on public safety July 30th 2026 at 200 p.m. Clerk call the role. >> Here >> pursuant to the open meeting law, any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium. Attendees are therefore advised that
such recordings or transmissions are being made whether perceived or unpersceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible. Number one on the agenda, citizens input. We have Michael Orian, 1198
Meridian Street, subject 1710 GIS study. >> Good afternoon, Mr. Orian. How you doing? Back again. So, uh, we've had some discussions, uh, in the past about the, uh, staffing, minimum
staffing. And so, we had a fire on Hick Street the other day. Uh, and I think this one of the perfect examples of of what a 1710 standard does. Even though the city has not kept up with their agreement on on boosting up our manpower, there hasn't been any movement
towards uh completing that agreement. We this the extra manpower we did have did make an appreciable difference uh in that fire where we stopped that fire where normally I would say two three four years ago it would have been
probably a different outcome. Now we did our our own GIS study. Now the GIS study takes into account the hazards, the population, the square miles and whether or not the city is safe. And so the city of Fall
River had a study and they spent uh around probably $75,000. Uh the union we had the study and it cost us nothing. Um and the outcome of those studies shows and I I I believe that the city the city study actually was more favorable for
the fire department than than our union study saying that we are not safe. There are significant gaps in the city where there's no coverage whatsoever. And I know we talk about New Bedford and
how New Bedford's mayor's gutting them and and creating some serious public safety issues. We're on the cusp of doing that again and know we're talking about budgets and stuff, but like I said, public safety should not be a line item. It should be funded first, not
last. And these studies show that. And I'll have the both this year. We're doing a comp a comparable study on both of those and the differences between them and and where we need that work. So that's in the progress now and you guys are all going to get that the next uh next meeting I hope. But it it shows
that we do need to replace those pumps that we lost and we do need to add a ladder truck. If we're developing the entire waterfront, the numbers were was 5,800 people within an eighth of a mile area and it's already a ma it's a nightmare. We don't have the ability
with manpower or or trucks to respond to anything like that. And I and I I made the point that several about a month ago, we were down to one actual functioning ladder truck in this in this city. And if Gabriel House had happened during that time period, it would have
been far different. We have pumps that break down on a regular. If they would have broken down the fire like sometimes they do, the outcome of that wouldn't have been 10. it would have been double or triple that. And so here I am again to say that we do need to prioritize
this stuff and we need we need to get reliable trucks and we do need to get that manpower so we can fill in those gaps because there is no tomorrow for some people for someone that dies at a fire. There is no tomorrow or they lose all of their belongings. We have to be
there when when we're called and and all the manpower in the world doesn't matter if we don't have trucks to drive in. We've been underfunded, understaffed, and overwhelmed for a long time. And I think that this latest incident has shown just how bad it could get. And it could have got worse. And it can get worse.
>> 40 seconds left. >> I'm good. Any questions? >> Actually, I do. Thank you, Mr. Orian. Um, do you know how many spare pieces we have as frontline pieces right now? Operating as frontline pieces. >> We may be using both of them right now.
Yeah, we got engine 11 and engine five and 26 might be in use. I know engine five is at the globe and that's got a blown engine. So, we're just using that until it fails. >> Thank you. Okay. And describe the gaps
in coverage. When you say gaps, what what do you mean by gaps and coverage? So if you look at the south end uh the south end of the city uh it's how many pieces of apparatus can be on scene uh within 5 minutes and because you have one truck in the globe and everybody
else is up on Plymouth Avenue and then the next station after that is either the Flint or the center that gap that's there down toward the bottom of New Hall Street where we do get fires and we we just had a drowning down there. those areas where those apparatus and those that manpower can get there within five
minutes. It it doesn't fall. It it it doesn't pass. And you got places out in the reservation, you got places in the north end as well. >> I'm dealing with a place in Tividan. So that would be >> and we've had fires out there before. >> All right. And lastly, you had brought up the Route 79
development and the increase in population there. I have had discussions with the mayor's office um about a developerbuilt fire station. I don't know where that sits now that the state I guess announced that they're solely in
control of the project. That's another conversation I'm going to have to have with the mayor. Um but I would I don't know if there's entertainment from or appetite from my fellow counselors. maybe send a letter from the public safety committee to the mayor's office just to keep that we'll put it in
writing and make sure that we entertain it now >> motion for that council. >> I I I actually have one if if you don't mind. >> Oh, absolutely. Yeah, then we can wait. That's fine. I'll wait to uh to acknowledge you. Um which I'll do now. I appreciate you, Mr. Orian. Go ahead, council.
>> Um so I would like an update on the current status of apparatus. I know one I saw I think it was online yesterday or the day before that the new one is all pretty and ready to get shipped here if is that's correct >> that latter night I believe it's still a month or two out.
>> Okay. So um what I would like to know is what the status is on current ordering of of apparatus and and what the game plan is. I know the capital improvement plan was put out but I would like to get a status update on what that is. Um, so I I think I'll make a motion at this point to send a letter to the
administration, the fire chief for an update on apparatus ordering and status, where they're at. And then secondly, um, any plans on, um, fire any sort of fire protection when it comes to the development of Route 79 and what that
status is as well. I'll make that in the form of a motion. >> Second. >> I'll second that. I I know we we just had uh the training division uh went over there, went to Totten uh cuz Taton just built a new public safety complex uh for the replacement of the Stanley Street
station which isund however many years old. U he did that feasibility study and it the chief may want to see what the feasibility is to do one on 79. It's it's it's sorely needed. We can't get down there now. Um, if we have a call, we have to go down uh
anywhere on Dev Wall Street, especially at certain times of the day, it's impossible. It's a two-lane road. If you're going to put that many houses, uh, housing, shops, and whatnot, it's it's it's a disaster waiting to happen. >> I agree. It's been at the forefront of a
lot of my questions that I've had with the administration was the 79 and the fire protection. And if I might add, uh, as far as the trucks go, I I believe the estimation on ladder trucks right now is 1,600 days, and that's from the time you order it to the time it comes in.
>> Uh, the new Ladder 4 has been plagued with delay, delay, delay, delay, delay. >> Uh, but even if you ordered every truck, two trucks every two years, by the time you get to the last truck in the fleet, the trucks at the beginning of the fleet are already starting to age out. So, it
has to be we can't buy them in bulk like we did last time because they all age out at the same time. And and these trucks that we got are horrible. I mean, I I've said it before that we we're the kings of uh low price landing, you know? I mean, we just low bitter everything. And if you buy quality trucks, you pay a
quality price, but you get something that that works. >> Yeah. I I think I think my point is too is that we want to make sure there's a plan going forward that every year, you know, we're looking 10 years out. We're making sure that we know what trucks are aging out, what we need to order, or not kind of knee-jerking reaction to what we
need to get taken care of in a long-term sense. So, >> right, in in the interim, we do need reliable spare trucks. >> Um, we we have engine 26 that is it probably shouldn't be on the road. Um, I just had to address expired suspension stick stickers with it. And there are a
lot of safety concerns like the seats don't lock. So when you're driving your se seat slides back and forth, which if if uh you know, the city had its way, um you know, I mean, we would be on donkeys for God's sakes. It's they're they're unsafe vehicles, but we do what we have to do with what we got. But it doesn't
mean that something's not going to happen. A firefighter get hurt or killed because of these vehicles. They have standards and NFA standards for a reason for for truck safety. These trucks are not safe. even some of the new ones. Uh we need reliable spares so those trucks
can get into the to the shops and be fixed. And that means we have to have funding. And that means that it has to has to be more of a uh I would say a priority put on the fire apparatus as opposed to ambulances because it seems our shop is filled with ambulances 24/7 and the fire trucks don't even get
routine maintenance inspections. I mean, most of these trucks were out of compliance and voided the warranties within the first 6 months, 3 months, one month because we didn't do what we were supposed to do with those vehicles. So now you can't go back and complain about the trucks breaking down because we
didn't take care of them properly. So there needs to be a systematic change from the city with the funding in the shops in order to get these vehicles to where they should be. We wouldn't tolerate a police car, you know, with with three tires and and one light, but yet we'll tolerate a fire truck with no
sirens and and and ladders that don't work. I I I'm I'm at a loss for why that's acceptable. >> Uh Mr. Chair, if we could as well, could we add to that letter just an update on the turnover gear as well? >> Yes, sir. >> Because that that was also a conversation we had some months ago and
I know there were some processes going on, but I'd like an update on that as well. >> Yeah, I appreciate you guys' support on that too as well. Yeah, of course. >> Motion made. >> Yeah, a motion. So made and seconded by councelor Canuel. So it's to send the administration a letter as to a current update status on our apparatus.
Um as ordering >> ordering and current status of what's been ordered and what the plan is going forward. An update on um study of Route 79 and and how the fire department plays a role in that. As well as an update on the current ordering of turnover gear and where that stands as of right now.
>> All right. Thank you. Did you get that clear? Um, one other thing if we could add to that as well, um, is just some type of I would like to see some type of communication between the administration and the state, um, showing that there was dialogue opened, um, as far as
putting a fire station on this piece of property. Um, it is a very pertinent situation. We can't load that area with more residents and have keep the same trucks, especially after what we're hearing today. um and have the same response. It doesn't make sense. So, if we can add
that as well, I'd appreciate it. So, with you guys >> second on that as well. Thank you. I appreciate that, >> Mr. Orian. Thank you. >> Thank you, sir. >> Thank you. >> All in favor of that letter? >> I No. >> Number two on the agenda, minutes from
June 16th, 206. Motion to approve has been made and seconded. All those in favor? No. Nays. >> Is there a motion to lift item three from the table? >> Motion to lift item three from the table. Second. >> Item three, resolution convene with representatives from the MBTA, the city of Fall River, and other interested
parties to discuss safety and noise concerns around the commuter rail. This was tabled on 47 of 26. All interested parties. Mayor's office. Mr. Chair, do we have a a representative from the MBTA? Um,
>> I did receive email correspondence from them stating that they had nothing that was of new um importance from the last time they had come down. So, they were not coming to this meeting. >> Fair enough. Thank you, sir. I yield. >> Thank you,
>> M. O'Neal. How are you? >> Good. How are you? >> Doing well, thank you. So, I know we have entertained this and we have received emails recently, complaints once again about the trains in the North Main Street area. Um, one of the specific emails was it pertained
to idling times roughly 4:30, 5:00 in the morning, they sit there, which I completely understand. Have you heard anything back in the mayor's office regarding a plan? I know they had one in place for noise mitigation. Have we had any current updates to that? I mean, I
know the last email that we received with a complaint, it was from a resident who had received multiple notifications that they qualified for the hazard mitigation program, but didn't take advantage of it. So, the state was going to work with them in that regard to see
that they could try to assist them. Um, when we receive complaints regarding the MBTA, I mean, we send them to the state representative in that district in addition to the individuals from Kiololis and from uh to Gene Fox. They've always been very responsive to
us um to to handle the concerns that neighbors have. So, we work with them to try to resolve everything that we can uh that neighbors bring forward to us. >> Okay. >> Thank you, Councelor Daniel. >> Thank you. In the last week, I've had a resident reach out about a horrible
sewer smell uh up near the Weaver's Cove uh layover station of the North Main. Really that he said it was the whole steep brook uh area of North Main. And so um I don't know if it's related. Uh he he did wanted me to connect with
potentially KAS or whoever. Um he thinks it's related to the train somehow. Um, so I did want to bring that up as well. Um, to be potentially >> sent to the mayor's office as well or just >> uh, this one was an online one, so it hasn't been sent yet. I just connected with him, I think over the weekend and I
said bring it to this meeting. >> I mean, I would refer that to Mr. Furland as well so that he could check have his maintenance crew check in that area to see if there were any issues. Um, I know that there was a water main break in that area. Um, I don't know. I'll have to defer to Paul if it went
down that far. I know it was up in the area of the Rotary on North Main Street. I don't believe that it went down as far. Um but I mean if there's an issue, yeah, we'll absolutely look into it. >> Okay. So, I will uh get that sent over and uh let you guys pursue.
>> Absolutely. >> You all set? >> Yes. Thank you. Um the one thing the question I have is and I've noticed with a lot some of the issues in the city it's about the advertising or marketing to the neighbors and I understand that they were sent letters or emails um
regarding this program. >> Is there any way to reach out to the MBTA representative and see if we could have a sit down once again to explain the program what they offer and how there to contact. I mean, I'm I
certainly can check with Jean Fox, but I know a lot of those things had a time frame to them um where people had the opportunity to take advantage of it. Um I don't know if those things are still available. Um I wasn't aware that there wouldn't be somebody from the MBTA here
today to be able to answer the questions, but we can look and see. For some reason, I believe there was a deadline in which people could apply and that there would be exceptions. I mean, of course, if someone never got the, you know, the notifications and things, >> okay, cuz I I can tell you, not
pertaining to this situation, but another constituent complaint was the gentleman was emailing me, but email was new to him. It was an elderly gentleman in his early 80s. So my concern is the people down there that may fit into that
category as well where they're not really email friendly or social media friendly. >> How can we go there and let them know that this exists so they don't have to suffer through this, you know, the noise and the early morning wakeups and whatnot. >> I'd appreciate that. Anything further on
the topic? >> I got nothing. >> Thank you very much. >> Want to do a motion tables? Yeah, I was just thinking that uh motion to table for further discussion. >> Second. >> First and seconded. All those in favor. I no maze. Item number four, resolution
convene to address long-standing flooding issues at Stafford Plaza, Pleasant Street and Quarry. This was adopted on July 14th of 26. All interested parties. Mr. Furlin. Good afternoon.
>> Good afternoon. Thank you. How's it going, councilors? Uh, Paul Furlin, administrator of community utilities for the city of Fall River. >> Thank you. >> So, it's been a little while. >> Actually, I'm just going to have >> Kevin Jacob, project manager, community utilities. >> Thank you, Kevin. >> So, I just want to I did a PowerPoint
presentation for you guys just to kind of update you. Uh, it's been a while since I've been in in front of council talking about this, but we'll start off. We'll run through a little history of the square, uh, history of what we've been doing. uh and then what the plan is moving
forward. So next slide. So again just we'll go through an introduction existing conditions affected population the recommended improvements the cost estimates to date funding and implementation plan.
So as you can see uh from the picture there to the left square has been flooding for a long period of time. This isn't something new that's come up, uh, you know, or anything. Does it occur more often potentially because of the intensity of the storms
that we get nowadays? Yeah. Uh, you know, that that could be said. Uh, but you can see that picture is from the 1960s. Uh, so this area, Stafford Square, it's the intersection of Pleasant Street, Quarry Street, and County Street. Uh it's the low point of
a 373 acre uh highly urbanized uh area. Uh so that wershed stretches back as far as Eastern Avenue uh and Locust Street all the way up to Oak Grove Cemetery. Uh it takes sewer from beyond there from the
uh President Pump Station uh and other areas. All that sewer comes down through that intersection as well. You have the shopping plaza to one side um as well as you know a um supermarket on the other side. Large milk complex in the corner.
Uh right next to this right next to it you have health first a healthc care facility uh in the area as well. So uh it's a busy area. uh you know, Flint, the uh Pleasant Street running up the Flint. That's that's a uh you know, once
a very bustling and busy uh economic area, and hopefully we'll be rebuilt into that, you know, sometime soon. There's lots of good things going on in that street. Uh and we want to uh keep that moving forward. So, running right through this intersection, you have uh what's called the White Brook Tributary.
Uh that's kind of the main culpit that comes through this area. Uh it was way back before the city was here. Whitebrook it flowed down into the Quicoan River. Uh there's multiple other culverts that also come through this intersection. A quarry drain from the
quarry back up where uh behind where the small I still call small school but uh the school up over there you know there was a quarry. So the quarry drain comes down through this area into this same intersection and the area that all this drains out to is out to the quick shan.
So all this stuff was identified in many plans that we've done. So our storm water plan, storm water master plan, uh our hazard mitigation plan, our um other, you know, um improvement plans
that we have. So uh we've been looking at this for a while as well. Next slide. So again, just to kind of cover the area, if you look at that map there on the left hand side, that blue outlined area, uh, and I know the screen back there is a little squiggly, but you
know, the blue outlined area really gives you, uh, a sense of how big this area is and all the drainage that comes down uh, to that one point. Highly urbanized area, very few green spots. So, you think about that, you got, you
know, Columbus Park and there's not many other, you know, uh, and, uh, Lafayette Park. Other than that, you don't really have a lot of big green spaces, you know, highly compact multifamilies in a lot of these streets, uh, that that run
through this area. So this is all, you know, a lot of the flooding and we've been here a thousand times and talked about it is undersized pipes. Pipes that were put in uh in the early 18, you know, late 1800s, early 1900s. They served the purpose at the time for what
they needed. Uh but they don't serve the purpose for how the city has grown and built up uh and become. um you know wet weather frequencies have changed uh and that overwhelms the infrastructure uh closes the road causes service
disruptions and you know sanitary sewer overflows that could occur. So, where all this drains to, it comes down into the intersection. Uh, it actually goes underneath the strip mall plaza there, Flint Village Plaza. Uh, it's actually a
channel that goes underneath the center of that building, comes out the back of that building, eventually makes its way down to the Quickan River. uh from the Quicoan River, then conveys itself down to lower QuickShan through the fourth street gate house, down through the Sloo
Gates down at uh Workout World uh and out either by Battleship Cove or to Firestone Mill Pond uh and out by the State Pier. So, I I put this slide in here and talked a little bit about it because it talked
about in a 1915 report uh on the Wata ponds and the Quashan River um about the White Field uh the the White Brook Culvet uh and it's h how it's been causing some floods even back then back in 1915. Uh and you know it was kind of
undized. Uh so this was talked about in this report and how it interacted with the quickest river and the flow of the Quicoan River out out uh out of the city. So the existing conditions about 162
storm water catch basins in the whole entire area. Uh 85 combined sewer catch basins. So that goes into the combined sewer uh within the drainage area. There's over 70,000 linear feet of paved street within this encatchment area. Um,
you know, that's a pretty large number if you think about it for streets that are paved 24, 26, 32 feet wide uh that don't let a drop of water uh infiltrate in. Uh the area should really have over
560 catch basins if you were to do it by today's standards to be able to uh capture all that water in it. Um so what we have is uh going through there is uh the culvert from Whitebrook. We also
have the quarry street drain which is a 28x 36 uh stone box culver that runs through there. Uh has some connections into it. Uh and the white brook culver that runs through there. So, all of that right now can take up to what's called the 2-year storm. That's really what uh
what that can handle. Um, next slide. So, existing conditions of the sewer. So, we talked a little bit about the sewer before that it comes from. So, you have the president pump station that's over behind Newport Crearyy. Um that
pump station actually goes it pumps all that whole entire area in Valentine Street everything all that sewer eventually goes down to that pump station including as far as Diamond all comes back to that pump station. Uh and that pump station then pumps pumps up
the water into a force man that goes down President A goes down Oak Grove to Oakrove uh and then ties into the sewer. The sewer eventually makes its way all the way back down through the uh through the intersection at uh Stafford Square.
So again, some of the sewers in there uh early to mid 1800s uh 15 in 24 in, some of them go up to 48 in some of the uh some of the flat lowlying areas. uh but you know they it just shows the extent
of even the sewer catch basin and how much further it goes beyond just the water uh and catchment in this area. So we tal I mentioned about the 2-year flood and I wanted to put this slide in here just a little bit to show you uh what we do. You know this is when we
were doing the full hydraulic model and hydraulic study of this whole entire area. Uh this is kind of what what what ends up showing us. Uh so the top left hand side you can see uh so there's a green line uh which is actually the surface you know ground level surface uh
there's a red line below that and that's what we call the hydraulic grade line uh as water flows. The blue is you know the actual water as as it comes through there. Um but so what you really want to do is keep the red line below the green
line. That means that water isn't coming up above the surface. So in the 2year storm, the top one you can see red line stays pretty much below the green line on the upper part of the incatchment. There's a couple of spots, but the way the hydraulics work and the model works,
it all works where it's where it kind of stays in the pipe. If you look at the lower one, it gets into that one gets into uh I think that's a 10year storm. Yeah, that's a 10ear storm on the bottom one. So that'll show you um you know where that first red box is moving from
the right to left on there. That's the Stafford Square intersection. So in a 10-year storm, uh that's where the water level would rise to uh above the the red line that's above the green line. And then as the hydraulic model goes out, um
it is the red line is above the green line, but that's typically doesn't come up to the surface in many of those in many of those areas. Um so let me talk a little bit. So, you know, we've gone through some studies and I'll talk in a little bit about a
lot of the work that we've already done in this area. One of the things that we've looked at is the sensitive and vulnerable populations within this area. This is something that we had to do for some of the grants that we applied for for the work in this area uh and some of the some of the grants that we applied for in the area. uh but it's really
census track uh 6412 as well as 6413 total population of a little bit under 10,000 people roughly about 10% of Florida's population mixed commercial and residential private homes um and there sensitive populations within
within this area uh high social vulnerability index um that's that's the rating that they have it's a 75 out of one so a couple of the plans that we've done that have looked at this and you know
our plans we always look and we start and I say we start at 90,000 ft and then we start coming down coming down coming down and that's really where we need to get to to be able to get into design uh so it goes back to as far as uh 2011 2013 uh part of the cso abatement plan
naturally looked at this area because of uh the impacts that it has with with the local urbanized flooding uh integrated waste water storm water master plan that was completed in 2016. I call that like the 90,000 foot view. Uh then we had a storm water management
plan uh program that was done in 2019. Uh facilities plan staff square was looked at. Um 21 and 22 was really uh where we got into the nitty-gritty started to get into it in Stafford Square. Uh that was because of funding
that we that was approved in November of 2017. there was a loan authorization approved portion of that loan authorization was to uh do the initial hydraulic study of the Stafford Square area. Uh so that was funding uh that that we ended up getting to be able to
move forward with that. So that kind of started and kicked this off. Uh from there this was all mentioned in our hazard mitigation plans that we've done and updated. Uh and also there was an economic development and uh redevelopment plan done for that area
along with it was really the Flint but that's kind of you know a portion of the Flint area. Uh so Stafford Square was included in that plan in 2024 as well. Uh so just a little bit about the uh specifics of the uh of the plan. You
know, you can see in there the President A, the Oakrove area, the Bedford Street area, uh, Stafford Square upstream area. You know, this is right from the hazard mitigation plan, uh, labeled out right in there. This allows us to reach out
for certain parts of funding. Uh, without this being in this plan, wouldn't allow us to move forward for some some funding. The urban renewal plan the city uh, developed in 2024. Uh it it it included
about the drainage problems, the floodings uh you know was mentioned multiple times through that whole entire thing. Uh and that and that plan uh had a lot of public outreach when that plan was developed. So that was taken in a lot of what the public was saying, a lot
of what everybody in the area had to say and implemented into that plan. So this area was definitely brought up by the public during the during this time. So recommendations and improvements uh current issues really to control the flooding. That's that's what we want to
do in in this area. Um reduce the runoff uh which really includes increasing the pipe sizes. What we want to try to do is get it to the 10year storm point where we can capture that 10-year storm. You know, everybody says, "Well, we're going to fix the flooding in this area and
it's never going to flood again." You know, I've been here every project that we've did that we've ever done. You know, I've said and my predecessor always said, "We're not going to guarantee that it's never going to flood again." Cuz, you know, if you get the, you know, 20 in and 1 hour storm, you
know, there's nothing that we could build that that can do that, you know, handle that. But what we need to be able to do is handle it so it doesn't impede people's ability on a regular basis to be able to go through that area or enjoy
that area. Um, next slide. So this is really where we are. We're about 35 40% design right now. The recommended improvements are up on the street screen. So the right hand side kind of shows you the whole entire watershed. Uh, and I know there's a lot
on this uh on this slide and on the screen right now, but all the green lines really are showing the sewer. The magenta lines are showing the uh the separated drainage in the area. Uh the left hand side of the screen really zooms into the areas that we need to uh
improve on. So, what we're going to be doing, what we're proposing is coming uh through the uh backside, the back side of the building. And sorry I would be up there pointing but the screen's too high on the wall for me to be able to reach it. I like to stand during these
presentations but um so really work through the Stafford Square the whole entire plaza. We're going to be running a large box culvet uh 12 ft x 5 ft through the uh through the parking lot of the uh plaza there uh crossing over uh through the backside of the old Bank
America uh and then crossing going through the U-Haul parking lot uh over to County Street. Uh we're going to be running separate drainage all the way up County Street to try to encapsulate a lot of that water before it gets down to the intersection. We're then then going
to head head up North Rocliffe Street um and with new drainage culvets all the way up and through into Bedford Street. What we really need to do is get further out into the system, capture this water into this separated drainage pipe uh and convey it down and through the
intersection so that it's not draining down to the intersection uh and not coming not overwhelming the existing culpits within the intersection. So, we saw the hydraulic grade lines prior. Uh, these are the hydraulic grade
lines after the improvement. So, you can see on the two-year storm and the 10-year storm, uh, the red lines well below the green line. Uh, so this is what's proposed as of as of now. Uh, so recommended sewer improvements.
Again, we csos is always something that we always talk about in Fall River because we uh we're working so hard to reduce the amount of CSO discharge that we have. Uh this project isn't necessarily a Cso project, but any
water, any storm water that we can get out of the combined system helps us further down the line. Uh so to say that this is a Cso project, strictly Cso, no. But getting all of this additional storm water, separating a lot of the uh a lot
of the, you know, catch basins that go into the combined sewer, pulling out of that combined sudo, putting it into the uh drain lines uh will be a benefit for the CSOS overall. One of the things that we like to do and we're going to plan on doing on this uh
project is uh include green infrastructure into this project. Uh this is one thing that uh is definitely uh you know uh something that's more prevalent now uh to be able to use green spaces that will be able to have plants that use the water uh and clean the
water before it goes into the uh into the storm water system and then eventually is discharged into the environment. Uh it's a very tough area to incorporate a lot of this green infrastructure because of the urbanized city. Um, so, uh, there's different, uh,
ways that we've been able to modify some of these, uh, green infrastructures to be able to work in the city. Uh, like when on South Main Street, uh, near Middle Street, we have tree box filters that run that area or Middle Street running down next to the park, we have the, uh, bio retention area over there.
Um, you know, some people think that, oh, those are all weeds growing in the middle, but those are specially designed plants to be able to absorb and use the water, uh, rather than have it go into the drainage system and help clean and filter the water as well. Uh, so the cost estimate as it stands
for this project, as I said, we're about 3540% design right now. Uh, the estimate is $36 million, almost $37 million for the whole entire project. So that's uh construction. So, as it stands right now, we are uh fully funded for design.
Uh so, we were able to get uh we got authorized some money from ARPA from the council uh Bristol County APA funds that we were able to use uh to start to start the design process. Uh and then we were issued a grant through the Mass Works
program uh to bring it up to 100% design. Uh so we when we're done in about eight months, we'll have 100% bid ready documents ready to go uh for this whole entire project.
Just go back for one second. So just a little bit on this uh on this slide as well. What this is really going to open up um you know different areas for people to be able to develop I think through this corridor and in this area. Uh one of the things for one of the grants that we applied for we need to do
a costbenefit analysis. uh based on FEMA's costbenefit. Uh um so if you look at that bottom of there, so when we did the costbenefit analysis, you need to be above a one. We were at a 1.7. So that's saying it's going to generate and help
over $62 million worth of uh worth of improvements for this area for the $36 million investment. So, where we're looking for for the funding right now, and you know, I just sat here and told you guys that we need $36 million, but I know we're not going
to get $36 million to go into Stafford Square and do this project. I'm not going to be able to get it from my rateayers. Um, you know, without uh, you know, I don't even want to go. So, we're tracking down every lead to try to be able to get this funding. uh the FEMA
building resilient infrastructure in communities program, the brick program. This is a program that was out uh came out probably about six or seven years ago. There was a couple of rounds of funding uh that went out. Uh it is through FEMA. So we apply to MIMA uh our
local uh mitigation agency. They take that and they if they approve our project then they send it to FEMA. Uh, so we applied for uh for brick funding. I believe it was three or four years ago. We put in an application. Uh, it went to FEMA. It wasn't chosen. It's a
national uh it's a national program, so there's a lot of competition out there. It wasn't chosen, but we got some good feedback from that one. Uh, we put it out, we applied for it a second time. Um that second time uh was uh was right
when um you know there was a lot of budget cuts that were happening in the federal government. Uh and this program was one of the ones that was cut at that time. This program did just come back out about uh four or five months ago. We put together a full application again.
We submitted that application. uh we're just uh I think last week we just worked with MIMA to finalize make sure everything was good with the application and they're going to be submitting it to FEMA. So that's one of the one of the areas that we have. Uh Mass Works is another one that we have. You know, if
we go through the FEMA process and we get federal funding, they want you to be able to do the whole entire project. They can't they're not going to pay for just a portion of the project. So, so they won't won't pay for us to do, you know, phase one or phase, you know, they want the whole entire thing fixed. They
don't want part of it fixed. Um, but when you get into some of the other uh funding sources like Max Works funding, uh we've designed this project where we potentially can break it up into some smaller phases. Um so whether it be uh mass works or whether we do it in
authorization small steps take small bites out of it and be able to move forward we will have the flexibility as we've designed this project to be able to do that as well. Um but again so mass works is always a great option. Uh and then we also have the clean water
revolving fund but then again that requires an authorization that's alone. So just running through some of the funding that we have uh applied for. Uh the brick program we applied June of 26 anticipated hopeful award would be
winter of 26 into 27. Uh the mass works again we did apply this year again for a smaller portion of the project. Uh we'll see how that how that pans out on the ma on the mass works scale. Um, we did put in a there's going to be whether it be a brick or whether it be a mass works,
there is going to be a match um that will be required uh whether it be 10% or 20% of whatever we're funded. Um, so we did put in a application for uh the state revolving fund uh to be able to use their lowinterest loan program uh
for that match if we if we are approved and uh we do need a match. So, we'll be ready uh with that if needed. And that's kind of uh my basis uh my basic presentation kind of where we've been uh what we've been working on and
uh what we're looking for for the future. >> I appreciate you, Mr. Pearl, and thank you, Council Daniel. >> Thank you. Thank you for the history. That was uh quite insightful. Um so it looks like we've had about seven studies over the last 15 years as I saw it. >> Yep.
>> Um you said that we're eight months away from the current study being complete. the design phase specifically. >> Correct. >> Uh so I guess my question would be first once we go out to bid from the time the bid is awarded, how long would it take
to actually be for people to see an improvement? >> Well, so we'll have bid ready documents. Okay. We can't go out to bid till we have funding in place. Um if we were to if tomorrow brick came in and said, "Here's your money. Go do it." Uh we're
looking at about a three-year construction project. Okay. You know, it is a highly impactful construction project. We've already been in touch with all the property owners within that corridor. There are easements that are required which
through the design phase, we are getting those easements set up and in place with those property owners. So, um, you know, again, once we we're bid ready documents, we'll have everything in place ready to go. We're just going to need the funding. >> So, then let's talk about the funding.
So, there were obviously a lot of variables in play. Under the best case scenario, what do you think the local contribution might be? And under the worst case, uh, what would it be? Uh so as it stands uh if if I if I was to get
my if I was to get you know out of all the programs that are out there and I was to get uh you know my dream funding scenario um brick would be $20 million and that's what it's capped at. Um the um
the uh mass works program is capped at $5 million. Uh so they they would chip that in. Uh there is a couple of other small funding sources that we could probably uh tap into. Uh but I would expect an authorization needed by by the
city of about $8 million. And again, I wouldn't say that that I'm not asking for that now. That's not anything. But that would be if all the balls fell in place and stacked correctly. But uh there's a lot of moving variables all involved with that.
>> And that 37 million cost is today's dollars, right? They wouldn't factor in inflation given this is probably, you know, 5 years out. >> Uh when we built that, we looked we looked at it. We knew we weren't going to be constructing yet. I believe we did it based on two years out. >> Okay.
So meaningfully though, we're looking at I think best case scenario four to five years out before we would see any type of improvement for this situation >> for the whole construction project to be completed. Yeah, >> it's a lot of money too >> without a doubt. >> Um I guess my I want to pivot to what
interim solutions can we potentially deploy? You know, I I think about simple things maybe like you know when a railroad trains come by, you know, arms go down. Have we have we explored like it never ceases to amaze me, you know, how many cars still continue to get
ruined trying to drive through that intersection. Uh could we not if if we are I'm sure you guys have sensors and things that you could potentially figure out that hey this is about to flood up. Uh could we consider temporarily closing down uh that intersection, you know, so
that people don't try and go through it from a safety perspective because then we risk our first responders going out trying to rescue them, too. >> Yeah. No, definitely. You know, and you know, I I've been sitting at that intersection countless numbers of times, you know, blocking the intersection
along with uh along with my other staff uh as well as uh police department uh and other agencies within the city. So, um you know, the tough thing is is it's tough to predict on these because it's the highintensity rainstorms very quick.
uh it comes it rains probably within 20 minutes or a half hour after the high intensity stops the intersection is you know back to normal condition. Um so it's sometimes a short period sometimes a long period. What we do now if we if
we predict if we see where we may be getting high intensity rainstorms uh with our staffing we have available we'll deploy people to that area um to you know if it does flood to to block off the intersection. I know the police department is always a great help if
they know something is coming typically they'll take they'll bring barriers out to the area the saworse barriers uh so that those can be deployed as well. Um, one of the things that we're just work that we just uh are working on and we're still working on calibrating and maybe
moving uh we're working with a uh nonprofit out of out of Boston uh Stone Li Stone Living Labs. Um they're a nonprofit organization. They have they do a bunch of modeling and stuff up in the Boston area. They reached out to us about 6 months ago. They heard about
Stafford Square. Um and uh they were really interested. Uh so they came out uh they partnered with another organization out of Woods Hole. Uh they came out and they mounted a sensor actually in that intersection. We're still working to calibrate that sensor. It's currently mounted on the um on the
mast for the traffic lights. Uh we're talking in whether we're going to move it potentially onto the mast that comes out for the street lights uh because it's a little bit more over the area uh where the flooding starts to get even an earlier warning. Uh and then there has
been talks of if if there is something that we could do um you know I think the railroad arms that come down you know maybe a bit much but some type of flashing signs or something prior to that area if the sensor is activated to be able to warn people ahead. Um, but I
got to tell you some, you know, sometimes all the all the times that I've been sitting out there and I'm out there either, you know, in a, you know, Ford Explorer with blinking lights all over the thing or I'm in my, you know, my own pickup truck with lights on it, you know, hazards flashing. And the
amount of cars that just drive right around you, uh, and then drive into the water is is astonishing. Sometimes uh, I wonder what people are thinking. you know, they see trucks on blocking every road into the intersection, then they still drive around you and go in.
>> You think if you sit in the canoe, they'll get the message maybe? >> You know, I just I just don't know sometimes. >> Uh just take me through the ROI a little bit. Um obviously, you know, 37 million again, back to that's a big number. Yep. >> Even on the city side portion, your best
case scenario, we're looking at 8 million. >> How do we get to 63 million rounded in potential benefits? >> Yeah. So that's uh that's an interesting thing and again that's a cost benefit that's it's a benefit cost analysis uh
program that FEMA has um for their projects and there's a lot of things that play into that uh plays into uh the miles that people need to detour around on legal roadways. A lot of times people end up cutting through the parking lot but that's not a legal roadway to be
able to detour around this intersection when it's closed. uh it takes into losses within within the intersection that are caused. Uh it takes into effect um you know the health care facility uh and rerouting uh out of that healthcare
facility and this is health first I'm talking about behind uh behind the plaza there that's actually considered a healthcare facility within the uh within the costbenefit analysis as well as the commercial inconvenience in that area. um you know those those are a lot of the
things and uh it's it's a you know it's a it's a very sophisticated you know format to be able to put into it. All the documentation and backup that we provide within to uh to build the whole entire benefit cost analysis gets
scrutinized by MIMA as well as FEMA uh for for that. >> And what what's the ROI period? How many years did you guys use for that? uh we didn't we didn't run out the number of VAS on the highway. >> So when we're saying 62 and a half million is that 62 and a half million
benefits back in 10 years 2550 it's got to be a number to that tied to that. >> Yeah. Um >> maybe if you can get back to me on that. >> Yes, I will. >> All right. Thank you. I yield. >> Thank you. Council Daniel Council repos. >> Yeah. My only question I actually it's
for it's for uh the chief of police. I guess to council Can's point if we know that there is a anticipated forecast where it's going to be significant. Is there a process that automatically takes place as far as automatic blocking of
the street? >> So to um Paul's point uh yes we have deployed saw horses over there. Um but I was just commenting on yesterday's storm. It was like the perfect staggering of >> extreme water that allowed it to
maintain it. But uh typically in a storm when it's that bad, we'll either limit our calls to priority only only for the safety of our officers responding and then we deploy police officers over there and then have the assistance of uh his staff to help block that intersection off. Unfortunately, you
know, common sense can't be taught in a rainstorm and even in a snowstorm. So, um it's one of those things that our guys know that the dispatches will send them out there to shut it down and it becomes instinctual. We had that crazy one a few months ago where we had Columbus Park area was flooded. So that
entire area as you saw highlighted was uh pretty much impassible. >> Um for the record, Chief, can you just introduce yourself? >> Yeah, I'm sorry. Uh JTH, chief of police. >> Thank you, Chief. >> Yeah, that pretty much answers my question. I mean, I think um I'll ask one more actually. As far as the detours
that are set up for that, is there is there like a set map or plan of where the Tour is set up when it floods? >> Because it's be so unexpected, it's really just to try to keep the cars from trying to navigate it, causing a bigger issue. Um, there were a couple tow trucks that were staged in that area
over the storm yesterday kind of waiting in in lie of something possibly happening. Luckily, nothing did happen. I mean, those are the only things. But if a car is stuck and the water's above the the kick panels, then a tow truck's not going to try to pull them out either. So, um, typically, you know, in
catastrophic situations where it's flooded as high as where Popeye's used to be, um, we just have to make sure that the person's safe in the car and and try to get them out if we need to. But over the course of about an hour, it really goes down pretty quickly once it catches up. >> Fair enough. Thank you, Chief. And Mr.
Finan, thank you for the presentation. Would it be possible to get a copy of that to the clerk? >> Yes, definitely. Sorry, I was touching it up just before, but I'll >> That's fine. Thank you, chairman. I I yield. Question. >> Thank you, councelor.
So, councelor Canuel and uh yourself had brought up signage. I think when I go down south in the summertime, you drive down 95, there's signage that is lit up or not lit up that says bridge freezes during
winter months. Use caution for now and I'm looking at these numbers and I know that's your best case scenario is 20 million 5 million but we have to be real realistic too. Um, and then to get the difference on that from the city, oh yeah, is we don't have 8
cents, never mind $8 million, just to be completely honest. >> So, in the meantime, we have to, in my opinion, come up with some type of proactive measure to make sure that these cars aren't getting stuck any longer. And what I mean by that is,
like I believe you just said it, and I'll put it in my own words, we can't teach common sense. You can't do it. So, when there's 3 and 1/2 ft of water in an intersection and people are going around emergency vehicles, yellow flashing lights and getting stuck. Now, if we set
a precedent where we're putting signage in advance, doesn't even have to be a rainy day, but just telling people this is the intersection at floods. Now we get on the business, the ownership of the plaza and tell them you got to put up some signage so the obstruction of
the roadway stops because like you guys just said within a half hour it depletes and it's no longer an issue. What the issue is is the motor vehicles that are left behind and we're waiting for hooks and everything else to get them out of there. Is there a way and I I don't like
recommending this but sometimes you have to teach common sense. We put up flashing signs. We let them sit there for a while. I'm sure it's something we can direct from here right to traffic to entertain for the signage. And then we wait a period of time and then is there
a way to find these people that just decide to drive their motor vehicles into three three and 1/2 ft of water and tie up city services? >> I think that's a slippery slope. I think there's a lot of distractions in that intersection with the amount of traffic that's over there. So you can put as
many signs up as you want and make them shoot fireworks out the top. It's a people sometimes drive just beyond the tip of their nose. So starting to find for it. Um I would say that that's something that I'm not comfortable with that because it's an unexpected thing. I think there's been vehicles that got
stuck there because they were traversing it and the water was actually coming up faster than they could um get across. So um again, I think it's a common sense thing. uh at the the end of the day because of its unexpected nature and its
linked to mother nature we kind of have to deal with the problem as it it exists. Yeah. It's unfortunate because I like like yourself. I I like answers now and I'm looking at pictures that you provided from 1915. Now I'm a city
historian. That's not something you know I love the city. I love its history. I don't love that. >> Correct. Neither do I. >> Yeah. So, at some point we have to have an honest conversation. Either this is going to get done quickly
or it's not. And there has to be a funding source that's, you know, set aside for this. So, we could do it little by little over the course of time. We can't say that we're going to rely on $8 million from the city because I'm telling you, you're not going to find it. So, there has to be some plan
in place um as far as that piece. Maybe the administration can put money aside little by little to kind of build a nest egg to get this done. But to sit here and tell the people that and it's no fault of your own, either of you, but there is no immediate rectification for
this. It's going to keep flooding and all we can do is keep telling the people, please don't drive and put your vehicle in 4T of water. We don't want to have to. I remember a few years ago, I think it was, we deployed Marine One to that intersection to pull some person out of a vehicle. Like, at some point,
there has to be a common sense approach to this. I'm not the fine you kind of person, but we have to have some solution to keep these vehicles out of there. Um, I don't know. I'm lost for a solution here. I don't know if there really is
one at this point. >> Yeah. No, it's very tough. And again, you know, we we've talked a little bit about funding and and you know, a lot of the this funding would be essentially going back to the sewer and the sewer rate and the uh storm water fee. You
know, that's where I believe this funding should be designated from. So, not the general fund side, but again, that's up to everybody to figure out, but you know, I think uh storm water, most storm water and sewer issues have been funded through there. So, >> okay. This is definitely a conversation
that's going to have to be tabled in my opinion and further. >> Yeah. Further conversations with the mayor's office. So, with that motion made and seconded, all those in favor? >> I I appreciate your time, gentlemen. I do. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Motion to adjurnn. Second. >> Motion to adjurnn. Made and seconded.
All those in favor? I >> No names. Have a good night, everybody. Thank you.