastern region. That was identified as one of

49:40

them. I was able to secure $500,000 in funding for the construction reconstruction of that entire signalized intersection. Did require us to spend $145,000 on the city end, but it seems like that's a pretty good investment to get a $500,000 project done. Great.

49:57

That's great. Thank you. Thank you. I just wanted to add um I I just looked up the website. So if people are in the audience and watching this, it's um serpent.org/fall-river-sp and it's on the city website and I'll just spell it out for you. s r dorg back sl a l-rer-osp and again you can see exactly what this open space is. We have a population of 94,000 people and we had

50:36

was it 589 people do the survey to this.

50:41

And if it's important to you where you want to see recreational facilities, open space, whatever it is, please go to that, fill out that website, uh you don't have to do it all, but do whatever is important to you and you can represent your neighborhood and your your community that way. And again, the more information we get in, the more that we can put on the plan. And this is

51:02

one of those things that uh would be part of that as well. So, so the different types of items that were on that, I mean, it can be anything from additional lighting in parks along walkways or bathroom facilities or different types of facilities, whether they be athletic or recreational, that it runs such a broad gamut. So, right now there is a draft of our goals of what the committee has come up with so

51:25

far. sort of now you have the opportunity to go in and say, "Yeah, I think that's good. No, I think that's foolish. That one I think has merit, but nobody thought of this, right? So, as much as we think we we've thought of everything." No, I'm sure that there were plenty of things that we missed.

51:39

Yeah. All righty. So, can I have a motion to grant? Just last question, just so I'm clear, the motion to approve is just this money's already been allocated in the past. We're just saying keep going. Neither of these is new projects. No, this is this is if if we don't if you say no then then then it dies on the we return it back and then it dies. Yeah.

52:01

I make a motion to approve it. The extension. I'll second that motion. Uh all in favor? I I um and for clarification to your extension, right?

52:10

That was the normal. Okay. To your Thanks. Thank you all for your time and thank you for your effort that you guys put forth on this board. It's uh it's much appreciated and I hope to I hope to see you much more in the future with some projects that are ready to go.

52:23

Cool. Appreciate it. Thank you. Come again. We'll buy you a new shovel so you be ready for All right. Next up is Matisoy at the fire station FY21. Charlie, where is the necessary fire station?

52:56

Incidentally I would like to take my hat off and say top of the evening to you. My name is Sir Charles and this is my pretty wife, Gloria.

53:07

We have the fire of state. You talk into the microphone, sir.

53:13

That would that would help. That would help. That would help an old man here.

53:17

Yeah, I'm one, too.

53:21

We acquired from the city in 1989 the Freedom Street Fire Station, which is over near the Globe Five Corners. This fire station is a brick.

53:38

We also bought a house on Rock Street that's made of brick. Brick is better is my theory. Ah, the Well, speaking of the brick, we had the masonry done, okay, on the west side.

53:55

Um, and it was finished and completed in 2023.

54:02

And because neither one of us have been feeling very well since we really need an extension because there's still funds left even though the project is completed and it has been for a while.

54:13

Okay. So this is the finished east. Say again. What size is this the remaining? Oh the west elevation. West elevation. Yeah towards the water. Correct. When I acquired the property, I had a mason and helper work for four months doing the other three elevations of the fire station, repointing the brick. And this one that we're after now never did get done.

54:46

Well, it's done now, though. Yeah, correct. But it didn't get done originally when we started.

54:52

Incidentally, for few of you people, this station is exactly the same fire station as the fire museum is on President A. If that kind of paints a picture in your mind a little bit better, it was built in 1884.

55:11

Okay. So, I'm 10 years off. No, it's okay. That's why you're up here, sweetie. Mhm. And every time I come to that, I get excited to this fire station. It's got round top windows, segmented arches. The the brick is really unique as it gets up to the roof line and so on. It was abandoned for 30 years. When you bought when we bought it from the city, you couldn't walk in some

55:45

of the floors because the pigeons had on it for years and it was just rotten.

55:53

So, we had an idea, my financial backer here, that we could put life back into this building. And we've owned it for 35 years, I guess. And we've got a real good start. This is just one little thing at the end now that we're It's not the end, but I mean, as far as the masonry goes that we're working on, it's an ongoing project still. What do you

56:16

Now, do you have a guy set up to finish the work? No. When do you think it's it's done?

56:23

That is done. Can you explain? Yes, I am. I'm going to explain. Sy's going to put it into cont. Oh, goody.

56:29

Cuz I think I know it. I'm going to go sit at the table. Okay.

56:36

I got two girls on my side, you know.

56:39

Okay. I met with Gloria to go over the project, particularly the funding. The project's done. Okay. They have all the invoices.

56:49

They just haven't submitted them due to personal reasons. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So, the 9250 for the architect has been paid. all that's remaining. It'll show on your sheet that they have 185 remaining, but they actually just have 8,000 worth of invoices that we need to reimburse them for. Okay, Gloria has the invoices. The member that has this project just needs to meet with them to make sure that it meets the standards

57:20

and they sign off on it so that I can get the invoices and just pay those. Um, so the project is actually done. Okay.

57:28

They just have not submitted the invoices yet. So the extension is just to pay the six month extension is good.

57:36

Six months we'll get it taken care of.

57:38

Yep. I'm I'm because Gloria has the invoices. So it's just a matter of one of you going to the fire station, signing off on it, giving me the invoices, and I can pay it. So a sixmonth um extension would be more than reasonable, I think. And then and then there'll be some money coming back to the CPC. Nope. No. because they've spent far more than 8,000 in masonry. Matter of fact, they they out of their own

58:02

pockets paid $10 to actually buy the machine for the mason to work on to to do it. So, yeah, the lift, right? That was Yeah. So, they actually paid for the lift themselves, which is beneficial to us because I can use it on other parts of the building other than just the brick, the windows and the wood and painting. There's not much wood there, but but little there is. It screams for

58:25

paint. Mhm. Okay. So, can I have a motion to extend? Wonderful. I just have a quick question just so that the the general public know a little bit about the project. Can you just tell us a little bit about this project? So, again, some of us are new here and so what was the the overall plan is just to restore a particular project. Is it for a use or is it what what's the it's

58:50

affordable and gold? You have you have three affordable apartments there. I've got four now. Four. I when I made application for the permit in ' 89 or 90 when we bought it, I applied for seven. Yeah, seven. We were approved for seven units. Yes. We only did four. And I went around and banged on doors with the neighbors. There was a doctor from Taton that wanted to buy it and was

59:19

offering much more money than I was. But the Cadillac that she came up in rubbed the pe the the buddy neighbors wrong.

59:28

And I'm just a little individual that took the time to come up and bang on their doors and try and paint a picture in their mind instead of leveling it like some people thought they should do and put another park.

59:41

A parking lot. Yeah, that's true. Yeah.

59:43

I just think it's important that the community understands you one, you preserved the historical building. you use these funds that are not they're basically um it's not money that you're getting uh asking for. It's already been approved and you've saved a building and you created apartments and I'm assuming that they were affordable. Uh was the original grant both historical or housing or just preservation? It was

1:00:09

just exterior exterior masonry work. I think there's been a couple phases.

1:00:14

Thank you. Yeah, I just think it's important that the community understands where this money goes. what it's going for and it it is a a positive uh attribute to the community. But with that, I yield. Thank you. Okay. So, can I have a motion to grant a six months?

1:00:30

I'll make a motion to grant a six-month extension.

1:00:34

Second. All in favor? I. Any oppose?

1:00:38

Okay. Thank you, everyone.

1:00:41

You happy to work with Yep. And just reach out to me when you're done and I'll come over and do the the visit.

1:00:47

We've got reservations at McDonald's, so we got to keep going.

1:00:52

Have a good night, everybody. Have a good night. All righty. Next up is uh CPC plan review.

1:01:01

Uh my main goal with this uh is to make sure we're we're set with the public as far as how we're looking to present our funding this year.

1:01:13

uh we will have the approval of the uh uh open space recreation for 10 years.

1:01:19

So, it's going to give us a little maybe we want to look more towards open space recreation, you know. Um but I want to spend an hour because we're end of the meeting at 8:00.

1:01:33

So, but I would like to get as much as we can done and uh the CPC plan is supposed to be done every year. I want to get the vital points updated this year for next month we can present it to the public. Uh so, we'll go over there.

1:01:52

We'll start attacking the the meat of it. So, Wish I'd known.

1:02:05

Yeah.

1:02:07

Sorry. I was just talking out loud. I didn't I didn't know this was coming.

1:02:11

You see what's that? I didn't know this was coming. Oh, well, here I got the not on the agenda. Oh, you got one. It's the same one, right? It's the same one.

1:02:22

Yeah, it's the 23 one, I think, though.

1:02:24

I don't know if it has the edits in it.

1:02:26

I could but in it on the agenda. Yeah, that's I looked it. Uh yeah, that's it's in there. Oh, no. It's just it's without my edits.

1:02:38

She can't edit. Oh, if you get to Jim or I wrote more notes in So far, Alex is the only one that's made any comments. CPC planning. So, if you want to have I got a copy of this in my big notebook. Not with my hand. Okay.

1:02:57

See, that's what I was groaning about. I didn't bring the notebook. I had possibly 45 minutes after I got to the city. You can use I'll return this at the end of the meeting. That's okay.

1:03:09

I'll wasn't able to return home. Okay. We got a slight break there. Uh they get their manual. So, are we I've seen this. Well, just letting the public know. I guess we all Yeah. And then we'll give you our ones.

1:03:35

Okay. I was making red marker notes. I have one extra red marker. Yeah. I'll put it on here as well.

1:03:49

I made an extra uh manual up to send up to Steuart. Is this the extra one? That's the extra one. I have highlighters if anyone wants That's my extra one. Yeah, I'm sending up to I have mine at home and I actually save that. Don't mark that one up. Yeah, I've already actually mark up mine then.

1:04:07

Okay. Cuz Sandy can take this one from here. It's just not going to have the right Yeah, just won't have the right edits like from the base. Okay. I I did submit uh uh edits to this um previously a while ago. So we have I don't know if you incorporated them. That's okay. I can rec send it the same thing.

1:04:32

Don't rewrite it again.

1:04:36

Are we waiting for just Chris to get there? Oh yeah. Restaurant. Did you need a highlighter to highlight where you want to meet?

1:04:48

I was going to say it's kind of probably good to bring them the manual to meetings in case we hit something that might Yeah. That way everyone will have a copy of it. As you know, we all volunteer here. We have jobs during the daytime and then we have kids events that we have to go to. And I know a reminder. Yeah. Sorry.

1:05:11

What I miss? Nothing yet.

1:05:17

Thanks. You need this one? I'm going to probably use this. All right. I have two more.

1:05:24

All righty.

1:05:28

You want to just go through it page by page? Probably page by page. Yeah. So, cover just 2025 FY27 funding year.

1:05:38

table of contents I think was good.

1:05:42

We're going to update the population.

1:05:50

Y how will you update um would you just use the census figures that the United States government provides? We're going to use a census.

1:06:03

This troubles me a little bit um because it's not accurate.

1:06:08

Wow. Um, when I hear a chief of police a chief of police tell me that there are 7,000 people not counted.

1:06:20

Yeah. Well, let's we're going to go by the US census and we'll say Well, but I'm saying we might say that. Yeah, we're going to say that. We might add another 7,000 people is what I'm saying.

1:06:31

I think we could probably only go off of like what we have for for like official surveys and and census taking. Like don't be speculatory.

1:06:42

There's a lot of talk about for example the the homeless people clearing estates and so forth. Um none of these people very few of these people are counted in in the census. I know that. I also know that it's not common for people who speak another language um to fill the paper out.

1:07:07

Yes. But that's not our but why but the but it is still part of our task to deal with that. That's why we're going to go with the census that the state provides us.

1:07:20

Well, that's what we'd use if we went for grant money. That's what the city would use. So, that's the figure we use.

1:07:27

I mean, if we're doing grant money, that is their requirement. Yes. Can I just It depends what we use it for. Can I just get a point of information? So, that version So, that page isn't in um this packet. Did you Did we Is this packet have all the pages or just pages with edits? Should have everything. Okay. Cuz that page is no longer in the new version. So, this discussion point is

1:07:48

move. There is no I don't think it has the population in the new version. First page. Oh, I don't have um either sides printed. Yeah, I'm missing half the piece.

1:07:59

I'm missing half. Okay, that makes sense. I was like, what are we looking at? So, James, okay. Or sorry, the the the original number was 87,13 and it was updated to uh 93,984. And that is actually um uh almost identical to what we did for the open space that we talked about. That number that's the current cont. Yeah, that's the current. So So what I would I don't disagree with what you're saying.

1:08:35

That's a bigger picture than what this committee has to to uh make a decision on. But at least our we at least modified this to the the bigger number.

1:08:46

something. I was hoping for a paren I put when I write something like that I put a parenthesis in that and quote chief oh god French names gone tonight but that's all right. Yeah. Um I think it's good with the updated census only thing we can quantify people officially but by the time we print it there's only going to be 20 more kids born. Yeah. Well, our population is growing. Our school school population in

1:09:16

the last 10 years is growing for the first time in a long time. Okay. All right. Let's go try another one. Just some grammar stuff on the next. Yeah. And then I guess I just update the letter from this year's letter that we posted. Well, honestly, this is kind of where I think you could say maybe like pre like preferences like we'd love to see like big affordable housing projects or

1:09:42

something like whatever whatever you're thinking of putting it would be a good place to just do it maybe in the letter.

1:09:48

Yeah. Noting maybe shovel ready. Take take preference. Okay. Yeah. Shovel ready. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We're trying to, you know, all righty. I I moving faster. I I will say working with the planning board as well um one thing that I keep on expressing to them and Dan's doing a great job of doing this is creating an opportunity to say we're shovel ready on either open space and recreation that way when

1:10:19

funding sources do come about and a lot of these funding sources above and beyond what we're we're we're actually introducing to or bringing to the plate.

1:10:28

Um, but those are the ones that are going to get funded. So, I don't do work in the city of Fall River. I do lots of other communities and the ones that are most successful are ready to say we've got a project. It's not just a a fictitious this is a pie in the sky dream that we'd like to do and here's something on the back of a napkin. It's

1:10:48

actually a a viable project where um as soon as they get the funding for it, they can start building it. They want to see results from this money and not just a bunch of studies and and you know hypothetical situations. They want to see their money built. Okay. And so I think what you were saying about shovel ready is a really important component to this. So yeah, I'll I'll change that.

1:11:13

We'll put shovel ready. Uh we'll also put in the 10-year uh open space recreation plan just being You could probably save that for the open space section. Yeah. Um I was thinking the other two things along like the idea of shovel ready that you could just tell everyone is um we're looking for you know uh projects that have matching or other funding sources and proof of pass investments is good too. Just kind of

1:11:39

like let them know what we're looking for more generally.

1:11:44

Okay. And I have that noted too, John.

1:11:47

Okay. and and I'm trying to go back on I've already did these uh um reviews and I apologize that if I didn't send them to you but the one thing that I was saying is if it's a public private type of venture uh you should always put in how much the private sector is putting into this project to see that okay if they're doing a $10 million project and they're asking for $20,000 or whatever

1:12:10

it might be and then kind of a itemized okay we not only did we get the private sector money to this, but we also have state funding, mass in motion. We have whatever it might be that all of the other grants and and money that's associated with it. It really it really puts that project on top of other ones that are just, you know, we just want money that's kind of free money. So that

1:12:35

that was that would be the thing that I would suggest u when we look at these and review these because I sit on other boards outside of the city and that's kind of what takes the president is where's the funding? Where are you at with it? How did you get other money from it? Okay, this is a great project.

1:12:52

Let's fund this one because we know it's going to get built. And then the other component to it is just the um the level of competency of the developer that you're speaking to or working with that they get this thing pro they get these projects built. So, okay. All righty. On to the next page then.

1:13:17

Update those numbers. I think for the new year, how like just confirm how many new comm uh communities join CPA in the past year, I think. Mhm. Yeah. And then I can Yeah, we could probably update the number 200 now. Yeah. I mean on the number that the city collects or it could be just more generalized. Yeah, we we'll do the updated figures and all that said like we'll have collected like say like generally collects

1:13:44

approximately like 1 million per year give or take like you know you could just generalize it more. I don't have that page to me.

1:13:51

Should we note any of the stuff that's carried over? Yeah. Um I wouldn't because then we'd have to change it specifically every year and we might not always know it when we're ratifying it.

1:14:02

Um, I'd prefer to kind of have those numbers, you know, during eligibility time and just like let people know or even put it in the eligibility application per year or something. It kind of keeps it segmented for the year.

1:14:16

I guess in that part we could put uh what 2014 2015 each year how much the city gave in the matching one and a half%. Because we have like 2014 approximately 900,000. We could just list the years. Yeah, but that's like 10 years old. So, what are you going to list 10 years? It's just for the public's, you know. Well, you could kind of just put a grid in if you can do it

1:14:41

that way. The year and then the number.

1:14:44

Well, I don't even think you need to like specifically say how much the city puts it. Like you could put the total over the last 13 years. We could do the total like over the last 13 years because it says I think in here that there's the search charge of 1.5%. So, that's like what it is every year and that number changes every year. So that's probably good.

1:15:02

Okay.

1:15:06

So you could make it general and say over the course of the last 13 years it's given out overount x amount or you could say just to keep it evergreen over the first 13 years it's generated you know and then you just keep it as is and update it whatever marker marker you want. Yeah. Y and then Sandy, they probably have a new map at with the added communities green

1:15:27

dawn if you want to just update the map if possible.

1:15:32

Yeah. Or the CPC coalition site. I think you usually Yeah, I think we just did our new site so it's probably I think you added the table which I think is good for that. Yeah. To have the table in the in the

1:15:56

plan. And then yeah, I think this is good besides just my little um kind of grammar stuff, grammar stuff.

1:16:04

And then here, this page just update the numbers right here.

1:16:21

You want to like just explain the page for the public? Maybe do that. Um, yeah.

1:16:26

What the I don't community preservation funds. Um, this is what you guys were, this page is what you guys were saying about kind of like the specific percentage and amount per year. We could just change it right here, per year.

1:16:45

Yeah, because at the end of that uh I guess we need to change the allocation remaining 65% of annual CPA revenue for example. Does that need to

1:17:08

that be updated with what we're going to put in so that they will come out? Yeah.

1:17:20

Yeah. Well, I mean that's almost a little like miss like we cannot spend at all. So like they don't have to allocate all the 65 remaining. You could probably just take that sentence out because we haven't been spending all of it ideally.

1:17:33

Yeah.

1:17:35

Yeah. Yeah.

1:17:39

We probably just redo that whole section. Yeah. Just put a big section if you want the whole thing.

1:17:45

Yeah. Just put a big X on there when I see it and I retype that whole section.

1:17:54

Yeah. Because it's going back to 2014.

1:17:56

So it's kind of section.

1:18:00

Yeah.

1:18:08

Okay. Uh then we have in there the governor Baker signs the FY20 budget for CPA increase.

1:18:17

Uh this is is that still relevant from 2020? You said that I was actually gonna I just had this thought. It would be a good part. I don't have this page so I can't make the note. Sorry. Um to add a paragraph saying that funding fluctuates year overyear and sometimes there may be additional funding but it's not always guaranteed because this was a year when we got extra like a little bit extra

1:18:38

money. So it was we could fund more projects. Um but it kind of creates a false perception amongst applicants that that is the amount available every year.

1:18:46

So this would be just a good image to accompany language to that. Hey, Alex.

1:18:52

I'm gonna bring I'm gonna give this back so you can I didn't realize I was pages.

1:18:56

Yeah, I kind of remember all the stuff I had put in here.

1:19:03

You write that in there. I will just type it in.

1:19:07

Yeah, I I did I did request um a breakdown of where the money is in which categories it was. That's what I had put in one of my comments.

1:19:19

If you think we can handle it a different way, I'm okay with that. But I think it's important to say, okay, they all get 10% of what it's supposed to be if they don't use it. But the reality of it is I'd like to see uh more people um the majority of what my understanding is it's been used mostly for historical um preservation where now housing might be coming up. And so maybe we try to show

1:19:44

that in um this is what we spent in 2023, 24, 25, 26 or whatever. You know, that way um we can kind of the general public when they go to look at this or try to do a project, they can see where um how much is available or what was spent. I don't know, maybe maybe like a history. And then I think we do have that. You could put that in each section

1:20:11

like like you need. So this this plan is for this year only. This is for this year. It's how you're going to fund FY27. That's what this plan is for this year. So when you get to the housing section, say in the past 11 years, we've spent this much on housing. This year, yeah, the committee goal would be to spend more on housing.

1:20:38

So you're in that section with that goal. Uh and then we can put how much the past 11 years has been spent on housing. And we can do the same for open space, recreation, and preservation in each one of those specific sections in there. Um because don't forget, every year I do the annual report and the final report and I sum up everything.

1:21:04

Okay? So the public and it's on our web page. The public has every single funding allocation that this committee has requested and the city's funded. So public has access to all this information if they choose to go to our web page and get it. But this plan is specifically for this upcoming funding year only. Yeah, that that plan that uh Sandy mentioned, we that's what we present to the city council when we

1:21:34

bring our allocation requests to them.

1:21:37

So this is kind of like looking ahead and that's kind of like looking back. So it has like those total number go through this same process. See that's why like this was put in after the plan was made. Mhm. Because this was not presented to the city council. This was put in as extra information. Mhm.

1:21:57

Because we did the plan in 2014. This the last time we presented to the city council. No. Never. No. So this plan's never been submitted. Yeah. So this is just added the first time we're gonna have a public hearing and they're going to have public input on our web page and it's going to go to the city council. This plan was done years ago. I updated it years ago. So this is old

1:22:29

other than what Alex's edits are. So this is almost like the first time he's doing it again. you know, so there may be a lot of information. I mean, I added a lot of stuff in this. You may not even want what I put in there. You may want to eliminate that in this plan. Um, so just to think this is your business plan for this year. So FY27, this is how this is our goal of

1:22:53

how we want to allocate the money. Yeah, that's what this plan is about. And then next year, who knows, maybe we'll get $2 million. And you may want to share or or CBC might change and allocate 20% to housing. So you may want to mimic what they're doing, change your mindset and say, "Okay, in FY28, you know, we're going to follow the state's lead and we're going to make a commitment to fund

1:23:19

most of our money into housing. So we'll put maybe 10% 10% into open space, 10% historic preservation and everything else into housing. So this is your business plan for each year. So look at this. So like I said, there may be a lot of you don't even want anymore. Just pull it out, put an X on it. I mean, if anything in this, I'd put FY26 and just leave it at that. The ones that I've

1:23:46

done in the past or been involved with, they they want they want to see the past year, what you did, what you plan on for this year, and what do you think your future projections are? And so that way um like for instance you there you you anticipate next year there's a huge push for housing or affordable housing or workforce. So that's but you you never know and this is the kind of ironic

1:24:09

thing. you don't know who's going to apply for this. But what it does do it I'm I've noticed in other cities that we work with is that all of a sudden okay we we're kind of concentrating in the next year 2028 we'll say hypothetically that housing is going to be a huge need and you'll get more responses for developers and and and such not to do a project of that na of that nature and

1:24:35

still knowing that you still have to allocate 10% to the other to the other uh kitties like the open space and the historical. And so, um, it it it's just kind of a past, current, and projected future, but it's all relevant on who applies for these applications. You may You're exactly right because by doing this and having your public hearing, now the public knows what your goals are in that. Yeah. So, you're

1:25:04

right. now they know what your goals are and now you're going to get that influx of applications for that particular segment category. Um, so that's why it's important to review, put this together and drive to the public, okay, this is what our goals are. So, okay, now come apply.

1:25:25

We're good. Thank you.

1:25:31

So, just update that with FY 26 with page 81.

1:25:39

Can we have page numbers? There's page numbers on there, I think. Yeah, there is.

1:25:47

I see them. Or I see we're on page We're on page nine now. My page numbers are wrong on this one because I'm missing half the pages.

1:25:57

Okay. I've been looking while you Yeah.

1:25:59

Okay. Yeah. Yeah. But that's good that they're there. That's helpful. Um, so for this page, I we just have to update that table with the current committee makeup. It still has like the older members in the vacancies. Just a couple grammar things. That's all I think I have for this one.

1:26:21

And we have to update the city councils.

1:26:26

Oh, yep. Yep.

1:26:28

203 leadership. Yeah. Just 2025.

1:26:33

And then I'll update it again after the election. Mhm. That'll be

1:26:47

our I think everything else is pretty good besides the little grammar stuff.

1:26:57

Yep. Next page is community preservation outreach for the public and everyone without a copy in front of them.

1:27:08

Um, regarding uh Sandy, this is kind of a city IT thing. I've noticed, and it's not just our committee, but it kind of bothers me how our um PDFs for our agendas, the links aren't clickable for the Zooms and stuff. So, the expectation is that anyone who wants to tune in, who doesn't get like the invite, who's invited to the meeting, they have to type in like the long long URL. Um, I

1:27:39

don't know if it's possible for city it to just start uploading like the PDFs that have clickable links rather than it's because they scan them rather than uploading the PDF is my thinking. So, and it would be for all other committees too. Um, but if they could fix it for us, then they could fix it for everyone else. And we've had a problem in the past with like the eligible applications again. It's just they they

1:28:04

they photocopy and upload rather than up putting the PDF. So if poss one of the biggest community uh outreach things I think we could do so people can like zoom in for public input when as needed if we do have like Zoom meetings. I know we don't do them as much anymore so maybe not so much. But was there any other stuff for community input? Um, is this all being deleted

1:28:29

because it's in red or no? I think that was the updated stuff. Okay. So, it's just being added like my question. Do you want this? Okay. Is that where the the timeline could go in as far as like when the eligibility applications go in?

1:28:43

Like is there should there be a note of that as community outreach? like if you're interested in FY27, the process starts. Well, I think that's later on in the uh Okay. I think it was, but maybe not. I have to double check. We'll have to see any comments.

1:29:02

Ju just to add to Alex's comment, too.

1:29:04

One thing I remember um putting it on on my comments were um linking basically between different voting. And so, for instance, the open space and recreation.

1:29:16

Well, ultimately some of those uh will could be impacted on what we're doing.

1:29:22

And so uh in order to try to get these surveys, it's the same thing. It's there's no easy way uh on the city of Fall Rivers website to go to a click and get to the voting component to it, but it is on Serpent who is running this whole process. Um and that's the Sou Regional Planning. And when you go into that, it brings you right to the survey.

1:29:45

So anything that we have on these applications, it's the same thing. It's you're right. I think it's just a scanned in. I don't know how it's not you just click it and you go to it. And that includes like emails and websites and everything else associated with it.

1:30:01

And and more most importantly, uh the voting component of it because we do need if you want something done, you need to to vote or put your two cents in and um direct us on where you want us to do the funding. Um, Sandy, this would be a good place to add uh the committee's email for if you wanted to submit like just general public input. We could have like like a brokeout box maybe that's

1:30:26

accentuated. And um I don't think I saw Yeah. So, this would be a good spot to say schedule. Can I offer maybe another suggestion, Alex? Can we is it possible where it says here community preservation outreach or excuse me community yeah community preservation outreach um I don't know if I don't know if it's worth having like a subsection where where process and timelines are specifically called

1:30:51

out to BJ's point because it's not it's not readily noticeable. So not put it in community outreach just make a whole new section. You could do it that way or just have like a very specific like bold section within this section that states that exact se that states that exact Yeah. If you're not well versed in this stuff, I think when you and and when you say FY27, we're in, you know, May of

1:31:14

2025, it's like, wait a minute. But no, you need to submit that now. Yeah. So for 2027, somewhere way at the beginning, there's like a disclaimer of the term of FY27 just because there are different fiscal years too for like where they start. So just clarifying the city's fiscal year, that would be a good thing to add. And then I think um what you're saying is part like I I wouldn't

1:31:39

I can see what two ways. Yeah, I could see it being like a box here like this is this year's schedule like if you want to attend or submit input or anything like this is the dates. It could be here or it could be a broken out uh section.

1:31:52

I almost think it would be better maybe here unless we want to call out the schedule just as the schedule and not like in terms of public outreach. Um it could have its own like head. Yeah, they should probably be its own. We go to community neighborhood to tell about or you know we have our web page which is outreach um go on the radio outreach outach.

1:32:19

Yeah, you you could even Yeah, you could even call it CPC funding process and timelines as its own category and put it in the index so it's very clear on where to find it. Put a separate page. Yeah, cuz the the schedule is in there the FY27 CPC. It's not a part of the it's in your binder on a separate separate tab.

1:32:40

But you could essentially take that page and just put it give it its own header and put it within the manual so that I would put the section probably right before outreach.

1:32:51

Like it's either it's either right after the letter for John so it doesn't get lost u from John. Um but then it's kind of ahead explaining what the CPA is. So it could go either there or there I Yeah, it would it would be you want it after the letter or just before outreach? Well, it's almost like showing something that people might not know what it is. So, I'm kind of leaning

1:33:14

towards in front of community outreach because it explains everything about CPA and then, you know, if you're interested and got that far, there's your information for how to move next. It's in line of like their thinking. I think that makes sense. So, I would put it here. And I think having that whole timeline that you know it's there in the funding dates September 2nd the eligibility applications and just yeah

1:33:36

that would be a good place for the disclaimer too just on the schedule FY27 is the city's fiscal year running from blah blah blah.

1:33:47

Okay that's good.

1:33:54

Page 12 preservation plan purpose. We're still on page 11. Yeah. 11's this one.

1:34:05

No, you have a sorry. No worries. I'm just not going to go I'll go by with you. So, city of Florida community preservation plan purpose. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. And it might be not 11 on his. That's the problem.

1:34:22

Um, so I think this is pretty good. Um, this would probably be a good place to say what our preferences are. Maybe like purpose for the year kind of thing.

1:34:33

Unless you want to put it in goals. Okay. Yeah. I don't know. I mean, I almost think you could consolidate those two together. Purpose and goals. Keep them separate. You think keep them separate? Yeah. One's like a mission statement, is like your objectives. Yeah. So a I was thinking after per um I was trying to find where to put summarizing the past year and I was thinking maybe after purpose and

1:34:55

before goals because it shows what was done and then kind of looks to what we want to do.

1:35:03

Okay. Now we have uh the page 14 we have city of Paul River process. Oh process not preface.

1:35:16

Okay. could be where the schedule lives.

1:35:19

I won't write. Alice, can you folder right there? The binder. I'm not going to write it. He's not going to read this. I just I'm sorry.

1:35:28

My No, my eyesight. I can't see that.

1:35:31

Did anyone have thoughts about putting a section summarizing the past year anywhere specific after purpose before goals or somewhere else? I think it makes sense to put it there. Purpose and goals. Mhm. Okay.

1:35:45

Yeah. I I'm going to say like new sections like new page or whatever. U this section this you I think we're talking about I'm having trouble mainly seeing the print but um the u this goal section that this there's a small section there that begins with fall river has a long history and it ends in every project that that could be a little more d that could be a little more

1:36:16

dynamic put me a little bit of I'm getting sleepy just talking about it.

1:36:22

But uh something like uh green space uh rail trails who hoo something like that with not necessarily a lot of words.

1:36:44

Okay. realize you need some words but but not and please no passive try to use active verbs that's just a a plea instead of saying fall river has it has been decided that fall river will you know that okay yeah it looks like yeah I mean you should hear my daughter she's an editor here. But uh uh this is I would like to look I will look at the whole thing for for rewrite for pros

1:37:25

and I can do that and I might send her might send her a couple pages of copy but I'm not talking about substance here with the population thing. I was talking substance but this is this is uh Chris made a good point. This is a section where where we could all contribute particular things that we think are important. Mhm. And people could see them want to make it. Yeah. I was just going

1:37:56

to make a general point. We might want to increase the font size higher just generally throughout the document because even online it'd be kind of hard for some people to see. You know when spacing permits I would think is a good idea. just like if it's at 11, maybe bring it to 12 or even 14. 12 is usually kind of what standard standard proposals that he just noticed because there's one

1:38:19

line that's a different font than the other in this paragraph. I can change like a Times New Calerial I think. I almost wonder if it's a formatting thing in the way it was printed because if you look at where the number is on the bottom of the page, it's not on the like the margins are not well this is printed like comments version. So the page is shrunk shrunk on

1:38:43

so it is smaller but just generally for like people who are like hard of sight.

1:38:50

Yeah. Yeah. Just something easy to read.

1:38:52

it's easier and and then so and then to Jim's point, this is I think the page we want to put like our goals for the year.

1:39:00

So to make it to make it more dynamic, this is where we can say we're looking to see, you know, larger housing projects, more open space. Like this could be where we add a little bit more of the dynamic language.

1:39:13

So I guess we should all just kind of agree what our goals are um for the year. So just run down the line or ask everyone. Well, what would uh how I see next year since we're going to have uh the open recreation plan, I always like outdoor space parks. We had a number of parks that are in like Abbott Park. You could probably name the parks that there's got to be three or

1:39:38

four that are really in need of CPC money. Um, housing would be a good one to go after, but to put it out there to the public that we're looking for some meat, you know, like at least 10 to 12 units, all affordable housing.

1:39:57

Well, I wouldn't even limit to So, I mean, if you like kind of do research on some of the other like CPC housing projects throughout the state, some have gone to like massive scales where they use I can't even remember the specific example I was using last year. um what town it was, but they use CPC as like a portion of matching funds to like do I think like it was like over a hundred,

1:40:19

you know, of units and a lot of them were affordable. Um, so I think kind of not restricting it to number of units and like saying like the bigger housing project the better, you know, leaving it open like that because something I like when we did when I did the edits like last year and we wanted to focus on housing like you know it's one thing to say we want to focus on housing but we

1:40:40

can't control who applies you know so um we can only kind of be I think we should only be a little bit more general like we we want to spend like 25% of our funds on housing like okay does that mean if we don't get enough housing projects, you want to put the rest in reserve and unfund potentially other project like you know not fund not unfund not fun other projects but like

1:40:59

you know we wouldn't want to like kind of put oursel into a corner like that I would just keep it broad and say we're trying to like maximize the housing funds to make you know the biggest housing projects with the most affordable units just keep it like that.

1:41:12

Okay, sounds good. Um and then for open space I think we do as a city pretty good at funding the open space. some they just don't always pan out like we got the two withdrawn at the last meeting that were really big parcels. So um and they do pretty well with like matching funds. So we can just say like FAR has done a really good job at using CPA funds to acquire open space and add

1:41:35

more protections and we want to build off of that. You know, we could say something like that. Um and then if there's any other goals, I know that's the only two I've kind of heard throughout the year, but yeah, I I I I agree. I I think that the the most difficult component of this is trying to predict what's going to come up and a lot of it has to do not only with local

1:41:56

state but federal legislation like again Dan will we'll mention after co we had all this extra money and we were able to do projects that we typically wouldn't do even as my own firm doing this type of stuff. So, it it's one of those scenarios where I think it's so important that if the individual has gone above and beyond to secure other funds, either both privately or through other federal or state grants, those

1:42:22

really should again, it shows the the best opportunity for success. And if we're going to give to that, we we have, you know, a feather in our cap as a city and as a board that these projects are getting done. And it's not, you know, we can't predict. I I I don't disagree with you. I think there's going to be a huge housing crisis, especially for affordable, but you also have to have

1:42:45

that caveat where are we going to get the other funds for some of this stuff.

1:42:49

And if we're going to support if we if we found one project that was just housing and we put 80% of the funds to it because it was a good project and it doesn't come to fruition, what about all the other projects? So I I think you know the biggest thing that I look at as a caveat to this is that okay where's the skin in the game? Did you did as the

1:43:10

person who's putting this application together? Do they have their own private funds into this? Do they have state funds into this? They have federal funds have they gone through their resources and those are the ones that should kind of float to the top. Oh yeah, that's a good project. I mean, by putting those in like our goals, it'll show the people out there that we are willing to sit down with.

1:43:32

I'm not saying somebody who comes in and doesn't have Mhm. plans, no banking, no nothing. Yeah. And they're coming to get qualified. You're you're you're not even going to be qualified. If you wanted to be very technical about that approach, you could use like the old smart goals adage and like if you're going to put those in, you could say like to BJ's point earlier, shovel ready projects for

1:43:54

you know, housing that meet these criteria. Like those are the ones that rise to the surface. That's the goal that we're trying to achieve to fund projects who are serious. Yeah. You know, and and I and I I think those are excellent uh points. The other component to this as well and and I remember Rick, you had mentioned something about that little um it's brothers park. It's the historical sign that you had a group

1:44:18

that wanted to do something with that.

1:44:20

And so this is not just for big projects. There are other groups or some we have some phenomenal um yeah neighborhood groups that they might have a small project where they just want to do the landscaping front of that sign or that little park. You know, I'd love for those individuals to apply for this and and do that because then there's a sense of ownership to these and and you know,

1:44:45

the the big thing is like what Dan was mentioning before, you got something, you build it and nobody maintains it and you expect the city to do it or you or DCR. Well, if if you've got a group that's adamant about doing this uh and they want to do this, then they should be able to apply for it and and that's part of that whole process. you want to

1:45:05

go and put a a planting bed in front of the sign, great. We encourage that.

1:45:10

That's that's a community that wants to do that. And so it might be a small project like that, but then little I I don't I just don't I I would hate to see it if that's just based on it's the biggest project because there are some small projects in here that might be advantageous and again start to get the community more involved in going for these applications. It's really not. I

1:45:33

mean, it's a process. You need to you need to do this and do it correctly.

1:45:38

But, um, when you can see results like that and things that the community can see, I think it's great. I really do. I could add to that with just a quick example with planting trees.

1:45:52

The people don't know this, but the the the I've got a Maryanne u had no money, wanted to plant trees. I discovered that there was a congregational church fund for churches planting trees. Oh, Maryanne, what would you like to plant? So, St. Luke's I wrote a grant and I think we needed to only needed to do it two or three or four year. Abbott Court is one of the places

1:46:30

that the trees went. They also went at the Veterans Memorial at Dery High School. Mhm. And I can't I'm trying to remember where but subsequently the tree planters simply expanded and became much more active. And I don't know, I think they're not as active right now as volunteers, but uh Tori took it over and um but that's just an example of what you were talking about. And it was not a

1:47:03

lot of money. It's a couple thousand dollars.

1:47:06

Silven gave us a wonderful price. I think we could easily address that by like first line saying, you know, we're looking for projects that preserve community both big and small. Like, you know, something easy to small.

1:47:20

smaller projects too coming in the outreach part when you saying like cuz when I went to the uh the lighting ceremony uh now we lights the ball game was actually great the lights look great uh and they were saying well you know we want to do this I said that's perfect project it doesn't have to be big I said you only need 40,000 for new bleachers and it's going to make you a

1:47:45

state-of-the-art uh ballpark put that Yeah. I said we like the smaller ones too. You don't always have to be a big project in a park. I mean or anything.

1:47:55

Yeah. You know, so and like before my time there were like I think more smaller grant applications as well.

1:48:02

There's a lot more neighborhood groups I think before like other people started catching on about CPA. Um they might have been discouraged you know at one point along because of you know available funds and stuff but like that doesn't mean we can't reiterate. this for the one we had tonight, the fire station is example of that. That's a p that was a private project. I'm sure they and those are always good because

1:48:23

they get done. Yeah. Right. You're not if you're asking for $40,000 for bleaches, you're not asking for an extension. They've been trying they've been working on it for like years now, you know. Um, so I think um, going back to what I said with John's letter, this would actually be probably the better place to put the goals about um, what do we say about uh, maximizing I mean sorry getting shovel ready projects are

1:48:45

desired, adding matching funds and other sources and pass investment proof. This is probably a good place like that's our goals with all all um, applications.

1:48:54

Um, I think that's all my notes now.

1:48:58

So yeah, any other goals that are not like housing or open space? That was what I was most curious about. Anything it can be general, I think, or more specific. We almost have to be careful in how we address some of this so that we don't get so specific. Well, that's and that's I'm I'm hearing now what we got to in my opinion. We got to be a little careful otherwise it's it's going

1:49:25

to get so confusing. I like the idea for instance shovel ready. Yes. Uh and and wanting to know how much skin is in the game. Have they put in past money? Have they got present money? Is it private money? If the private money is there, you know, okay, where's it coming from?

1:49:45

Is it funded grants? Whatever. I think all of those are great to put in there. When we start highlighting some of these other combo, we're tightening it up. You know, we're tightening that screw up just a little bit too tight. It doesn't allow the individual that wants to redo a fountain. We're not we're not taking that away from saying we won't fund it.

1:50:11

What part makes you feel that way?

1:50:13

Pardon? What part makes you feel that way? ju just a conversation about what would we just seem to be putting some a lot of restraints on this and restraints here and it it I I sit back and I listen I said I I don't know we we want to make it tight we don't want it loose guaranteed but we could put those provisions and and let let the individual that wants to fund a a little

1:50:39

green at the at that intersection you know where where they're looking for two or $3,000. They don't have it. You know, we might scare them off if if we're That's a very good point. I I'll give you an example. So, what we had done uh in one of the cities we work with, there's a threshold. It it like literally the application is much easier if it's under like I think it was $2,500

1:51:06

or less, $5,000 or less. So, if it was a group that came in and they don't really have any money and they needed $1,000 to go mulch and weed and put in flowers into this, that was an easier process to this. I wouldn't I wouldn't expect them to do a match for $1,000. If this is like for instance the Fall River Garden Club, you know, if you wanted some money

1:51:31

to go, you know, beautify the Charl, you know, uh the the Highland Avenue near uh uh Charlton uh Memorial Hospital, like that should be available for them to come and do that. And so I don't disagree with what you're saying. What what I did see is when these projects starting getting into like a hundred thousand a million and it's a big project, you you're saying, "Well, wait a minute. We haven't even vetted these

1:51:58

people to see if they have the money for it. Are we going to put our our necks on the chopping block and and grant him a quarter of a million dollars hypothetically on a project and you don't even have your finances in place or you don't have and so I agree with what you I I agree with what you're saying but maybe that's like kind of a category if it's under a certain amount

1:52:19

it's a different process and I again it complicates it but like I know um like the city of Everett they have that neighborhood park projects and it's just like these neighborhood groups and we have them here like the Flint and whatever it might be. Um, somebody would want to do that and they can apply for this application and and it's kind of an easier process application to it. But I

1:52:43

I agree with what you're saying and maybe a statement to that effect. Well, I think what the goal is is we're looking to do a major, you know, we're setting our goals to do something big in the parks or open recreation. So, we're inviting anybody to put in applications because that's what we're kind of looking for this year. Smaller ones, they're great. We're always going to have smaller ones because we always keep

1:53:12

the small ones in mind.

1:53:15

Small and large, but also sort of sort of put that in small.

1:53:19

That's like the first line I said.

1:53:23

So, I I don't really view our application as hard right now, so I wouldn't really want to simplify it. I mean, if they don't have like, you know, matching fun stuff, it's simply like a not available sort of thing. Um, in terms of like scaring people away, I like I I don't really see this as like it shouldn't scare people away. If if you think like that they need to have

1:53:41

some like when I say proof of investment, if you think they need to have like invest like it doesn't have to be financial investment, you know, it could be like a volunteer commitment like we've cleaned this for x amount of years already like that that's proof of investment, you know, in my opinion.

1:53:53

Yeah. So, like if we want to be a little bit more clear like that, but I I think we could word this in a way where it's like the ZPC views strong applications as one that, you know, include this, this, and this rather than saying like we're only looking for this. You know, it's more like, like I said, keeping it general. Um, so yeah, I agree on that, too. It's a working document. I mean,

1:54:18

what's in here isn't set in stone. It's it's what you'd like to do.

1:54:23

What are you going to have to do?

1:54:26

You may not get a big project next year.

1:54:31

No, it's a working document. Just put a disclaimer on this plan.

1:54:39

So, you can put that in the letter or small, you know, this is what our preference is. This is what our goal would be, but it doesn't dis dislain you from applying.

1:54:51

You can still apply, you know, um it doesn't mean we're not going to accept your application. We've approved 5,000 grant. We've did a 3,000. I mean, so we've had the little guys come in where that's nice to have because you have side. We're at 308 just for your self-imposed deadline. Okay.

1:55:11

Uh well because I did one our meetings running.

1:55:17

You made a lot of notes. If you all want to take a look at that and go through it and make your notes on all your sections, give it to me um by June 6th.

1:55:29

I will type it up. I'll type up all your changes, all your comments, all your edits. Then I'll email you all a rough draft of it. Okay. I'll try to do some rewrites for the next meeting so that you'll have that. So, we just keep going. Just keep going because I think we did probably want to talk about I know Jim wanted to work on some of the sections. Yeah, I'll work on some of the

1:55:51

rewrites but my deadline for all of you.

1:55:54

Some of the writing by the way is very good. Thank you. I don't know who's done it. I think you did but I don't know.

1:56:01

Maybe John did. Maybe I did not.

1:56:03

Probably Sandy. Yeah. Uh, but this is your deadline to get me and I'll email and let that go through it and I'll type it all up for you to shortly after.

1:56:21

Sound good to everybody? Y sounds good.

1:56:24

Okay. I love the section on the wild stuff and the ponds and all that. Okay.

1:56:30

I mean, I think information is great to share.

1:56:34

All right. So, can I have a motion to adjurnn?

1:56:38

Sure. Second. Move. Move to adjurnn.

1:56:41

Wait, hold on. New business. Oh, any new business?

1:56:46

No. Okay. We need to do new business before we adjourn. We just need to go through new business first. Yeah. Any new business? Nope. Okay. Uh, can I have a motion to adjurnn? Sure. I made it.

1:57:00

Okay. Second. Second. Second. All in favor? Made it. I seconded it. PJ EJ I go. Motion pass. Okay. Thank you.