Yep. >> Thank you. I'm going to call the Wednesday, February 25th, 2026 meeting of the economic and community development committee to order. The clerk will please call the role. >> Present harder >> present. Dana Heath.
>> We have a corum present. Um announcement of open meeting recordings. The posting is on the wall. Is anyone here recording the meeting besides staff? No one's recording the meeting. Review and approval of meeting minutes. We have a meeting minutes at this meeting. First time on the agenda, item
11773, FY2026, community development block grant CDBG steering committee recommendations. We have assistant director Amy Us here from the um community development planning department and I'm going to let her go
on this item. Okay. I have a um summary sheet to distribute to everybody. So, uh, we have available to us through the CDBG mini entitlement program up to $875,000 that we can apply for for our fiscal
year 26 application, which is due April 21st. Last night, the CDBG steering committee met to review those applications we received and make a recommend recommendation for what to include in the application and that is listed here.
Um, we are somewhat fortunate that we had money from fiscal year 2023 and our 2025 grant to reallocate. So, we were able to um the committee was able to recommend extending existing
public social service grants for a longer term to to fund them for their full request, those that are existing, and then to fund the downtown phase 6 city hall avenue improvements, including street lighting, curbing, sidewalks, and
accessibility improvements uh for the area between Connor Street and Pleasant Street. And part of that money for that project will come from fiscal year 25 um the design and bidding
phase of that and then the rest will come from fiscal year 26. And just to quickly go over the reallocated funds so um the public can hear what projects were selected.
um Gardener Community Action Committee, their full-time coordinator position will receive would is recommended to receive $30,000 in fiscal year 25 funds. Um the
St. Paul's Episcopal Church Laundry Love Program, that's the only new public social service project recommended for funding and that's for 4500. Um, and I missed um the Gardener athletic program that will be split
between the remaining 2023 funds, which we have 9,000 approximately, a little over that, but 9,000 and then 6,000 will come from fiscal year 25 for the athletic program scholarships. uh Voices of Truth, 15,000 for their
ongoing um prevention and support services they provide to survivors of domest domestic violence or people um at risk for experiencing domestic violence, 15,000 from fiscal year 25. And then a small amount um from fiscal
year 25 for program administration um because we had to reduce the fiscal year 26 amount um a little bit. So that's 121,236 for fiscal year 26. So that brings us to a total of 875,000
which is the maximum we can apply for for fiscal year 26. The remaining 9,000 we have from fiscal year 2223. And then the fiscal year 26 remaining funds that needed to be reallocated from the school street school pathway design project and 50,000 from the gardener
emergency housing missions homeless prevention project for a total of 140,000 for fiscal year 25. >> Thank you. Um Mr. Mayor, would you like to >> just as someone who's a member of the CDBG steering committee like yourself, I
think these are all good uh projects. I think these are going to make a big impact on the city and I'm happy to see these performing. >> Thank you. Any questions, comments on the committee, council her? >> No, there's many things that are coming to some good causes here, you know. Um
especially like the domestic abuse programs that we have here. Um thank you. Yeah, I also sit on the city steering committee along with the mayor um as a representative from the council and we had our meeting last night and I have to
say this process has been very thorough, comprehensive uh really revamped by the department and director u um specifically uh to me the way that the funds have been reallocated and all this information has been communicated along
the way has been incredibly transparent and helpful for us to figure out. I think also we had talked about the applicants to the program. It's been very clear to them as well. Um and I hope that to see that move forward. Um you know I was in the meeting yesterday so I really don't have very many
questions about this cuz I think I got them answered last night. Um it all seems pretty clear. uh and the way that we um had to uh reconfigure the deficit, I guess I would call it, um of the the money that
we needed to to kind of spend or or take out from the different projects um I think was done thoughtfully. So, I don't have any questions um on that. And just process-wise, this item will remain on
this is the first time on the agenda. this is going to remain on the agenda um if there's no objections for um our next meeting as well. Um and then it will go to the council after that and the next
process is the council has to approve it. Um like you said, the deadline is April 21st. >> So um I think it's it's scheduled to be before the council by April 6th, I think it was for that meeting. Um that's just process-wise.
I I would say they're really just in terms of uh this information is is really helpful. It's all very straightforward, but if there was anything else you wanted the council to consider, you can certainly submit something to me before this next meeting. This will this item will go
into the packet with this item for the next meeting. So, it'll be publicly posted with the agenda. But if there's anything further explanation wise, any questions you can anticipate or just for anyone who hasn't seen it before, you really want to make, especially for when you go to the council, the process um is
is very cleaned up quite frankly. And it's it's very um organized now. And I think that it would be worth it for the council to see the good work that you've done, the timeline you've set up, you know, those kinds of things just to um make them aware because we do do this every year. you know, it is part of
something called before the council, but the fact that there was so much from previous years, I think it might be worth having a little bit more information on kind of the background of it. Okay? >> Um because, you know, where we were and where we are and then moving forward what it's going to look like where we're
not going to hear about FY23, 25, you know, 24, whatever. It's going to be like the current we're closing out current um projects, you know, on time now. um I think it would be worth it for the council to see especially since the department has taken um the total 180 in
the past year or so. So I would just suggest that because although this is what um this is the the function of of the council is to is to look at what we have in front of us and to consider whether or not it's going to get approved. I do think that information is important
important this time around. >> Um so I I would encourage you to include that also being a member of the steering committee um seeing all the good work that's been done there. Uh, I don't have any other questions. >> If I could just add one last thing, Madam Chair. Um, I think it's just worth pointing out too that while there were
some projects that weren't funded, it doesn't mean that they didn't have merit. It's just there's only so much money that we have in a given fiscal year. Um, so hopefully, you know, people will continue to apply for these projects moving forward. Um, and while you know, Assistant Director US said there's only one new social service
program uh in this round of funding that you see before you, um, doesn't mean that that couldn't change in the future. So, we do want to encourage everyone to apply. Um, everyone here is, you know, worthy of the cause that they put forward too. It's just what we could afford and what we couldn't. >> Thank you. And I would say on that too, um, during public hearing at the CDBG,
student committee meetings, you know, people give their presentations. This is a thoughtful process. All of those, uh, meetings are publicly posted. I mean, we wanted to see them. And also uh something that we had um touched upon last night as well is you know you you
have to prioritize these kinds of things and you need to um we need to make sure that it's done thoughtfully. Um but you know when um we we want to encourage people to kind of continue doing as you said and so um
I really appreciate all the work that's put in doing that moving forward. Um, and I'm sorry, another thing we said last night too, which I wanted to say was if some of these um if some of these projects come out under budget and there
is more money to be awarded, then we can go back to the list and we can look at where we weren't able to award funding or fill a whole project or whatever it wasn't. We can reallocate that as we did this year with the school street school project um and the money that was left
over because the demolition never happened. that was done really thoughtfully and I think that would be good to move to the council as well. I know it has been mentioned but in the scope of this because directly related to this I might say that as well too just because those are decisions that the council has to make where the money was going to go in the first place and now it's like where's it going? I think
that'd be good for the public to to hear as well. But um we can do that down the road. And I think these projects were prioritized in a way where um we did have one of the applicants had to remove themselves because the project was um you know it was no longer relevant to
the the funding source um for whatever reason. And so um I think that's something that's noted too is they're kind of prioritizing away well if that happens where are we going to be if the money runs out or we have extra money or whatever. So um there is possibility for the future um which we experienced just this past year which I think is
important. So um anything further from on this topic? Okay. So if there's no objection um we'll keep the item will remain on the calendar and then um at our next meeting we will um be able to entertain it uh for action and then
depending what happens there we go to the council. >> Thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> Yes. Thanks for your time. >> Thanks everybody. Uh, actually I'm sorry. Director assistant director. Yes. Um, did you receive one of the Did you got one? Okay. Um, so if you wanted to, you can
send electronic copies. Okay. Thank you. >> For the minutes of the packet. >> And so this will go along with this item in the packet. That's great. Thank you. >> Okay. Moving to um item I'm sorry the item number three
which is the monthly Waterford Community Center update. Uh this is in item that I uh talked to the mayor about. We want to make sure that there's information about Waterford um community center um and getting updates from the mayor and so
this is something that we have we will have scheduled um once a month and this is the first time that we're doing it. So the floor is to Mary. >> Thank you very much madam chair. Uh there's a lot of exciting things happening over at that can >> just one second
outside. >> Thank you very much, Madam Chair. There's a lot of exciting things happening over at the community center. Happy to share those with you uh today as well as some of the future plans that will soon be happening over at the community center. Uh, I broke this report out into a couple different sections. Uh, leased and occupied
spaces, unleashed or unoccupied spaces, so stuff that, you know, we're still working on. Um, projects that are currently in the queue that haven't started yet. Uh, and then just general building updates. Uh, so as we go through these pro, you know, uh, updates moving forward, if you have any feedback
on the way that these are formatted to or what you'd like to see added, I'm always open for those feedback as well. Uh, but for the first one here, uh, it's laid out like this. So, I'll just be going through the document that's currently in front of you. Uh the clerk does have a copy of this as well, both electronically and in print. Uh the
first uh place under our lease and occupied spaces is Growing Places. Uh they are fully operational in their kitchen space. Um for those who may not be familiar with Growing Places, they have contracts with local farmers uh who may not know how to wholesale. Uh so,
Growing Places purchases the produce that they grow in their local farms and gets it ready for cooking. That's the peeling, the slicing, the um cutting it up into various different sticks and discs and everything in between. Basically, depending on what
their customers are looking for. Um and Eagle, the executive director of Growing Places, often says someone may know they want carrots, but they don't know how to cook carrots, and they may need carrot sticks versus uh shredded carrots and everything in that in between. So, their job is to make it so it's just take the
bag, put it uh put instructions on the bag on how to cook it, and then ship it out. So, someone has exactly what they need, the way they need it, with the instructions they need to follow. Uh they uh wholesale to various different cafeteria organizations. Uh we have a contract with them for Gardener Public Schools, uh where they provide the
produce that our students are eating in our uh cafeterias. Uh they also have various different uh contracts with other uh organizations and school districts and colleges and universities in the Worcester County area. Uh and a lot of different farmers uh contract
there. Uh they recently had a AIB international audit. That's the American Institute of Banking. uh that is a uh standard organization that uh does uh audit inspections for both facilities, finances, and operations for anyone who's looking to be a commercial
distributor of food. Uh it's the same audit that uh larger groups like Tyson for chicken or um you know, Hidden Valley or anything like that, those big brands that you'd see in a grocery store. It's the same exact audit and same exact grouping uh
grading rubric that growing places had to undergo. uh in order to be able to distribute the food that they're purchasing from those these local farmers. Uh they passed the audit. Um all of their facilities needs were met or exceeded expectations. Uh we have that audit report. Uh they received a
passing score of an 810. They needed a 700 in order to pass. So they were well over the minimum that needed to pass. um everything from uh air quality, uh cleanliness, cleaning practices, uh pest control, uh really there was a whole big
this was a uh probably about a 20page grading rubric that they had to pass uh on this audit. Uh so they did a very good job with that. uh they are now able to continue working on uh wholesaling to groups like Sedexo, Chartwells and other different cafeteria groups uh for public
consumption at uh different school districts uh college campuses and uh medical institutions as well as a result of passing that audit that they had. Uh earlier this month uh we had a congressional delegation visit to Growing Places location. Uh Congresswoman Lori Tran who represents
us here uh in the third district and repres uh excuse me, Congressman Jim McGovern who represents the Massachusetts second district uh which almost circles Gardner because it's everything west of Gardener and the city of Lemonster uh in the town of Ashenham. uh met and toured the kitchen facility
that they have there as well as did a roundt discussion with uh the farmers who growing places purchases with and the clients that growing places has too for those experiencing food insecurity and really what's driving the need here in the north central north quadran regions. Uh it was a very fruitful
discussion talking about the different policies that have been put in place that have led to changes here and changes there and staffing needs on farms. Uh versus people who are confused about how to use their hip and SNAP benefits which growing places does cover. Uh so you can use your SNAP and
hip benefits or some people refer to them as food stamps to purchase your groceries from Growing Places and then deliver that to your door. and how can we make that process more transparent and how do you get it so that you actually have this locally grown healthy processed food to your front door and the education materials that are needed
to get that out there. Uh so all of that was discussed during that congressional meeting and that was done on uh Congressman McGovern's uh tour to end hunger where he's making a stop in every congressional district uh in order to um really highlight the need of food and security in Massachusetts. Uh which if
you look at Congresswoman Trhan's district in the Massachusetts 3rd, it goes all the way out from Haveril to here in Gardener at the western most point of the district. For us to be the location that was chosen for that, it really does say something I feel like for the great work that they're doing over at the community center. There is some additional need for space
that uh Annie Eagle and I have been in discussions with with regard to Growing Places. Uh Growing Places is looking at uh closing their Lemonster location and moving 100% of their operations to us here in Gardener. Uh because of how good the community center space is working
out for them. Uh really bringing all of their administrative offices into the same place where they have their processing and manufacturing offices here. Uh helps streamline a lot of the processes that are there. Bring everyone under one roof. Uh we are in the process right now of look uh figuring out how much additional space they need uh for
their office spaces that they have and figuring out you know do you need a conference room if that case are we looking at the teachers room uh that used to be over at the Waterford Street School are there additional offices that need to be made for the administrative staff that's going in and all of those would have to be done through a lease amendment that would have to be approved
by the city council in the end. Uh so any final decision on that would come before this committee and the council again uh if it was to move forward uh with renting additional space. The other reason why there's additional space that's needed for growing places uh comes from the work that was done in the cafeterium
when the dividing wall was put in place to make that new kitchen area that was there. The original design was to have a half uh size wall, a 10-ft wall with a roof over it and storage in the roof above. Uh at the um building permit requirement of our previous building
commissioner, that was changed to a Florida ceiling wall with no storage space, which has left growing places uh needing to temporarily use a a portion of the cafeterium to store a lot of their equipment that was set to go into that upper storage area there, too. So, we're working right now on trying to figure out the best way to uh provide
them with their storage needs that they have on site in order for their operations to move forward. But, they're very happy with the site. They really it's really conducive to the needs that they have. It's something that the community and their clients and uh contractors have responded to very well. Uh and they're very happy uh to at least continue these discussions moving
forward. Uh but it's great that our first tenant is actually being so successful in there, too. There was a couple hundreds of thousands of pounds of food that were processed there uh in 2025 because of the work that they're done. Are there any questions on the garden place section? >> Um I have a couple of questions. You did
uh so the mayor did send this to me um late yesterday afternoon. So I had this so I was able to review before the meeting. Um and in the future I'll I'll have it well ahead of the meeting being posted. So it'll be in the packet. Um, so I do want to say, um, I had reviewed
it last night and I I had some questions. Um, and you may address some of them along the way, which I think this one you did. Um, I was going to ask about whether the full relocation would require a lease amendment, but you said it would require that. Um, and the new
lease amendment would have to be approved by the council. >> Yes. >> Um, so thank you. Uh, and then would, and you might get into this later on too, but just in terms of that relocation, um, would the current
utility budget that you that we have there, would it cover, um, the an increased load from like full occupancy? Like would that be covered or is that >> is that information available now? it it's part of the discussions that we're
having right now and I think it's why we don't have a finalized plan for it yet. I will say any lease amendment would result in an increased rent payment because by law we are required to increase rent based off increased square footage usage. Uh so that would all play into that too right now. So growing places right now pays rent on the
kitchen space right now. So any additional space like the teachers room, any additional office spaces that would be added to their minimum square footage that's allowed in the lease which would then increase their rent as a result. >> Thank you. Uh and then in terms of the
like the process for approving any of these alterations that have happened to the building, is there a formal process for approving these types of building alterations? Like where I know you mentioned the old building commissioner, but like what is the formal process for
doing this when alterations happen to that building? So when alterations happen to the building, it's actually written into the lease agreements that we have with the tenants and right now just the tenants being um the growing places and the CAC if they want to make any permanent alterations to that uh they have to submit a preliminary plan
to my office and I have to uh seek council approval for those preliminary plans. So that would come before here. Now those plans are construct a wall to divide the audi uh the cafeteriator or the CAC was the last one that we had where it was construct a wall to coordinate off the hallway by what will
be the future food pantry. uh those will come before the council, but then they have to go through the regular building permit process itself where the building dep uh commissioner will then have to determine based on the building code is the structurally sound which is what led to this floor to ceiling um decision that was made by the building commissioner where he was worried that a
you know a half wall without an attachment to the ceiling may uh not be as structurally u sturdy as a full ceiling to floor wall especially where that uh um the beam bump out uh was already there uh that the wall would be resting on. Uh so that's where those
decisions get made further down the line is based through the building department uh building permit process, but any major renovation that changes the layout of the building itself does require council approval before that is able to go forward with those tenants. >> Okay. Thank you. And so
you had also talked about um the storage like there going to be an additional storage and that's part of the discussion. Uh, and we just kind of touched upon the process there, but um it sounds to me like you answered it
with if the lease was amended because there was other space that they occupied, then their rent would go up because it would have to pay for their space. >> So, my original question reading over this the first time was, you know, what would the cost be of that new storage
plan and um would it be like an added capital expense or how would it be paid for? But it sounds to me like it would be paid for by rent or did I interpret that incorrectly? >> Well, if if it's within the lease space and we have a space for that specifically for a growing places, then they would be the ones who are in charge
of building out that space. >> So, for instance, if they come by and they say they want to divide a room that's within their rented area, >> then that's an improvement for their purposes. So, then they would have to pay that uh as their own fit out cost. If it was something that was an uh an
improvement to a common area that's not part of a lease agreement, that would be on the city to pay for that uh improvement that was there because the benefits then for the city and the common use of the building. Uh where something would be for the benefit of just the tenant, the tenant would then be in charge of making that alteration.
>> Thank you. Those are my only questions. I do want to add to, you know, Growing Places is our only tenant in there. Um they've stuck with us for a long time through a bunch of this And uh the fact that they're growing, no
pun intended, but um is great. Um but I think with a lot of things with the Waterford Community Center, we just want to be sure that um you know, we're being obviously courteous to them because of the good work that they're doing. But we also have to stay within the parameters
because we are going to have other tenants in that building and all of these kind of policies and procedures and things just need to be really clear uh along the way and I you know with them being the only ones in that building I just you know want to be sure that um that information is clear
between the two of them. So it's it sounds like these are the um this is all of the you know these are all the procedures that happen with how they've expanded and that's good. Um, but that's really good to know. Uh, so I don't have any other questions or comments or
anything. Okay, go ahead. >> All right, moving on to the gardener CAC. Uh, there are other leased tenant who's still fitting out their space but hasn't moved in yet. Uh, their clothing pantry is fully completed and built out. This was done as an Eagle Scout project by uh Ryan Ser, a local Eagle Scout. Um,
actually, if you look at at the uh if you go into the building and see the clothing pantry itself, the wood paneling on the wall is the shelves from the old library of the old Waterford Street School. So, it's actually a little bit of the school repurposed there. Um, that's where they're going to be planning on putting out uh clothing
uh toiletries and personal care items for any individual in the community who's in need and may not be able to afford some from a store, they'll be able to have that there um so that they can have access to those goods and products that are there. Uh the food pantry area itself is currently being fitted out. Uh the CAC received some
CDBG funding uh recently to buy equipment to fit out that food pantry space. triples uh the amount of space that they have for the food pantry from their existing space over at Pleasant Street. Uh which allows for a lot great allows them to meet the greater need and
demand that they've been seeing recently. Uh so it's great to be able to see that space built out immediately adjacent to the food pantry itself. Uh the CAC is putting not only their administrative offices for their executive director, but also adding rooms uh where they plan to have almost
a computer lab, if you will, uh where they can have classes on resume writing, interview preparations, uh job seeking, um really building up job skills and uh continuing education and things of that for someone who's either undermployed or unemployed looking to get back out into
the world and really uh boost their economic standing. So, that's uh going to be an added new resource that the CAC is going to be able to offer as a result of this new space because of the space that they're confined to over there right now. Uh CAC is also uh building out their new commercial kitchen that
the city council recently approved in the old principal's office. Bless you. Um of the school. Uh the oven and the stove have already been purchased. Uh and they're just uh really taking care of all of the plumbing work and electrical work that would need to be done. Uh the counters are already
installed in some of the places. And then the flooring will probably be the last thing to be done uh to make sure that all the plumbing work uh is completed before we then have to floor um dig through the new floor really just floor around what needs to be done. And again, all of that is being done at the cost of the CAC themselves because
that's in their lease space. That's for their operations, their purposes. They have a 15-year lease. So, anything over 10 years uh for a an improvement like that falls on the owners of the tenant themselves, not on the city to pay for it. Uh so, that's the update from the CAC side of things.
Thank you. Any questions or comments, counselor? >> No. Thank you. Uh I have a a question. Um just in terms of the clothing pantry >> cuz that is a new thing too. Um how
would uh so it's going to have public access. >> So how would security be managed like through that access point I guess is my question. Uh so all of the tenants themselves are set up for their own security procedures in that building. Um so there is a locked door that is there.
Um that's something that you know the CAC is in charge of securing all of their locations. It's actually in the lease agreements that we have with them that they have to be the ones in charge of their security plans. Uh make sure that their locations are locked secure when it's after hours um and staffed.
Um, so really the CAC does have a plethora of of volunteers uh and a handful of staff uh that they would have stationed there to oversee that operation. Uh, so that's the their plan right now is to one when office off hours lock the doors that are there, but two have an actual staff member there or
volunteer there to make sure that the process is being done the right way. >> Thank you. >> Any questions or anything? Go ahead. >> Uh, the only other currently occupied space in the building is with the historical commission in their archive space. This is in the former locker rooms of the uh school itself. Uh this
is one of the only ones that didn't have to come before the council because it's a subset of the city. So it's not an actual lease agreement. It's an assignment for their location. Um but they are planning on putting their new historical archives uh in the two old locker rooms that were there uh in the uh in the old middle school as people
refer to it sometimes or as Waterford Street School as uh many of the younger people in the city uh may remember it as. Uh but there's a lot that's already in there. the Garden of News archives that go back to the early 1800s. A copy of all the papers in massive books are already over there. The historical commission is working on pricing out
specialized shelving that can handle the weight of those books. Because if you've seen the Guardian News archives, um it's quite substantial when you're looking at a daily newspaper going back to the early 1800s, but also the weight of those on those shelves to make sure that it actually can hold the weight. Uh we temporarily stored these at the old
Prospect Street School when we uh still own that building and they were put on folding tables and when we came in the next time the folding tables had collapsed under the weight of the books. Uh so we have to make sure the shelving is done the right way. So the historical commission is currently pricing those out. Uh they are also in uh conversation with Royal Steam who is the city's on
call uh one of the city's on call plumbing contractors to see if we can work out a climate control HVAC system there. Uh one because it's in the old locker room so it does hold in a lot of moisture. Um but also to make sure that we're controlling uh you know extreme
heats and extreme colds in the right way to make sure that we're protecting the artifacts that they store in these archives. Uh to make sure that it's not creating a u a degrading corrosive atmosphere for the old paper, the old metal, the old things that are going to be there for people to view.
>> So um any questions on that counselor? >> Thank you. Uh so just a question on the royal esteem piece of it. So, if they do um if they pursue that and there's quotes, would those come to the council
as like a supplemental appropriation? >> If an appropriation is needed for the historical committee commission, yes. Um because they only have a budget of I think $1,000. So, there's no way that's going to be able to cover everything. So, that would be something. Um recently, we appropriated additional money for a onetime basis to the historical commission for some of the
other work that they've been doing and probably follow the same process of that. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah. Um, yes, I remember those locker room rooms from junior high when I went to junior high. Uh, so that's pretty wild. Um,
I don't have any other questions about any of that. Um, go. Next item. >> Thank you very much. >> Shared unoccupied spaces. >> Yeah, shared unoccupied spaces. I will say the top header of this deals with everything else that's coming um later on in it. So, it may be jumping the gun a little bit for some of the other
sections that are there. Um, but I figured it'd be good to just start off by saying that in in internally and informally, we've been calling it trade week. The week of March 16th through the 20th, uh, we'll have various contractors of every different trade in the building to wrap up all of the loose ends that
are there and different punch lists that have been done. Uh, there's some electrical connections that need to be made for the new mini splits and the two-story wing. Uh, there's been new, uh, toilets, uh, sinks, urinal fixtures that have been installed in the bathrooms. Those need to be fully connected to the plumbing. Um there's a lot of uh just different small little
odds and ends to wrap up a bunch of projects that have been done. The goal is to have the contractor, the carpenters, uh electricians, and plumbers all in the building full-time that week to just finish those punch lists. Um Ryan Egan, who's the executive aid in my office, uh
right now, is going to be temporarily relocating his office to Waterford Street during that week full-time so that we have someone from the city there to answer any questions that may come up to make sure that that doesn't cause any delays. Uh just to make sure that that week stays the week it's supposed to be
and everything stays on task, gets wrapped up, buttoned up, completed so that we can move forward with all our new projects right now rather than having to go back and look at the older projects that are there. Uh that's been coordinated with Morris Plumbing and Electric uh and Kristoff uh excuse me, CM Chardia Construction uh to make sure
all of that work gets done. Um so that's going to be the biggest push that we'll see a lot of activity over at the building is in that week of March 16th through March 20th. We're just everything's set to be buttoned up um that you know has either already been paid for, already been approved, all of those items that are there too. So we
don't anticipate any additional payment as a result of this week. This is buttoning up all the stuff for which funding has already been approved and has already started at this point. >> Thank you. Questions, comments, council. Okay. Um I have a couple of questions. Um
if there's any like change orders that week or anything like that, that would typically go through purchasing. >> Yes. Um, so how would that work if I know that we call this is set to go, but if there's something they find or they want to do differently or whatever, how
would how would that process work? Cuz the executive can't approve change orders, but he can facilitate the communication. Correct. >> I just want to be sure like from A to Z that starts and ends because well, this is great. This is great that this would all get done that week. That is ideal. And as we know with especially this
project like things just don't go as planned sometimes and it being an older building we want to do things right. Um but that was if anything happens that week that doesn't can't just get finished. How are we going to ensure that we're not waiting and waiting and you know we have to have another trade week in 6 months. You know that's kind
of my question >> the process right now and I I'm going to actually use an example of something that happened last week that caused us to make this process beforehand. So I'm actually really happy you asked this question. Uh when they were installing the new toilet fixtures, they found that the um anchoring material behind the
brick walls in the bathroom wasn't strong enough to support the weight of a new toilet. Uh so they had to put some reinforcements that were in there. So it did cause a delay in that um installation of the toilet fixtures themselves. Excuse me. That led us to have these conversations. So what the process is right now is that uh if
something were to come up that required a change order, uh the contractor lead is to come to Ryan at the site. Ryan is to call Melissa McDonald, our building commissioner, so that she can either her or her inspector can uh confirm whether that's actually needed, if that's the
right course of action, if there's another option, and then both will then coordinate with purchasing on getting that change order out there. We do everything via docuign right now. So, it's a lot more streamlined of a process if we have to do it. Uh the the docu signs for a change order are signed by uh we call it the five signatures. So,
it is the purchasing director, the department head who's overseeing the project. In this case, um we don't have that one there too because it's a basically being overseen by my office. Um but we would have uh Commissioner McDonald sign that just to verify because it's building related. Uh the city auditor, the city solicitor, and
myself. Um so then we'd be on call that week to make sure that we knew if there was a docu sign in our queue, we could pull it up on our phones or on our computers and be able to sign that moving forward there, too. So that that's the main reason why uh the executive aid is going to be at uh the actual community center that week. It
isn't so much on construction oversight. It's a communications liaison, if you will, to the contractors who are there to make sure that something comes up and something comes up right away. We're immediately notified of it rather than waiting a day to make sure that they can come back to city hall, let us know about it, get through everything, discuss it. We just have that communication happening at
that moment in real time. >> Thank you. And so the a change order loop, I'm going to call it like who makes sure that that gets closed. So then, okay, change order is put through, whatever. for me it takes a couple days but that it actually gets completed cuz if it can't get done that week like when are they coming back when are they
finishing it? >> So that's all part of their inspection report. So the change order would then get added to the permit that they pull either plumbing, electrical or building and then that would have to be verified to have been done during the final inspection. >> Okay. But I mean of of the whole building or of that? >> No, of that project.
>> Okay. Okay. Thank you. Uh, and then my other question was the punch list items for all of the different projects. >> Um, will all of them when they're complete, will that then
will they're able to be like a like a their certificate of occupancy for the senior center? Like are they going to be able to then, you know, be cleared to move into the building and everything be ready to go? Like is that is that what the end of this week is? >> Yes. >> Okay. So, we're thinking after March somewhere like the senior center will be
able to move into the building >> legally on paper. Yes. Is there other work that needs to be done before the senior center can move in like painting or moving furniture or other things in between? Yes, that absolutely. But the minimum to get a certificate of occupancy would then be done at that point. >> Yep. And to be clear, this I'm just asking you about certificate of
occupancy, which to me is like pushing the ball so it can just roll downhill and get where it needs to go. Um, but of course they I would want to make it clear to the public during this meeting if they're watching that this does not mean the senior center is moving in in March. It just means they get a certificate of occupancy and the other
work can then move along um so that they can look to occupy the building. Correct. Um but they would be >> allowed to do so by that certificate like you said on paper. Um I just don't want to start anything where anyone thinks that um it is going to be like
you know open the doors, we can walk in, we're good to go. It's just that the work piece of it would be able to be completed and that's kind of the goal at the end of this week. >> Okay, >> great. Thank you. That's my other question. Anything else? Um okay. Um
I think it's the bathrooms. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Uh so the bathroom work is related to trade week. Uh as I said that uh this is the update saying that they've installed the sinks, the urinals, the toilets, uh the new partitions. That's probably the biggest thing that had to happen over there too is that uh the partitions had
to be reassigned because there were no ADA stalls uh that were in Waterford because it was constructed in the early '60s. Um so now all of the bathrooms are fully ADA compliant in terms of the width and space that they have and the stalls that are there. Uh and both the uh men's and uh women's restrooms that
are there. There are six in the building that had these renovations done uh to make sure that this was uh compliant with um the CMRs that are there for um AAB regulations and uh the uh Americans with Disabilities Act uh at the federal
level. Uh so those are done those just have to be now connected. Uh so that's where that relates to trade week is that the connecting of the sinks, the toilets, the urinals will be done as part of the trade week. But all of the work that had to be done to get to that point has already been completed. All of the fixtures are installed. all of the uh partitions are installed uh and
everything's ready to go just to be turned on for lack of a better term. Uh but we are now ADA compliant with the bathrooms in the community center. >> Thank you. >> Um I my question so um my notes here. So first when will the
bathrooms be fully operational for publicly use after trades week? Like >> if people were in there they could use them. that's this work that has to get done is it and then people can get in and use the bathrooms for public use. Okay. And then um just for clarification
and then my other question um was what funding source paid for the bathrooms to be clear. >> That was the uh $550,000 loan uh paid for a portion of that that we took out. That loan has since been paid off. There was an additional $200,000 for the other bathrooms that were in the building. As
I said, there were six. Uh 550 took care of four. um exc yeah took care of four. The remaining two were uh part of the uh $200,000. But then things that came up above and beyond what was originally expected when the original loan was taken out like the um additional reinforcements that had to be put behind
the wall to hold the weight of the new toilets and the urinals. Uh the new partitions to make sure we were ADA compliant. All of that other stuff were above and beyond what the original amount was for. So that was the appropriation that the council approved through reassigning funds from the new school buildings. uh unexpected un it's
un unexpended uh loan funds that were then reappropriated for this project. >> Okay. So it's the unexpended um appropriated loan funds and it was part of the 550k paid for these specific bathrooms. Correct. >> Okay. I just wanted that to be clear. Okay. Thank you. >> Y moving forward to the twotory wing. Uh
this is the future home of the senior center. Uh I put it on unoccupied spaces just because they haven't made the move yet. Uh and to make it clear that there's still work being done over there, but that doesn't mean we don't have someone who's anticipated to go over there. The council president and I gave the presentation at the senior center where we talked about what that
move would look like and through uh put up some mock-ups of what we thought the location uh would be itself in terms of potential um buildout uh potential colors. Uh so there is work being done over there. Uh the majority of the HVAC
work that is going to be done on what we've been calling trade week is going to happen in this two-story wing. It was had a bunch of um mini split electric heat and uh electric um air conditioner units installed in each one of the rooms over there. Uh those just have to be fully connected with their wiring. Uh so
that's going to be what the electricians are really going to be doing during that trade week is getting those finally up and running and connected and everything good to go uh with those mini split units. uh to make sure that we're doing a lot of temperature control. Uh we don't want a senior center that's 90 degrees in the summer and we don't want a senior center that's 20 degrees in the
winter time. So really this is helping us uh do a lot of the climate control that was there. Uh the heating system that's in there is a former pneumatic system too that has a lot of leaks in it just because it's an old building. Uh so this should help uh more regulate uh the uh the temperature in the various rooms of what will be the senior center. Uh
the ramp to the door uh of the senior center side has been installed in terms of its concrete work. We're just waiting for the uh snow to melt and the weather to warm up before we can put in the railings associated with this ramp. Um so that we can have a uh uh ADA
compliant uh entrance to the building. We also have a new uh grocery store style door is what I call it. You'll see that a couple times throughout the report. That's for uh when you walk up to a store like the Walmarts, the Hanniffords, the Price Shop, you walk in and the two doors open on either side of you. Uh we will have that at the
entrance to the senior center as well. funding for that was already approved in the unexpended bond uh funds that were from the new school when the council voted to reappropriate those. Uh that did come in under budget. Uh we approve uh we appropriated $150,000 that came in
at just around $80,000. Uh so we are looking to see if there are other doors in the community center itself that need to be upgraded either due to issues of rust or inability to open or to meet different fire regulations for egress and ingress. Uh but that door project itself is moving forward. the bids did
come in under budget. We're not going to reappropriate it any money or use it for any other doors until the pro that specific project is done just to make sure that that's buttoned up. Uh but that is moving forward there too. Uh the preliminary work for that began last week in terms of figuring out what needs to be cut out. Uh but we aren't going to
open the door and cut it out until it gets a little warmer outside so we're not feeding the outside when it comes to the door not being in place. uh when that work gets done uh for that specific door. And I know this is a little later uh in the report, we're going to connect that to the electricity the same time we
connect the new front door to electricity, but we'll get more into that one because I know that's later in the report and I'm jumping a little ahead with that one. Um a couple of the other things with the senior center side of things, uh the director Ellis got a group of uh volunteers together to move some of the furniture that's already been donated.
The goal of uh this area, the senior center with the larger rooms in particular, and one of the reasons why we switched sides is because of the larger rooms that are there, is that it makes it look less institutional-like and helps us meet the age dementia friendly uh standards that the state's
executive office on aging, formerly the executive office on elders affairs that oversees senior centers in the state have for these specific locations. uh down to the color of the paint in the rooms. Those are actually all regulated by the state to make sure that if someone comes in and they're showing signs of Alzheimer's, dementia, or
memory loss, or just going through whatever they're going through, they don't feel like they're being dropped off at some place that's almost like they're being, you know, dropped off at a hospital. They're being dropped off at a place that's a place for them to enjoy, for them to find their friends, to care for. Um so the uh the rooms do
all need to be painted. Right now they're all gray. Um the age and dementia friendly standards do have uh do require warmer colors is what they call those. Those are your reds, your browns, your um greens in some cases too if they're a darker green. And to avoid
the colder colors like the whites, the blues, the grays, things that you would typically see in a hospital, a school room, um institutional based colors is basically what they say. That's actually one of the reasons why here in city hall we've changed up the color schemes. Most of the rooms in city hall had paint that
was similar to this room that's here where if you go in the mayor's conference room, we have the the brown on the walls to make sure that we are meeting at least here in some of the rooms the dementia and age friendly um standards that we have in the building here too. So I have asked director Ellis to start talking with some members of the council on aging on what room would
be assigned what color. If we do one color for every room, if one, you know, the game room is green but everything else is brown or red or maroon or things of that nature. So those discussions are beginning right now. And then the furniture that's been donated is to make it so it looks less classrooml like. You take a big rectangular room, how can you
make it look like a living room is basically the goal in the end. And how can you get that home style feel to it too? Uh so we did have a group of about 15 volunteers go in. My executive aid was there with them as well too uh to make, you know, to just bring in some of the furniture and start to get the idea of how can we lay out this room. Now,
are we there yet? No. There's still work that be done because honestly all the electrical and plumbing work still has to be done that we just talked about with trade week. And until that's done, we can't start moving forward with that one. uh that's moving forward there too. And then the next thing we have to figure out is what to do with all the lockers uh that are in that floor as
well uh screwed onto the wall. And do we keep them there? Do we take them out? Do we put benches there so that people have community spaces where they can sit and talk with each other or have a rest if they you know want to walk down the end of the hall but maybe that's too long of a distance for them. So they want to sit and take a rest along the way and go down. So all of those discussions are
ongoing right now. Um, we don't have any final decisions on paint, what to do with the lockers, or what room is assigned what specific use yet, but those are the planning that's being done behind the scenes while the construction work is being done on the other side of things. >> Thank you, counselor.
>> Sounds to me like um my mom had dementia, Alzheimer's, and past with that, and I know you go into those places that they place them and it's very sterile. I think it's wonderful that you're taking all that into consideration, but the furniture and the painting, it it It does make a
difference to them. >> It does. >> Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Um, thank you for that update. Uh, I do have a couple questions just I kind of touched it um on the kind of in the last area as
well, but what is uh the specific event or thing that needs to happen to make it so that um the senior center can begin operations? Like what is it? All of that is it the work that needs to get done during trade week and the painting like
is what is the specific things that makes it so that they can get in and operate? >> Uh minimum legally the bathrooms need to be done. Um that part of trade week is really that specific portion of trade week is all that needs to be done to get someone legally into the building. So you have to have a bathroom available
in terms of um physical space and reality. Um the mini splits should be wired up after the plumbing is done just because we have wires open right now. So once those are all buttoned up safety wise that's what should be done before that's there. So legally the plumbing
needs to be uh put together cuz the mini splits aren't connected so the wires aren't shocked anyone. So that's the last thing that needs to be done in terms of you know codewise. The mini splits add that extra level of there but since the project's already begun we'd like to see that done there too. Can we get the senior center in there even
though we're not compliant right now with the age and dementia friendly standards? Yes, we could. It we're just not meeting the standard that the state has set. And there's a reason why that standard exists. So that's us just taking the little extra step to make sure that we're making it so that it's an actual welcoming senior center rather
than a a place for people to go. But the minimum needed for people to get in there is just those bathrooms being done. >> Thank you. And I think in just my opinion, I we have a senior center that's running in functional and comfortable. Um this is a this is going to be a different space. It's a it's a
new chapter for the community. Um it's not like there's no space for them to be able to enjoy and have their activities and run as a senior center. So for me, because this is such a big move and it's so important for the community and our seniors, why would we move them into a
space that's not complete? even though it's safe and it's allowed, um, let's have them go, you know, it's when you go like you go to a new home or any other new space, you want to go in and feel welcomed and comfortable right away. And since they are moving from the space that many of these seniors go to daily,
>> uh, and it's it's really where they are able to engage with their friends and enjoy themselves, you know, then you don't want to move them to kind of this cold space that's like constantly under construction or constantly needs to get done. So to know that some this preliminary work has been done for what I call like the details, the paint and
those kinds of things that is designed to make them feel more welcome and comfortable in the space. Um I think that's important so that it's like hey once this work is done you can just move to the next piece of it. I do think the preliminary work is great but I agree I would have them move in when the space
is ready to go. Especially since this is a space they've been hearing about for a long time and they know it's coming. you know, it's like when they get here there, let's not wait any longer to do any of these things. However, I do appreciate it being done correctly and fully um before they're able to to use
the space. And then my other question was you mentioned the volunteers. >> Mhm. >> Um for moving some furniture to the space so far. Um, is there any money that's budgeted budgeted for like professional movers when it comes to all
of the office, you know, all of the other things that might not be um might be better if it was for you like a professional moving company or something like that. So, is there money budgeted for that? >> Yes, the we've got that set aside in the senior center. They get an annual grant from the state uh called the formula grant account. There's money set aside
for that in next year uh this current year's uh budget that if that happens this year, if it moves into the next fiscal year, it does roll over. Um, so we have funding set aside for that specific purpose. >> Funding we already have is set aside. >> Correct. Okay. >> Thank you. Um, no, I don't. That was my only other
question. Thank you. Loading dock. >> Uh, the loading dock. The gu this is uh something we don't have finalized plans yet, but because we're in preliminary discussions, I want to make sure that the council was aware of this because this is something that if it was to happen would require council approval. Um both Growing Places and the Gardener CAC do receive a fair amount of box
truck deliveries uh to the community center for their work. Either be it from a food pantry, a local farmer, different things of that. There's pallets and pallets and pallets of things that are being brought to the uh location. Uh so they are requesting that we take a look at places that we could potentially put a loading dock in which case you don't
have to keep going up and down in the truck itself, but you can just roll something out of the box truck itself and then down a ramp into the building that way. Uh we don't know where that's specifically going to go yet, but it's a something that's been in initial discussions with myself and Evil and Julie mean uh that they'd like to see installed at the uh community center so
that it'd be uh ease of access for them for all of the deliveries that they receive. >> Thank you, Counc. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Um I just have a couple of questions on that. So, um, will the city be looking into any like
any grants for any upcoming of these upcoming projects or is there anything that um trying to look at mine up here or well they wouldn't be tenant funded because tenants are only funding things that are useful to them. Correct. >> Correct. >> Okay. So, is there any other grants?
>> Yeah, we we we are looking at several different grants right now. We've got about 10 different applications out for the community center right now. But where this is providing a partial benefit for growing places in the CAC, but then does also provide a general benefit for the building itself, we can create a cost sharing measure. Um, so
that is something that we could figure out between the three, the city growing places in the CAC if we had to. Uh, but there are specific grants that we're applying for for this specific purpose at the same time that we're looking for the right location to put it to. >> Okay. Thank you. And I I would encourage um you to look into the tenant funded
piece of that if there's cost sharing. I it like you said it's it's clearly beneficial to both of those organizations. We want to support them because of the great work that they do. Um so I'm not you know it's it's something you just have to look at what's a reasonable cost but like you said it technically doesn't need to fall
fall under the way that the building is supposed to be um >> you know the way that this is supposed to be distributed. So, it would also benefit the building because if those tenants left, we may have someone else in there who's going to be using those same things where they paid for it and
they're not there anymore. So, I I I would I'm probably I would encourage pursuing that. Um I don't I need more information about what once that is pursued, what the best option would be. Uh but I I I understand what you're
saying. Um, and obviously having all those grant applications out there, hopefully, you know, some things will land in our lap as well. Uh, but I do think it's something just worth pursuing, too. We just also want to be sensitive to the tenants because they are the ones who are in the building and
they're doing such great work there. And obviously, um, the work they're, you know, the work that they do is, um, it's something we want to try to keep their cost low, but we also we're als it's also our building that we need to pay for, too. So, um, thank you for that.
And my other question, um, is in terms of the loading dock, and we talked about ADA compliance with the building and the doors and all those kinds of things. Um, has a loading dock like location, I guess,
or or has has it been identified so that the it's not impacting any ADA access or ADA parking or anything with all the ADA compliance that we're trying to make for the building? >> Yeah, that's why we're still in discussion on where the location is for the loading dock and we don't have it yet. We want to make sure it's least
impactful as possible. >> Thank you. No. Oops. >> Okay. Projects still in queue. >> Uh this is uh some of the projects that are either soon to be starting, partially uh just starting or haven't started yet. Uh just so you uh can see a
lot of the work that's coming down the pipeline. The first is the fire alarm system. That's probably the next project to be done over at the site. the community development block grant that was approved last year by the steering committee, the council, and then the state uh in October. Uh funded $122,000 to install a new fire alarm system for
the building. Uh as part of this process, I figured I'd put this out there because a lot of the false information that's out about the community center itself, an air quality test had to be done of the building uh in order for this project to move forward. That's part of the requirements for the executive office of housing and livable communities. The air quality
test is done to uh measure radon uh in the building and our test came back very clear. Uh the minimal readings that were there were what you would expect in a normal uh residential home and far far under uh any requirements in which the state would put a hold on the project.
So we actually do have a stateisssued documented uh because HLC had to approve the vendor that did this testing itself. It's not like the city's going out with its own vendor and doing our own testing. Uh these are very specific state standards that had to pass. Uh and the air quality test came back perfectly clear. Uh so it was great to be able to
see that project move forward. Uh right now assistant director u we uh saw earlier today uh is uh in charge of the CDBG project. So she is overseeing that project moving forward. Uh so that hopefully we'll be able to see sometime in the summer some work being done uh on the installation of the new fire alarm system throughout the building itself.
This would be one of those pull systems like you see in most public buildings. >> Thank you. So, no radar issue, no air quality issue. >> Correct. >> Period. >> Correct. >> Thank you. >> Any questions, counselor? No. >> Okay. Um, just in terms of the fire alarm installation, is it going to
affect the tenants at all like rowing places? >> I mean, there may be a day or two in which we'll, you know, have to run a conduit in there, too, but we'll pre-communicate that. is actually in the least the process that we have to follow if we're doing uh general building construction that goes through the least out spaces in terms of timeline for notification in terms of what to do on
the specific day of. Uh basically uh growing places just has to make sure that they cover all of the equipment that they have and don't have any food that they're processing out. Um in the kitchen themselves too, we did put an additional drop ceiling down on top of the original ceiling was there. So we're not even worried about the asbestous ceiling tiles in the kitchen because we've got the lower ceiling on top of it
right now. So we don't even have to drill through any of the asbesus. Uh so it actually is uh set up right now that you know we will let the tenants know. Is there going to be some disruption? Yeah, probably for a day or two, but it's stuff that'll be precommunicated so they can at least plan. >> So if there is temporary closure for a
tenant, then they will have advanced notice and they'll be able to plan for that and also notify any vendors or whoever's visiting the space to um >> do it, you know, business with them or whatever. Okay. Thank you. And then the $122,000 for the fire alarm budget. Yes.
Um, is that going to cover the like the full scope? >> Yes. >> Okay. So, it includes the wiring and everything. >> Yes. Based on the I mean, we got to go out to bid for it still because that's the next process on it. >> Um, but for the all of the estimates that we've had, we've had about four estimates done that >> $120,000 covers.
>> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I have more questions on that area. Go ahead. >> Uh, the next is the door that I talked about earlier when we were talking about the senior centered door. have a grocery store style door that's installed on the front entrance of the building. Um the issue with the former doors that were
both at the place where the senior center is going in right now and at the old front entrance that was torn out last year where this new door was put in is that the doors were too narrow to meet current ADA compliance doors. So you actually could not fit a standard wheelchair in the doors at the old Waterford Street School when it was a
school uh because of the way that the doors were originally installed in the '60s. So this grocery store style door does alleviate that issue. It hasn't been collect connected to the electricity yet. When they're connecting the other door, we're going to have them connect this door at the same time. That way they're doing the same work on the building uh with the same exact product
too on both sides. >> Thank you. Any questions? >> No questions. >> Okay. Uh projects that are uh not yet started but we've had funding approved for uh the electrical service upgrade. Uh there was funding that was approved as part of the unexpended bond proceeds
from the uh new school project to install a new transformer at the community center so that we could double uh the electrical capacity of the building. Right now there's an 800 amp service. This will get us up to 1,600 amps. Uh what this would do is really
just allow for increased modernization of the building. The reason why we need so many electrical upgrades in gardener right now is that a lot of the buildings have their original wiring for when they were originally built. However, modern appliances, modern technology, uh modern reasons why we use outlets, computers weren't as prevalent in the 1960s as
they are now or they're in every office building in America right now. Uh that's additional usage that's happening there, too. So, if we were to plug in everything we need to plug into in most of the old buildings in Gardener right now, the electrical services that are there simply can't handle that. That's why we needed to install the new transformer at 25 Main Street. That's
why the new uh transformer is being installed on Rare Main Street, both for the Rare Main project and for 210 Parker Street. and a lot of the other projects in the city need a new transformer. Even city hall is getting a new transformer because we can't handle the electrical load that we have here right now. Um so that's one of the reasons why we want to get uh moving on that one right now.
We're in the stage right now of coordinating with national grid on when that takes place is there's an 18 to 24 month turnaround time between order and delivery of the uh transformer that's there. We did begin this process with them 6 months ago. Uh so we're hoping uh
that we're closer to that 18th um month turnaround rather than that 24 because we already began uh conversations with them. There is an existing transformer right there right now. It's just it's small. So this would upgrade the system that's there too. But that work has not yet started right now because we're still in preliminary work with National
Grid. if in I mean not even if when that project does eventually happen that will cause some disruptions to the building because we will have to shut the electricity off for a day in order for all the wires to get uh installed but a lot of the pre-work before connection can be done while the building's in operation because you're not the the
actual connection in the end where you have to shut the power off is uh the the disruption there too. So, we'll try to get as much work as we can done before that actually happens in the end. And that happened when we installed the new transformer at Gardener High School uh 3 or 4 years ago.
>> Thank you. Any questions, guys? >> Okay. Uh I just have um so the current electrical capacity, so we have to get a transformer because we need more electrical capacity. Does the current electrical capacity support
um all of the uses that are planned even though there's this delay of the transformer that we've been trying to pursue for 6 months and maybe 18 to 24 like is everything going to be supported without that? >> Yes. Okay. >> Yes. So, we've got enough to support what's currently there. Um what we want to make sure though is that if we're we're future proofing the building, if
you will. So, for instance, if we were to add an elevator to the twotory wing, we wouldn't be able to do that right now on the existing 800 amp service. If we finalized the lease of the one-story wing right now as it is right now, if someone was to just come in and use the space as it is right there, there'd be
enough electricity that's there. If they were to build it out and add a bunch of tech to it and put a bunch of screens and everything, there may not be. Uh, so it's one of those things that we're making ourselves so we're not playing catch-up later on down the line when we have the building in full occupational use to its Cadillac standard, if you will. Um, but right now we're okay.
>> Thank you. Okay, go ahead. Uh the roof repair, there were $6,000 set aside from the unused bond proceeds uh to help patch the roof as leaks came up. There's been two leaks that we patched. Um there have been about $2,000 from this account expended right now, but we really kind of use this on a rolling basis as the
leaks arise. Um you'll see ahead in a couple of uh bullet points. Uh the last one in the uh project's not yet started. We talked about the solar installation on the roof. when that project moves through, we are planning on doing a full roof replacement as part of that project that's done as a lease holder
improvement. Um, so that's why we only have $6,000 set aside for patching rather than looking at a full-time replacement because when that project happens, we're hoping to not have to worry about that anymore, but at least gets us through what we need to do right now for our tenants that are in the building.
>> Okay. Uh the just on the roof repair is um is that $6,000 going to be sufficient, you know, for anything moving forward >> until we get to the part where we replace the roof? I believe so based on what we're seeing now. Uh where we've
only spent $2,000 out of it currently. That does give us that little cushion on the end because we're just patching with that right now. Um and it's really a lot of the patching that had to be done was because we had to install a new vent. So, there was work that had to be done around where that vent was installed and we had to drill through the roof. Um,
the roof overall right now is pretty stable and secure. Um, we have, like I said, probably three threeish leaks that we've patched uh with it. So, I'm hoping it's sufficient. You never know what's going to come out of the sky in a given year, and you never know what the weight of all the snow that we've received recently is going to do. Uh, but we're
monitoring it as close as we can, and if we need more, that'd be something we'd have to come to the council for. >> Great. Okay. Thank you. And then is the what is the roof replacement plan? like is there one you know for when it's needed like when it would start what that would entail you what's and maybe
you're going to hit on it but >> yeah I'm going to hit on that with the the solar step in fact I can just do the solar stuff now if that's easier >> yeah sure >> um because it's all related to it and I probably should have put that immediately after it um in 2022 the council did approve the lease to be declared surplus the roof to be declared surplus for the
purpose of installing a photovoltaic solar array that's fancy way of just saying we're putting solar panels on the roof um that's been stalled because national grids at I believe at the last meeting we talked about national grids transmission issues where uh they're looking on installing infrastructure to send power from central and western mass
out to the greater Boston area because we're producing too much power in west in central and western mass than what we're using here but we don't have the ability to ship that out somewhere where they actually need the increased electricity that's why a lot of the solar projects on residential homes uh and commercial projects like these are
have been put on hold this building has been approved for a pilot program with national grid where basically instead of sending the electricity immediately back out into the grid, which is what most solar panels do, the electricity is going to be powering the building itself. So, it's almost creating a
self-sufficient building in terms of electricity and then sending any uh over electricity produced in the summertime back out to the grid. So, it's just that little bit that's going out. Um or if there's a need for electricity on top of that, we have the electricity coming in
from the grid itself. Um, in order for this project to move forward, there'd be a couple additional steps that have to be taken aside from the council already declaring the roof surplus. The next step that would have to be done is for us to actually enter into a lease
agreement with um a company for the purpose of installing those solar panels. Now, because this is being done through the power options portion of the general law, this isn't something that has to go out to bid. So, we've been working with Select Energy on those there, too, to finalize their plans. I want to see their full proposal before I
put a lease agreement up uh before the city council, but that would actually have to be a full lease agreement that we'd be put before the city council for your approval like we do with any other leases that we give to the city. And that quite frankly, any other tenant leases that are in the building themselves, they basically become an additional tenant just on the roof instead of in the building. Um and then
part of that lease that's allowed by the general law because it's a 20 plus year lease uh that uh in lie of a lease payment you can do a a lease holder improvement just like you can do if you own an apartment there too that if you fix your sink you can deduct that from your rent. If they fix the roof they can deduct that from their rent too. Uh so
part of the option uh the process right there would be for them before they put the solar panels on. And it's an incentive for them too because then if any repairs need to be made to the roof, they have to take the panels off in order to make the repair to the roof and then put the panels back on. Um is to uh have them go through and put a brand new
roof on the building and then put the solar panels on on top of that. >> Because if there's any issues with the roof, the the panels are on it. They may they put the roof down, but they don't want to have to repair. >> Correct. >> Yeah. Exactly. And if they if any time that they have to take the panels off the building is time that they're not producing electricity, so they're not
making money on their end either at that point. So, it's one of those things that uh helps them out to make sure that everything underneath the panels is up to par. >> Thank you. Uh, and so I think you addressed it there, but I I had a question about um the annual energy
savings once that the solar panels were operational. But from what you just explained about the pilot, >> it sounds like it will, like you said, the um the solar panels will basically produce the electricity for the building. Like
it all just goes in a cycle, >> correct? >> It's just kind of recycled into the building. So, is that the cost savings is that we don't need to pay for electricity anymore? >> Correct. Now, we may there may be some in the winter months when the snow's on the panels that we may have to pay electricity to national grid at that point, but the goal is to make the building as self-sufficient as possible.
>> So, if during the summertime it's, you know, 90° for many a couple of weeks and there's just full sun all day every day for two weeks and it builds up a ton of it in the system and it's not used, say, for the rest of that summer and fall.
when we hit winter then then do you know does that then that just stays in there until it's used kind of a thing >> it becomes a credit to us from national grid so that power >> you can apply that credit in the winter time correct and so that's a self-sufficiency you're talking about yes so basically that is the cost savings correct
>> and that's how it works that answers my question thank you >> which will come up in the last section of this letter >> right right um >> uh the floor upgrades was the next section um that uh really hasn't started much it. Um there's areas in the entrances of the building where there
were rugs that were down by the front doors. If we had to take the doors out, we had to rip the rugs out. So there's some holes in the floors that we just have to replace with that one there, too. Um and then just there's some additional, you know, cracked tiles and things like that that we have to take, you know, address. Uh so none of that has started yet, too. We're waiting for
all of the upper work to be done uh before we start putting the floors and it doesn't make sense to for us to put in a new floor just to go dig it up after that. So the flooring is probably going to be the last thing that's done in the building. >> Okay. >> Yeah. You don't vacuum before you dust. >> Yeah,
>> I learned I learned that many years ago in an apartment. I was like, I did all this cleaning and now I have to vacuum again. Okay. Um just an aside. Okay, so that um that's floor upgrades. Any questions on that, counselor? No. Okay, we'll move to front ramp replacement.
>> Uh this is something that is an ongoing uh item that we're looking at. Uh we applied for a grant from the Massachusetts Office of Disability to redo the entire front entryway of the community center. We weren't awarded that grant last year. Uh but we are looking for additional ways to fund that project. Uh it was about $145,000 would
get us not only the front ramp but actually a concrete loop around the portion of the building. So that it would be a a ramp entryway into Growing Places area into the CAC's side door by the food pantry into the front entryway and then an extended ramp over at the senior center. That was the $145,000
that was there. Um, we weren't awarded the grant, so we're going to be applying again. We did get some feedback from the Massachusetts Office of Disability on why the grant didn't receive as many points as other people did. Uh, so we're utilizing that moving forward and finding whether it's this grant or any other opportunities that we have funding for that could help fund
this in the future. >> Okay. And was it um our disability commission consulted on this? >> Uh, this was something that uh they hadn't been consulted on yet. when it got to the actual point of the full planning and design, that's when we would bring them in. Um, that was where we got dinged on the application. So, by
consulting them now ahead of time, it is going to be something that, you know, hopefully we'll be able to get some additional points on that. >> Okay. So, the disability commission will be consulted. That'll be written in writing and then you'll be able to uh submit that with the grant >> with the application. >> Okay. Grant application. Okay. And so,
is there another funding source plan for this 45? >> We're still looking for some right now. There's a couple options that we think could work out there. I just I'm not comfortable assigning one or another just yet until the rest of the homework's done on it. >> Okay. Are they grant options or Yes. Are they Okay. So, they would be other grants that we would apply for. So,
there's no other funding option besides that that cuz cuz to me this is something that like this needs to be done before the building can be accessible open. >> There is one non-grant option that we're looking into right now. I just it's still too early on for me to say that there's a concrete plan for it. um with
regard to some of the projects that have come in under budget that we've had reassigned loan funds for um if that's something that we take a look at. But right now, I just want to make sure that um all of the eyes are dotted and teased are cross on all of the projects that have been assigned proceeds from the surplus that was over at the new school before we start reassigning the funds
after that. >> Understood. Thank you. And I I just would think though that this is something that this could halt opening and even if the building could be opened and there's different entrances and all these other things, >> it's something that's very obviously right in the front of the building of people. And so >> to me that that's just it's
>> it's just not friendly to do that and we don't want to have to be addressing it or we want to make sure we address it if that ends up being the case. But this is something that obviously it's a huge cost. um you're looking into it, but to me it's it's a big priority in terms of
when there are, you know, full tenants in that building and um it's it's just important. So, I think that's clear, but I just wanted to be sure that um I understood if there was other sources cuz you had said the >> um we've tried, but we have to get some else. >> I think I said in my inaugural Oh, you
cut you off. I'm sorry. No, I'm good. >> Um I think I said in my inaugural address that the 8 million that we thought we were under budget ended up being 10 million. So that's some of the area that we're seeing if if there's room in what we have in that surplus there. >> But again, that all requires council approval, too. >> Thank you.
>> Okay. Um any more on the solar installation on the roof? >> Uh not more than what I said before. >> Okay. Um and so the building budget, >> uh this is just as a heads up, uh because we just talked about the electricity with the solar panels. So that's why I really wanted to highlight
this here too of um right now the uh energy and utilities. So these are all the bills that we pay to National Grid and Unatil because the building is a GA natural gas building for heat right now with the pneumatic system and uh national grid for electric. Uh where uh in the red $26,000 it originally had a
budget of $80,000 right now. Um that's just in that one line item. There is still $69,000 remaining in the full dep uh buildings budget that's there. So it's not like the full buildings in the red. Uh, but it's just one of those I wanted to highlight that we are tracking the energy and utility cost of that. And that's one of the reasons why we're
looking at things like the solar, the mini splits, uh, the improved plumbing and more efficiency fixtures that are there uh, to make sure we're buttoning up those costs so that this trend doesn't continue to happen. This is really a trend that was happening all the way back from when it was a school until now. um with the uh the overages
in energy and utilities and yes the prices have gone up uh some a fair amount in most cases uh especially with the colder weather that we had especially at the beginning of February uh but it is something that we're tracking and it's the reason why we're looking at all these other efficiency upgrades so I thought that that would be another good bullet point
to put in there you counselor questions uh so I had a couple questions on this as well Um, so we're assuming that there isn't going to continue to be an energy deficit at the school because there's all these other upgrades.
>> Should it grow, are we going to have to reduce other line items? You know, is there other things that we we we would have to not fund or not pay for or, you know, kind of because we'd have to pay for this energy that we're hoping >> Yeah.
>> gets reduced. You know what I'm saying? Like and and it will if all this other work is done. we would think, >> but we still have to pay for those things if especially if we have tenants in there. >> Correct. >> Best the best practice when you do energy costs saving measures like that is for the next three fiscal years, you maintain the budget you had before those upgrades were made. That way you make
sure you at least have the cushion of you've got the money that was in there needed before these upgrades are made is so that if something happens and something doesn't work right, you've got the money that's there to at least cover a full year uh worth of bills um without having to dip in other places too. So that probably be the practice that we do even after the solar panels are put in,
the new plumbing fixtures are installed, the new mini splits are in there, that at least for a period of 3 years, we maintain the budget at what it was to make sure that we're act we're covering what we need to cover in any event uh in case malfunctions occur, which could happen anytime you newly install anything. >> Great. Okay, thank you. And there's
and this is kind of for the whole thing, but this because this is budget related. I just want to ask this question because there's there's a lot of information in this report that is like this is this this is what this is being budgeted for. This is how it's being budgeted or this is cost savings, whatever it is. I think it would be really helpful if we had
some type of just like a budget table for the Waterford Community Center that was like, you know, each of the areas and and what's being budgeted, what the funding source is, where it's coming from, all those things. just so it's clear, it's helpful for us as counselors if people ask about these things, I think it's probably also helpful for your office. But
>> I just I find with this, you know, being um public information, I just if it could just be kind of sum up in some type of table, so we could just go in and say like, okay, this is from, you know, this is where this goes and this changed from last time. Here's what we paid for. That
kind of a thing. Um, just because it is section to section, it's a lot of jumping around and and if it was all in one spot because it is all for the same project, I think it would be helpful. So, I'd just like to request if we could have that in the next report. >> For sure. >> Um, but I don't have any other questions about >> anything else here. Anything else that
you wanted to add? >> The only last thing is is that we've already begun conversations with the farmers market for them to utilize the front lawn as they have there the past two years. They really like the spot and that'll be moving forward, too. >> Great. Thank you. And do we have people mowing the lawn? >> Yes, sir. >> Yes, we do.
because that was an issue last summer. So, we want to make sure that we're we're taking care of our our farmers when we do. >> Um, this is probably something that'll be highlighted in next month's because we don't have the official plan yet because of how much snow is out on the ground. So, we couldn't do it yet. Um, we've said in a couple meetings, but just to add it to here, too, we are going to be moving the playground
equipment that is on the twotory wing side of uh Waterford to Bigford Playground at Southg Gardener. Um the playground equipment that's behind the old superintendent's office is going to stay because there are a lot of neighborhood kids who do utilize that playground, but a lot of people aren't
using the one on the other side. Uh the playground equipment at Bigfford is, you know, smaller in terms of scale of the amount of equipment that's there and in the quality of the equipment that's there. So, we are planning on moving that over and then extending the parking lot out into that space there too. So, it'll add a couple of additional spaces. >> Is there a timeline for that?
>> Summer, I'd say. Yeah. >> Yeah. just we and nothing will be done until the snow melts. >> Sure. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Anything else on this item? Okay. So, I would just say um as I mentioned earlier, we have a calendar basically for the year kind of these meetings
depending any changes or any things that pop up. But this will be a monthly update. So, if we can get the written update well in advance so it can go into the packet um >> for this item for each monthly update, then we'll able to review it ahead of time. um because I found that helpful
for me to be able to do today. >> Uh and that way it's all in there ready to go. So, thank you for that. >> The next update should be full of trade work, I'm guessing. >> That would be exciting. Awesome. Thank you. Okay. Um
so uh the next item is in subcommittee item 11772 an ordinance to amend the code of the city of gardener chapter 675 thereof entitled zoning to remove article 9 thereof entitled signs in advertising
devices and move it to a new non-zoning chapter to be numbered chapter 665. Mr. Mayor, >> thank you madam chair. Uh this is uh again we talked about this the last time moving the sign ordinance right now out of zoning into a regular ordinance so it has a little more flexibility for people to be more business friendly. Um this is
something that again if moved on from the committee to the council would require a public hearing. Um so we have begun talking to a lot of the people and business owners who have dealt with some of these issues in the past so we can get their perspectives together as to what may need to be changed. The issue uh with you know getting into full
specifics now is that the item isn't amending the actual ordinance itself. It's changing the process of amendment and changing the way that we can work to make it more flexible in a phase two of this. But having this in a phase one makes that process substantially easier. Uh so we are working right now with the
different um I'll call them impacted past impacted parties uh to put together basically testimonials of these are the issues I had. This was the, you know, after investing millions in a business to open up in gardener, I then got, you know,
stuck because my sign was too tall or not big enough or was lit up and it's, you know, I want my people to see my business at night, but now I can't have a lit up sign at the same time. Uh, so we're working on getting all of those together there, too. So, that's really the only update since the last meeting that we've had on this item. >> Thank you. So, I um Is there any
comments or questions? >> No, I think it's a great idea. myself for many years had a business in South Gardener and as we know um I requested to have a couple things down there and I was denied >> and it would be nice to see that grow down there
>> as is anywhere else in the city. >> Thank you councelor. >> I uh so I just want to be clear. So this is just to move this from one this is an administrative move right now. >> Correct. um so that you can move forward in
pursuing the conversations that you're having to eventually um edit the actual ordinance. >> Um so I think from the information we got at our last meeting, I'm comfortable with that's what the action is of this. I have no other questions. I think it's
pretty clear. Uh, and so this would um so I think the the motion that I would make is um to recommend to the full council um to because we're not
adopting the organs, we're amending the basically we I want to make sure that we are moving it correct. So well so this is an ordinance to move it is what it is. >> Correct. >> Okay. So then the recommendation of the council would be to adopt the ordinance as amended. >> Yes. Cuz well the ordinance amends the
code. So it' be to adopt the ordinance. >> Oh to amend the code because Yeah. >> amending the code moves it. >> Correct. >> Okay. Yeah. >> So I'm going to make a motion to recommend uh to the full council to adopt the ordinance. >> Y second. >> Any discussion? All those in favor? I.
All those opposed? No. Motion passes. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Okay. >> Uh item 11454 and item 11746. Uh these two items would be reports from uh director Jason Stevens from the
department of community development and planning. Uh he was going to be here today, but there was another meeting that had been scheduled at this time that um I felt that it was fine that he had to that meeting. I also did speak with him ahead of this meeting and um as
we talked item 11454 a report on investigation of the Mackie Park project uh the status stands as it did at the last meeting because we're really just waiting for the weather to change. Um that project is almost closed out but at the request of director Stevens and at
the uh at the recommendation of the council we wanted to keep this item on here until the project is absolutely closed. So, if there's no objection, we'll keep this item on the calendar for the next meeting. And then item 11746, upcoming community development projects. Uh, Director Stevens gave a
comprehensive overview of all of the items that he provided within his report to us at the last meeting. Um, he tried to keep it high level, but he went into detail because there was a lot on that list. It was our first meeting of the year, so he wanted to be sure that he touched upon all of them. I did speak
with him on that. Um, he he doesn't have any substant substantial updates. There were a couple of the projects he was going to um give us some information on, but uh again, we'll keep this on we're going to keep this kind of standing on the calendar as it is so that he's able
to speak on any of the projects and we don't have to kind of just pick and choose and put a specific item on every single agenda. We kind of have it open so that we can continue to receive those updates. So, um if there's no objection, we'll keep this item on the calendar as
well. Okay? And if there isn't anything else on the topics of this meeting, I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> Make a motion to adjurnn. >> Second. All those in favor say I. >> I. Those post say no. Motion passes. Meeting stands adjourned. Thank you everyone. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you, Michael. >> Yes.