WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=iw6fyHVgdIE

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: iw6fyHVgdIE):
- 00:00:00: Meeting Opening, Agenda, and Minutes Review/Approval
- 00:01:39: Monthly Community Center Update: Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC
- 00:05:57: Sign-Off Process, ADA Compliance and Further Building Needs
- 00:07:49: HVAC Work, Concrete Work, and Senior Center Door
- 00:10:28: Ramps and Parking Lot Resurfacing Funding Discussions
- 00:13:24: Climate Control for Historical Archives Discussion
- 00:16:21: Fire Alarm Upgrades, Sprinkler System Plan, Building Tenancy
- 00:20:51: Quarterly Community Development and Planning Department Update
- 00:21:39: Rear Main Street Revitalization Project Progress and Costs
- 00:26:55: Rear Main Project Land Acquisition and Mackie Park Updates
- 00:30:45: Mackie Park Bike Rack and Ramp Accessibility Questions
- 00:32:15: North Central Pathway, Pearly Culvert: Mass Trails Grant
- 00:34:57: National Grid's Culvert Response Time Concerns
- 00:41:16: Addressing National Grid's Communication Delays and Accountability
- 00:51:46: Master Plan, Hazard Mitigation, Surplus Property Plans
- 00:55:01: Gardener Redevelopment Authority & Summit Industrial Park
- 00:56:55: Community Development Block Grant Administration and Outcomes
- 01:02:05: Small Business Support and Vacant Storefront Program Updates
- 01:07:55: Mackie Park Projects and Upcoming Community Development Projects
- 01:08:27: Overlase Playground Upgrades and Council Grant Approval
- 01:10:18: Public Feedback on Overlase Equipment: Engaging the Community
- 01:13:25: South Gardener Project Notice and Public Park Feedback
- 01:18:15: Meeting Adjournment


Part: 1

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March 25th, 2026 economic human development committee meeting to order. The clerk will please call a role. >> Councelor Kazinskus, >> present. >> Councelor Harder, >> present. >> Councelor Heath, present. >> Thank you. Announcement of open meeting recordings. Um, the notice is posted on

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the wall. Anyone here recording the meeting other than staff? No one else is recording the meeting. We begin with a review and approval of the meeting minutes February 25th, 2026 to March 11th, 2026. Company. >> Uh, yes. I'd like to make a motion to

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wave the reading of the minutes and accept them as presented. >> Second. Motion made by councelor Heath, seconded by councelor Harder to wave the reading of the minutes accept them as presented. Is there any discussion? The only thing that I have is in the February 25th, 2026 minutes um where

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it's talks in in the this isn't the minutes of the meeting, it's in the submission. So the Waterford um community update where it has the historic commission piece, it says historic achieved. I think it's supposed to say historic archive. >> Yeah, >> it says it twice in there. So, I just

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wanted to make sure that could get modified um so um before they get printed because that's pretty obvious. Um but besides that, the minutes themselves were fine for me. >> Any further discussion? All those in

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favor say I. I. >> I. Those are no. Motion passes. We have no first time on the agenda item. We'll begin with the monthly work for community center update from the mayor. We did have uh the written update commu uh communicated to us that's in the

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packet for the meeting ahead of time which the mayor will be doing at these meetings. Um so we have that to review, but I'll let the mayor go ahead. >> Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Uh the work last week that was done over at the community center as part of the trade week that we kind of informally called

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it uh last week uh last update that we had uh is uh basically complete. I just talked to um Nate Morse, owner of Morse Electric and Plumbing uh this morning just as a follow-up. Uh we talked yesterday for a little bit and then finalized everything again this morning. Uh so just to go through the letter that

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was submitted too that does reference that there are going to be a couple additional updates just based on the conversations that we had because this was submitted last Thursday and they worked through Friday. Um that there was a lot of work that was done. They replaced all the plumbing fixtures in six of the eight bathrooms. The eight that didn't get uh new updates were the

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newer bathrooms that were installed probably uh 3 years ago and those are the single occupant bathrooms. Uh so the other six that are in the building are the full public bathrooms that have multiple stalls and additional uh fixtures, multiple sinks, multiple urinals, all of those there too. So

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those that's why the other two weren't touched is that they were only newly installed a couple years ago. So those were already all set. Uh we also couldn't have people in the building if it there wasn't at least one working bathroom, which is why we kind of did those two single-use bathrooms first before we went into these so that we

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would still have some operating fixtures and wouldn't have to fully close down the building. Uh so that was done. The uh electrical room panels uh and the wiring, the twotory wing uh has been fully updated. Uh if people remember back in the old Waterford Street School

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days, uh each classroom had their own breaker panel in order to turn the lights on and off. Those have now since been switched uh to regular light switches uh both for safety reasons and for longevity of the system itself uh to make sure that that can uh move forward.

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Uh the installation of the refrigeration piping, the HVAC control wiring in the two-story wing has also uh been completed. Uh the outdoor condenser units have fully been installed. Uh and then uh the uh some new industrial sump pumps were priorly

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installed in the basement. And there are some filtration filters that have been installed over those pipes just because the high amount of silt in the air to prevent any future clogging uh of those pipes uh basically future proofing us to make sure that we're ready for no matter what comes in the future. Uh the update

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since last week, the electrical is 100% done uh in the twotory wings. That means all of the head units for the mini splits are fully now connected. Uh the plumbing is about 99% done. uh when they were working in the lower uh woman's room of the twotory wing, uh there was

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one pipe that had a leak. Uh so uh Morris went in and repaired the leak, but in order to do so, they had to remove one of the cement uh cinder blocks that is in the wall. Uh so in uh they can't install one of the toilet fixtures until a mason comes in and fixes that one cinder block. Uh so they

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are currently in the process of scheduling that mason to come in so that once that's in, settled, dried, they can then hook that last toilet up. Uh but all of the flushometers have fully been installed and all of the fixtures. Um uh and that's really the only thing that's left is the uh the brick getting in that

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last flushometer and toilet being installed. And then all of the plumbing will uh be done in the two-story wing uh of the building and in the uh bathroom on the singlestory side as well. That was the other bathroom that was in uh upgraded as well. That makes all of those restrooms fully ADA compliant. Uh

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the reason why all of those restrooms needed to get done and new fixtures installed is because none of the stalls were wide enough to fit uh modern ADA needs. So you actually couldn't fit a wheelchair into the stalls when it was the former Waterford Street School. Uh so we've eliminated one of the fixtures in each of the bath each of the bathrooms, expanded the stall sizes to

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meet current uh requirements. Uh and that makes it so they are now fully accessible bathrooms meeting all code requirements that are there. Uh and making it so that once that last flushometer is installed, the bricks installed, the last toilets installed, we'll be fully compliant in everything plumbing wise in that section of the

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building and in the singlestory side next to the former preschool wing uh of the building. So those all the bathroom structures are going to be complete once that last bit is done. >> Okay. And is there anything further that um that the um they would need to do in

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there? um with like what that Morris would need to do. >> No. >> In the whole building. >> Well, this other than so the electrical is done. They have to do that. There's some HVAC work that I'm going to get to in the next section. Um and then they're going to just double check. They're going to do monthly checkups on the uh sump pumps in the crawl space uh just to

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make sure that the filters are working the right way. >> Okay. And then who uh goes in to say this is signed off, this is done, this cuz the building is an older building. There's clearly things in there structurally that maybe were fine, you know, 100 years ago, but now may not be

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for there to be people in there using it for different purposes, especially like with with bathrooms, you know, that are fun so long ago. >> Is there who signs off and says like yes, people can occupy this building and use this building? And >> so all of this work is subject to the inspectors. So the electrical work by

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the electrical inspector, all of this work in the bathrooms, the new toilet sinks, everything is subject to an inspection by the plumbing inspector and then the building commission will go in and make sure everything fits the what they needs for a full occupancy certificate. >> Okay. And did was there any like was there any like pre um like

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pre-insspection like you know what I mean to have them go in and do all this work and then have it's like oh inspection. Well, what if they go and inspect it and say hey you should have done all of this this way. You know what I mean? That's what >> Yeah. There's inspections that happen before everything's closed off in the wall to make sure it's all in set. All of this is reviewed beforehand in the

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plans that's uh you know reviewed by uh people in the building department, the correct inspectors. >> Okay. So, we have something from our building department before all this work was done that says this is the work that needs to be done to make this compliant. Yes. >> To make the building occupied. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Those are all my questions or any other

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questions, comments from the committee on that part of it. >> No. Um the only comment Thank you chair. Sorry. Uh the only uh comment I had was basically I like the fact of going you know thoughts of the solar and everything else has to look into it.

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>> Um I just I really like that. That's all what's going inside of it >> and everything else. So I think that's great. >> Great. That's >> anything further. Go ahead. >> Uh for the HVAC um so we talked about how the electrical to the head units and the mini splits have been connected. Uh

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the outdoor piping has to be connected to basically connect the mini splits to the outdoor condensers that were installed. Uh so that still has to be done. Uh that's expected to be done this coming Monday. Uh and then after that they have to pressure test the system. Uh so basically what happens in that case is that one of the plumbers comes

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out basically puts creates a vacuum within the pipes. Um and then it's pressure tested. So he sets the bathroom, comes back in a couple hours, checks all the system to make sure everything's uh still pressurized, then leaves and comes back in a couple hours, make sure everything's all pressurized, then leaves and comes back. Uh and

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that's just part of the regular installation process for these types of units. Uh so that is scheduled for next week. Uh and uh aside from that, we are uh that's pretty much the work that was uh done last week as part of the quote

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trade week um for the building. the um when the plumbing is done and the HVAC is fully completed, I'll be sure to update that in next month's uh update because they should be finalized by then based on the timelines that we're getting uh from Morse. Uh and we are right now working on the uh estimates

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for redoing the full concrete work outside the building. I mentioned that at the last update that we had and I've included in the packet this time just forformational purposes uh the proposed scope of work and the opinion of probable cost that Taiin Bond Engineering has provided uh to the city for that type of work being done uh just

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so that when it does come down the line it's a conversation that at least you already have information on. Um, so while we're reviewing the various different opportunities out there for funding for this project, because it is really something that is critical to getting the building open, is making sure all the ramps are uh fully compliant and everything's done the

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right way. Uh that you know uh what's happening there. Uh the only other work that's been done at the building uh is if you drive by the uh what will be the senior center, you'll notice there's a big plywood wall up where the door used to be. Uh the um grocery store style

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sliding door is set to be installed within the next couple of probably within about a month. Uh but they've taken the old door out to start the prep work that they need to do to be done uh in there. So you'll see actually the width of what that door will look like if you drive by now.

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>> Thank you. Any questions, comments from the committee? >> Okay. Um I have a couple of questions uh just based off of um some of the things that you just shared. Uh so when

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I'm sorry I just want to make sure I have the right here. Um so when the like the ramps and everything is installed, you had you had also included information about um doing the parking

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lots, the resurfacing of the parking lots. Yes. >> Uh what is is that built into the budget? Like what what is >> that's we're also looking for opportunities. So I'm glad you said that. I forgot that part. Um we're looking to see how much we got the estimate that it would be 91,000. >> Uh we're looking to see what opportunities are out there for grant

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funding for uh different locations like these. If there's other uh funding opportunities that we have, it's not included in the regular operating budget of the city to uh repave our municipal parking lots. Uh but there are some opportunities out there that we could look for for this. Um, and this would include paving where the current

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playground is on the two-story wing that we're moving the playground equipment to Bigford Park uh in South Gardener. So, we're adding a couple additional spaces there as well. Um, so that's where we get the 91,000 number from. We're just looking for what pot of money that's going to come out of there, too. But again, when we get the building fully

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open and operational, we want to make sure we're doing as much disruptive work before the public's going into the building, so we don't have to close the building after it's already been opened, do the work, and then reopen the building again. Well, and I think too with the paving, it's it's clear the parking lot clearly needs to be resurfaced anyways, but I just feel like

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for safety, if it's a senior center, you like you said, doing all the work at the same time, to me, that would be a priority. Obviously, the inside the building needs to be done first, but to me, it's was just like if you're going to have the ramps and all of that for safety, having an unsafe parking lot doesn't make any sense. I I certainly

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understand how much paving cost. Um, so the $91,000 wasn't a surprise to me, but I just know that uh that's To me, I the fact that you said you were looking into funding sources for it is important, but also like to me we it has to be funded because it's before anything can be

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open. So, I'm glad that it's a conversation now. Um cuz it's a lot of money. So, >> one of the reasons we've kind of kept it till the conversation is now is there's been so many construction trucks going into work in the building that we didn't want to pave something brand new, just have a bunch of heavy equipment trucks

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go over and then rip up and damage the new pavement. So, the fact that we're getting to this point now is actually almost a light at the end of the tunnel to say that there's a lot of work that has been done. There's a lot of work that's getting near completion that we can start to have these conversations for now. Um, the ramp would have to be done before the pavement's done just

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because if we're digging up the old concrete outside, then we're also going to be having to dig up a little bit of the asphalt around it. Um, so the pavement really is the last bow on the top for the first stage. Uh, and really a lot of our focus has been on the two-story wing just because that's where the senior center is going. Um, so there

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is some work that we know needs to be done in uh the future historical archives uh that um Mr. Nelli has uh been in contact with the building commissioner and I on and just making sure that there's some climate control systems and things like that that we can now start to bring our attention to uh since this large chunk of the work is

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now nearing completion. >> And would the climate control systems be done through Morris? Would that be something they could do while they're in there doing other contracted work >> there? That's certainly something that could be done. they do have the on call contract with the city that just they're capped at 150,000 a year. Um, so it's all just depends on how we fit into that

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dollar time frame there and the bidding laws and everything like that. But that is something a conversation we're having. >> Well, I think it's something that I've worked into the timeline because I would assume once this seemed I mean Mr. Agnel, if I may, you're >> you're you're already in there doing work like you're already you already

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have in the building. You already have your materials in there in the space that that you're going to be occupying. Correct. We have some material >> some, right? So, we would want to get that climate control to to me when the senior center spot is ready to be open.

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They're already in there, you know, being able to utilize the space. I would want their space to be complete as well. I just think that would make the most sense. >> Um, >> so the climate I'm assuming whatever materials you have in there isn't isn't climate control sensitive at this point.

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>> That's correct. However, I might add the Couple of weeks ago, a local business uh was able to put in new valves on the two heating units that are located in the area where we store the garden and some

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other items. And it's brought the temperature down from an average of 80° to 60° currently and the humidity went from 30% to 50% in my recent visits. I'm going down there later this morning as well. So, it is improved. However, the

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long term, you know, is to get those uh units placed so we can keep temperature control so it's then safe to bring there are many items here that are stored in the city hall uh among the departments that are old records that they just don't have the room and they're not in

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the best places right now to get those down there. But I certainly like to see this climate control installed. And there's another room off of the existing the old boys room I'll call the nurses room under Waterford uh that we'd like to use which we do have but that does

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need some work and a bit of security uh has to be taken care of first locks and doors because it's kind of space the area that's utilized also by going places. So that's another question that will be addressed down the road whether or not that entire area can be assigned

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to the archives. But again that is a a topic that we have not resolved yet. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Uh so that was just my question there is if if they're going to be in there doing work as soon as it's related to that >> then you know if you have the climate

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controlled space would they be in there to do the same? I mean, it might be a conversation we're starting just because if >> if if it's kind of getting that section of the building open first, >> you know, I would just hope that they would have >> of course >> be able to move their things in there and keep keep moving as well.

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>> Yeah. >> Um Okay. And then my last question is, is there so we there's fire alarm upgrades and wiring right in the in the building because there is already a tenant in there as well. Is there um any

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talks of like a sprinkler system or is that required for the building? Do we have any pre-information about that? >> We do. We do. So, the uh the CDBG um a grant that the city received, not to double the G on the the acronym, um did

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provide some funding uh to move forward with uh some electrical work to upgrade the fire alarm system. There is a fire alarm system already in the building. I want to make that clear that there there seems to be um you know a question that we get asked a lot is is there a fire alarm at all? Yes, there is. We wouldn't have been able to have a school had

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there not been a fire alarm in that building to begin with. Does it need to be upgraded? Yes. Are there sprinklers currently in the building? No. But that is something that uh talking to the building commissioner, talking to the fire chief projecting out where we would need to be. Um we're probably looking at a 5 to 10 year goal of installing some

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type of sprinkler system in that building. It's not something that's an immediate requirement. We uh the life safety requirements that we've been um advised on by the chief and the building commissioner are that we just need to get, you know, some type of alarm system in there. There is an alarm system in there that works. We're upgrading it

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just to make it a little better, but building toward an eventual sprinkler system in that building. Preliminary estimates right now of installing a sprinkler system in the building at around $1.1 million. Uh preliminary estimates of upgrading a full fire alarm system in the building is around $460,000.

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Um, but the system that's in there now does work. It is a working fire alarm system. We're just looking to upgrade it. >> Thank you. And so you said it's not an immediate requirement. So like because it was a school without a sprinkler system. So that was where I went and I understand it is not a school anymore. And that does change when you take

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something out from being a school to being a municipal building. Um, and I'm sure there's other buildings in plenty of cities like our that don't have sprinkler systems, but I just because we are upgrading and changing. I didn't know if that would now be a requirement or something that we would have to have

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to add into the building. Um, so it not being an immediate requirement, is it something that they required that you have to have a plan for this like? >> Yeah, we have to show that we have a plan that we're working toward it and that we do and we generally are. >> Yes. >> Okay, those are all my questions. Thank you very much. Anything else from the committee?

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>> Oh, yeah. Actually, just >> if you if I may, chair, um, I know we have a couple tenants. How many is there still room for other businesses? Yes. >> And about how many can >> I mean the the single story wing is all

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available. Um the reason why we haven't looked at doing the upper story of the twotory wing is just because it doesn't have an elevator. Uh so it can't be anything that's public facing because then you have to provide ADA compliance uh to it which we don't have because there's no way that's not stairs to get up to the second floor. Um, so right now

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the really the spot that's available is the entirety of the one-story wing >> and the twotory wing the senior center would only be going on the first floor because there's no elevator. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> And is there any potential interest of

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what can go up there >> into the single story or the second floor? >> The second floor obviously. >> I mean there's certainly people have reached out saying that they're interested in things. Um, an elevator is probably going to cost us around 780,000 if we wanted to put one in. Um, and that

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might be a little low. Uh, so that's one of the things that really we haven't even considered many things for that second floor just because we don't have the elevator there. Um, there's a lot of work that would have to be done to install an elevator there. Is there a space for it? Absolutely. Do we know where it could go? Yes, we do. And I think we've got the spot for it. Uh,

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it's just one of those things that until we have the funding, it's not really something that we can feasibly move forward with at this time. And there's no there's no businesses that you have we would have to have an elevator there for anything like >> anything that's public facing. So if it's an office that the public's not

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visiting, then you could have someone in there. >> Uh if there's a uh an office that requires people going to a counter, people visiting or doing some type of meeting that the public's regularly invited to, we would have to have the elevator there. Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to consider it. >> Okay.

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>> Further questions, comments? >> Great. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. >> Thank you. Thank you, Madam >> Chair. Moving on to item four, quarterly community development and planning department update. We have um our department head

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here, Dr. Stevens. Um for the economic development in economic and um planning department, um go ahead. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, I'll just go through kind of project by project that the department's been

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working on and leave time for questions uh between uh just for the sake of >> um >> excuse me just one second. And for the the public watching uh the director is doing quarterly updates and did provide this in writing in our packet. So we did have this information ahead of time but

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um that's what he will be going for. I just wanted everyone watching. Go ahead. >> Starting off with the rear main street rear revitalization project. Um this continues to represent probably one of the most significant uh impacts for infrastructure improvements of public

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parking um gathering space uh in the city's downtown. Uh we've made pretty significant progress over the last quarter um in the north phase, the one that's in active construction. Um, if you actually look at the site, they've installed the shade structure out there,

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which really I think kind of brings together like how far the project is really coming uh towards completion. Um it included the other activities have included excavation work towards uh prepping for the conduit installation. Um prep for the utility infrastructure

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uh the electrical shed foundation foundations and pads for the conduits themselves uh for some of the private uh owners and um prepping for uh other concrete pores over the past two weeks.

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I know we've gotten some questions from abutters who are included in those uh upgrades to to their service um in regards to the the work being done out there. Um and that just to answer that that's uh prepping for what will be the

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concrete pads that will house the conduits for their own businesses uh for the underground utilities. Uh one of the major developments for this was the response from National Grid in regards to the finalized cost estimate uh for their portion of the work with the

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project. And of again as I mentioned at the uh I believe previous EchoDev meeting where I brought uh a copy of the resolution that we were moving forward with the finance committee that total was $922,357.33 whereas the original estimate came at a $260,000

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estimate. So a difference of around 658,000. So we've begun preparing we've prepared already a funding strategy and resolution uh for allocating previously authorized funds both through the unexpected bond proceeds that were

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allocated to the project back in April of 25 as well as the uh under spending for the change order for the um for that uh underground work. um as well as the unexpended funds in relation to the Wilkins Road project which were

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combined with this project in the same grant um and were considered one in the same uh in terms of in terms of funding. So we have the funds available to move forward with this uh this payment um and

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the resolution and kind of the the the narrative that we discussed and will be discussed with uh the finance committee for their review in their upcoming meeting. It was largely dealing with the three plus years worth of backstory

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behind how long it took for us to get that response uh from National Grid uh in terms of just reviewing the civil site plans. Took uh until about um December/January and it took until March of this year or

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February of this year to get the response for the back charges. And that's since the project was originally conceived and they chose to move forward with the $260,000 estimate in March of 2023. So, we've been waiting for that

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was the best guess estimate that the city uh decided to move forward with uh back when this project was originally being conceived. Um, so it's it's unfortunate, but I'm just glad that we have the flexibility to move uh forward with this because the project would not

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be able to to continue with the intended scope of providing those underground utilities um without the ability to move forward with that. Um we move forward with the coordination with American Towers for the temporary shutdown of their of their site actually

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within the p since the 19th to now. Things are constantly changing. So, there'll be a couple things that were included in this that are now no longer necessary. We were able to actually move the work uh that was going to require that shutdown out of the bounds of what American Towers would need to uh have

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that shutdown for. So, there the team out there with UL is able to move forward with that without the without the shutdown. For the south phase, >> I'm sorry. So, no shutdown. >> No shutdown. Um, for the south phase, we are continuing uh to have coordinated

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conversations with realy income, the current owner of the Cumberland Farms property, of which the city needs to acquire or have uh the right to utilize and improve upon for the entire scope for the rear main south project. Um

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we're trying to continue that to mitigate financial costs uh as much as possible and those deliberations are ongoing. But as the conversations are in my jurisdiction as as executive director of

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the redevelopment authority and the private land disposition agreements between them, those are under executive session. But again, we're continuing with that with the intent to have it mitigate the financial costs as much as possible uh both to the GR and uh if the

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city would need to be involved as well. Um and that would be everything for the the rear main project, both north and south portions. >> Any questions, comments from any questions? >> Thank you.

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Uh for the Mackie Park improvements, I don't know if we want to table this. I know we have this in subcommittee as well. It would basically be my my Mackie Park updates. Um >> so I think what we'll do is why don't you give it now in quarterly update and

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um when we get to 41454, we'll just acknowledge that. >> Okay. Um I was actually able to get um confirmation from Busybe that they had completed their install and some of the the light landscaping work. Um so actually in terms of construction

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related to BusyB uh they're they're completed. Both the accessible tables both the one that has the chess checkerboard top as well as the general use top that are handicapped accessible have both been installed on the first level. So all features within the park

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are now readily accessible. Um so that should be um I think a pretty a pretty big uh step towards uh completing this uh completing this project. The only extenduating item for this would be the

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um compliance notice from the architectural access board that we received in regards to the park. Uh and the only two items that remain that we've already responded to that notice of violation for were for the recompaction of and maintenance of the

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uh stone dust surfaces. So yearly we just have to go out and you know snow and ice you know provide a lot of moisture for for the stone dust areas and they tend to be a lot more porous towards the beginning of the year. So we just have to go out with a compaction

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tool recompact the stone dust surfaces. Um, and that's just what the annual maintenance of that facility requires. Uh, because we need to make sure that it's a a a non-slip uh compacted surface. So, we want to make sure that that's uh being maintained. And they just asked for us to actually just

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rotate the um bike racks that are installed on the first level in the concrete so that they're a continuous concrete path leading from the opening of the park uh to the to the ramp. So, we're just going to move those. should be a pretty easy um pretty easy uh job

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to be completed. We've coordinated with DPW on their ability to uh do that movement of the bike racks and then all of the uh responses for the architectural access board should be should be completed and we should be should be able to respond and have that

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finalized and then Mackie Park be in terms of both the oversight for the architectural access board for the uh ADA complaints that we've received. the architectural access board will be fulfilled in terms of all requirements for the park.

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>> Thank you. And just for clarification, there two things. Uh the the bike racks, will they be rotated just now or like all the time? >> Oh, they'll be rotated all the time. >> So, it's a regular maintenance. >> Okay. >> Oh, no, no, they'll they'll just they're being relocated permanently to

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>> instead of across the concrete pad, we're just rotating them against the back wall. Um, so that way the concrete pad is is free and clear for for users to go straight from the street off the concrete up to the ramp. Great. >> Um, they're currently perpendicular to the sidewalk. They'll be parallel to the ramp,

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>> right? Yeah. Right. They'll just match it so they're up against it. >> Yeah. Thank you. And then um my other question was there was installation of like railings that needed to go. >> Those were completed. >> Those were completed. That was the busy view work. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. Any other questions from the or comments from the committee members?

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>> Um, yes. Uh, if I may. So the bike rack when you So right now it's kind of obstructing the ramp, right? >> But when you turn it and you put a bike in it, is it still going to be >> There's I'm estimating here, but there's two

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full concrete squares that are probably about 6 ft uh 6 ft wide each that lead into then the beginning of the ramp. So, even with, you know, a bike that might take up um, you know, four or five ft

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off of what the bike rack is, we'll still have more than enough in terms of the 36 to 48 in. Um, well beyond that, we'll have feet of space. Um, so I already went out there yesterday, um, or actually was it Monday?

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Monday with the engineer from Ty Bond uh just to go over that um that would satisfy and and we went over with the architectural access board that the movement over to the the location that we've kind of identified um in the back corner of the concrete pad on the first

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the first level would be a sufficient um solution for for the issues that they the issue that they see there. So it'll be enough room for someone in the wheelbure. >> Any other questions, comments from the committee? >> The North Central Pathway and Pearly

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Culvert. We've completed the 25% design uh of the complete uh remaining North Central Pathway minus the uh pedestrian bridge. I want to be clear that that's under the um oversight of the engineering team here in the city and

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the the remaining pathway is under our oversight here in community development. Um so that includes the full uh preliminary engineering plans, environmental documentation and rightway layouts that we'll have to coordinate with national grid. We had our initial formal review with uh Mass DOT and

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response of their uh comment matrix in regards to the preliminary engineering plans. We had that on March 9th. Um, and the next steps for us would be a prepare preparation for a future uh public hearing for the design. Uh, and we'll

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anticipate that in sometime in the late spring, early summer uh of this year. We applied for a mass trails grant uh to oversee the remaining work to see the 25% design completion all the way to 100%. Um, so we're seeking up to $250,000

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uh in funding to support uh that continued design and see us uh make our way to complete bid ready plans to begin the work following national grids uh right of way and and clearings that they're doing out there for the A1B2 wires. So it kind of works out that

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we're doing kind of this behind the-scenes work, prep work uh for those bidready plans while they're clearing out the uh electrical corridor. Um >> um just a question on that the the mass trails grant >> application when

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what's the timeline for that with the being things being bid ready you know when do you like hear back about that >> in terms of being like sending back a announcement of whether or not we get the the grant agreement uh that would be sometime in the summer slash uh fall.

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>> Okay. Thank you. And we have no new updates regarding the engineering timeline for the P pearly brook culvert uh which had collapsed in summer of 25 I think around June July. Um but they are under still under the

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assumption that they are responsible for uh the replacement of that cover. Um and as far as the city's aware and our engineering team that had been coordinating with them in terms of their review uh for that that collapse uh

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their engineering team is still looking at possible solutions uh for that. So either a covert replacement or a full bridge um given the scope out there. >> Uh and so what is the um I'm sorry just

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a quick question on that too. Uh so the we don't know public work is it's it's a prior it's a priority like that's something that needs to get done. We all we all aware of that. Um >> but what when are they are they responsive like

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is national grid you know what I mean like is there >> when we reach out to them they say it's with their engineering team. Okay. Um, and I'll just circle back to the rear main project for a second and remind that it took 3 years for us to get a

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response for the review of their civil design, our civil design set and over 3 years to hear back for the back charges. So, I hope to hear back from them and we've been circling back with them to make sure that it's still being worked through with their engineering team. But

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if they're claiming that it's within their jurisdiction and and their right of way for their scope of work to be completed, there's only so much that the city can do to kind of lean on them in terms of getting the work completed in a

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in a faster manner. like we'll reach out to them as much as we can to make sure that it's hopefully progressing through their engineering team, but there's I think a lot of coordination that needs to happen within National

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Grid uh in order to see it past the design phase and through uh active construction. But I hope it happens in conjunction with the uh upgrades for the A1B2 project. um because it makes sense if they're already mobilizing uh for

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clearings and for upgrades out there uh and all the construction that will be happening out there would make sense to have it coordinated alongside that. Um so that's that's the most that I'm I'm able to to give on that in terms of upgra updates that they've provided the city with.

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>> Okay. Uh thank you. and and I know that there's consistent outreach to them and I I understand like I just the three years and I know we're not the only municipality that deals with these things but the three years for rare mean is just like completely unacceptable you know and and we all agree on that but

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>> I that can't happen in this case like this is >> this is as you've said you know it's a major artery for you know a very large number of residents to be able to get to where they need to go. Uh so as much as we can I would I support continuing to

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reach out to them and give them as much information as we can as to why this is a priority for the city. Like I would say to do that you know regularly to in a professional extent but I to me it's um it's one of those things where we prioritize it. we have a plan for it and

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I don't want their lack of um not not lack of response but their lack of action to affect what the good work that we're trying to do here because we need to get this done and it is a priority for us. Um I think sometimes that just needs to be order. So I would

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support anything that you're doing to continue to reach out to them consistently and make it very clear to them that you know we need this information sooner or later and and even if even if um Brook Culver was the only work that needed to be done in that area like it

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would still be a bigger priority you know it's just it conveniently there's other things going on but um I support that so I just wanted to put that out there >> if I may chair um the just two things to kind kind of follow

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up on with that. The the path itself is a recreational path. Um so it's it's just the the old rail bed uh path. So it's aside from bikers uh or cyclists and you know casual walkers um you know

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we have we have notices out there and and cones that we've had since the covert uh collapse last year uh to notify that it's you know not safe to to pass through and that there there there are hazards there. It's not. Um, but

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there's also the intent that it's right outside the bounds of National Grid's substation, like within the their direct access off of Park Street. They need to be able to have the ability to access their substation out there cuz it's either coming down from 140, which is

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probably double the distance, or going up through Park Street. So, they have every reason to move this along as as quickly as possible. And we've specifically kept the bounds of of that um area that would be part of the

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engineering project uh for their uh replacement uh out of the engineering documents that we've been preparing with the intent that it it's going to be within their jurisdiction to to complete that. Well, I appreciate that it's all documented, too, because you have to do

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you have to plan for all scenarios and I when it comes down to it, it can't be like if it is the reason and I'm glad that we get this update here, you know, publicly um to keep people us and people informed, but if it comes down to it like you know

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national like it's National Grid's it's it's in you know the ball's in their court which we know but if it comes down to it and there is an issue then it's like well we were waiting on national grid like that's not acceptable of the public even though we understand the parameters of it. So I think it's good to get as much info about it as like

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>> we're being proactive, you know, we're on top of it and it is in their best interest to get this work done. Um I think that's important information >> to have uh >> readily available should we need it. Hopefully the work can get done, things can get changed and it won't be an

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issue. But that's, you know, when it comes down to it to the public, if they are affected by that work not being done, I I wouldn't want it to come back on us. So, what were you guys doing? It's like, actually, along the way, here's here's what we we have done. We we did outreach. We did make it clear what needed to be done. You know, all of

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the things. Uh, so I again I support that. Um, any other questions, comments for that piece? >> I just have a slight problem if I may chair. Um you know I'm going to echo everything that you know chair Kinska

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said. It's uh is this regular practice to have that long of delay? Is there no point of contact? Like usually you have a point of contact like even you know like sending a email like it's a complaint and things like that like it

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gets lost. usually have John, Chris, whoever, you know, I'm just naming names to go ahead and expedite, you know, your email or things as such to go ahead and, you know, bring it to the top of the pile that they probably have to go ahead

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and be looked at. And obviously, you know, this has been going on before you came on board because 3 years ago, um, we had the other issue and that we're just getting answers now. So like is there no point of contact that we have at National Grid that can

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>> we have >> Yeah, we've got a contact with National Grid. It's then National Grid subs it out and their contact with their contact and it turns into a whole big telephone game with how often National Grid just subs out. So we are as squeaky of a wheel as we possibly can be constantly

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checking in and saying this needs to get done, this needs to happen and advocating for the project to get done and then they have to send it to their subs that architect it out and design it out and everything like that too. So it's one of those we whereas we constantly reach out to the contact that we have, it's then having

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National Grid reach out on our behalf back to it. And I think that that's where a lot of the delays come from. And I've I've personally received a lot of correspondence from the primary uh engineer in or project manager for the

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rear main project as an example with excuses of delays and that to me are unacceptable. um they showcase a lack of uh care for uh this project and the

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issues that then come to that this project ends up facing because of the lack of response. Um I I think when right when we were waiting for the response on the civil design so that the engineering team at UEL and the engineering team at Fust

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O'Neal and the construction team at UL knew that they can move forward with the bid plans that that they had received to basically have confirmation that yes the electrical conduit's going to run from here to here so they can start getting all of the you know shaft structures the hand holes uh the pads are going to go

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where they they say they are. the confirmation of that. We received some some very um you know questionable delays of like the the they had to elevate it to the the a different senior project manager because the senior

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project manager that was originally doing their review of it couldn't access it off of their their laptop. Um, and I think that's it's been important for me to go to these echo dev meetings with the amount of emails and correspondence that we've tried to have with National

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Grid printed out. Um and I think the the resolution that's in front of um uh finance and had been presented in front of uh this committee last last week in terms of the timeline of uh events in

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regards to their response for um the rear main project and all of the email threads as well as as attachments for that is extremely important to showcase that again, yes, the city is doing everything it can to be as squeaky a wheel as it can. But, you know, we we we

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continue to to face issues with with the responsiveness of of National Grid despite all the outreach that both myself, the rest of city hall, and our engineering team uh all do on a a regular basis to to keep this moving

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along. So, I'm I'm hopeful that that this, you know, doesn't continue and that, you know, they they hear that, you know, these these issues that we faced are unacceptable for future projects because we can't wait. Say for the the

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um North Central Pathway, for example, there's a lot of coordination that's going to have to happen with National Grid on that. It's happening along the entirety of their right of way, and we're going to need a use agreement with them in regards to utilizing that for the upgrades that we're doing along that. And if we're waiting to hear back

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from them for for a period of of, you know, beyond what it takes for us to get this 100% bid ready plan ready, move on to, you know, applying for a mass trails grant in future years for the rema like the next phase of construction. and we're

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still waiting to hear back from them in regards to agreement on the right ofways, then that's we cannot get to a situation like the rear main project again of of having the projects held up overly by National Grid's lack of

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response. So I I will continue being a squeaky wheel and emphasizing that our engineering teams and the specifically the electrical contacts that we have within the engineering teams that are working alongside us for these projects have to be on national grid um in terms

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of getting as quick of a response as possible. So, um, hopefully that's at least a consolation for for the future projects is that I I don't want to have the same pro issue of of 3 years be be a

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a regular occurrence. Espe like now while I'm here, I want to make sure that this committee knows and anyone watching knows is that we're going to be emailing them every week, calling them, basically breaking down their door, getting a

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response because the timeline of response is and lead time for that is is unacceptable. >> Thank you. And I understand that counselor. >> No. Um, yeah, just one comment doesn't even really warrant a

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response. I just feel like, you know, time is money and they don't care about keeping us waiting >> because, you know, they're getting an extra 600 something,000 from us from the last deal. >> So, they can keep us waiting on this

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deal and get even more money. So, I just feel like something needs to be done because it's costing us money. It's too much money >> for them just to not basically answer the phone. >> That's all. >> Thank you. Uh, so I appreciate the work

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that you're doing on this and I think the explanation is is incredibly helpful on understanding this. Um, but I would say I would and I've seen the correspondence. I know that it's happening and I'm not the one doing it. So I don't like to direct people when I'm not the one in the thick who has to

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do the work. Um but a suggestion that I would have is like even just using the rear main street as the example to be like listen we waited three years on this other project and here we are monetary wise this cannot happen in this situation you even just things like that. The other thing is this, we have

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to maintain obviously a professional and good relationship with them because we have to work with them in the future on other projects and there's just a way to justify and I I I totally um trust your advocacy in that manner for sure. I know

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that you are a professional and that you're thorough and you're going to um continue with the same type of communication you've had so far, which has worked because I mean it might have taken 3 years to get going, but um you've been here a year and that's was a huge project and they have responded

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now. So I would attribute a lot of that to the work you've done. Um but I would say you know I I do recognize that it is hard to press when they really just have a lot of the control. They just do. It's just the way it is. they deal with a million municipalities, not to mention

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their um you know, residential business that they have. I mean, we're just there's just everybody just can't be at the top of of the list. And I understand that. Um so, I appreciate the advocacy you're doing on our behalf, and I I know that um you'll continue to do it, and I

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understand that we have to maintain a good professional relationship with them. Um but we I think putting it out there as to why it's justified might just be helpful to say, "Hey, listen, this is where I'm at with it. I'm getting I get constant questions from, you know, um city councilors. I get, you know, it's true. Um and then the

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public's going to be next. So, I've got to figure this out. Um and I didn't know if there was any other piece to to maybe talk to like the law department and and I understand what you said, Mr. Mayor, that you know, we have our contact in National Grid and that they reach out on our behalf and there's other that's fine, but it's still not acceptable.

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It's like somebody is responsible for this. we're acting responsibly and we need these people we're working with to act responsibly from national grid and you know from on their end. So because in the end like I said if things don't get done or something happens and there's a problem with the culvert even

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further than it already has happened which is which is the reason it's a priority for us. It's again like and I don't I don't I I mean this in a way where it's like we have to we will get questions and there there's going to

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have to be some reasoning as to who's responsible and we can't say oh well national cuz then all the work that you've done isn't going to that's not going to fall well to the public. You know it's like we're not blaming anyone but that is the truth of the matter. So to me it's like somebody is responsible

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for this no matter what. There's always somebody who's responsible. we've been responsible and that that um hits me pretty hard because again the city councilors that's the kind of why didn't you know we have a whole committee you know of the sub standing committee of

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the city council that is devoted to you know overseeing this and having this information come up we've done all this work like it's always when something happens that people go well where were you it's like we were there we were doing it you know so hopefully it doesn't happen but um I I did just want to acknowledge that

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that like whatever whatever you have to press whatever their answer is. It's like someone we got to figure out a way like I said maybe talk to the law department whatever not just just for preparation not it's for any action right now but say like hey like if they don't and we're sitting here waiting it affects other work what's the process what do we do I would request that

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because it's you don't it's it's it's about being proactive but not reactive and I think that we are very proactive and I don't appreciate being put in the position in the position where we would have to be reactive because national grid doesn't isn't you know getting us hands first or doing the work. So that's

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just kind of my suggestion there. Um, anything more on that update? >> No, >> no one else. >> Okay. Committee. >> Okay. >> Master plan, hazard mitigation plan, and other comprehensive plans. The master plan is moving through. I believe

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they're preparing the completed draft. Now that the implementation plan has uh moved to uh the full draft stage after the uh comment matrix that we had with the master plan steering committee and a couple other uh key stakeholders. They

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were asked to comment on that from the city side because the implementation plan is basically how do all of the city departments measure their work towards the goals that are placed in the master plan itself. Um so we need to get responses uh from them from them as

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well. We're looking to have an open house of the entirety of the plan take place on April 15th and that will take place either at uh Mackie Park um if it's weather permitting or at the uh

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library um if if uh the weather is is inclement not inclement if it's bad if the weather's bad it's going to be at the the library. Um hazard mitigation plan has also advanced. Um we've sent over the emergency action plans and phase one

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reports on all the city owned dams over to incorporate within the scope of the hazard mitigation plan and we should have a full draft completion. Currently they they've said to me that they're aiming for an April 3rd delivery which will be followed by the public hearing uh in front of the planning board to

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move the hazard mitigation plan uh through. Along with these, we also have the ongoing municipal surplus property plan and housing production plan uh which are assisting with the city's ongoing efforts to provide housing opportunities uh for growth and variety uh in the city. And all of these will be

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completed uh by June 31st. So there's a lot going on. We're really really getting all these all these done um in the same period so that I think we have a a really good um framework both for future grants that we can reference

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these plans for but also the the actual benefit that the plans themselves offer the city um or June 30th. Thank you. Um, uh, >> okay. So, um, yeah, I was going to say June 30th just to be sure because honestly, sometimes they give you

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another month after end of fiscal, so it'll be July 31st sometimes where you can do these kind of things. So, I was like maybe July 31st, I can ask for clarification. Thank you. Um, any questions or comments from the committee on these plans? Any other plans? >> Thank you for doing this. I'm following

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up also on the other two um at the bottom that we haven't been as involved in in this committee because to me these are kind of like insurance in a way. If you have them in place, if you need them, thank goodness you have them. And like you said, you can apply for other opportunities. So these are incredibly important for a city, especially like

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Gardener. Um, you know, people would say that they would refer to us as a town for a reason because we're a small city, but something like this would um it would save us a lot of money if we needed them, you know, um and uh we were

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able to be eligible for for grants or any type of assistance. So, thank you for doing that. That's one of my comments. >> Good. the guarder redevelopment authority. A lot of the work is with land dispositions in relation to 155 mil street, 205213 Main Street and coordination with the ongoing

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coordination with the land owners for the upcoming remaring project south with the Cumberland Farms property as the deliberations are within executive session and have not reached their conclusion. Um but we have been able to advance um listing the remaining parcels

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at the Summit Industrial Park uh which had previously not been uh publicly listed and are now uh available for for viewing um and for any interested parties looking to to develop out there. So happy we've been able to move forward

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on those projects and look forward to giving a full update on those once the land disposition uh have reached their conclusion uh for those in executive session lifted. >> Do we know where we expect that to be >> for

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155 mil street? I would say sooner rather than later. um 205213 we have listed and we're still uh in the process of accepting and and um uh any discussions with with interested

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parties uh there but we have not received any um concrete offers uh for that property and I think we'll have at least by our meeting maybe not the

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next one in two weeks but probably sometime in late April, we should have a good idea for where we're moving both on the 155 mil street and the ray main project south uh projects. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions, comments on this?

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Go ahead. uh community development block grant. uh assistant director uh has moved to largely I think overhaul uh the city's administration um of the of our uh portfolio of both how the department uh administers the funds and the

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communication with local social service providers so that it's uh clear facilitated communication between the social ser uh social service providers and the city as well as between the city itself and the executive office of housing and livable communities which

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oversee the grant. Um, Iris uh Quaommensa has worked along, assistant directors, in terms of the financial administration of these funds, looking to close out prior grant years, which uh are still open uh on the financial side uh but needed some

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tweaking after she was she was brought on uh for uh updates uh to those grant years. So those grant years include FY20 20 21 and then we're looking to close out 22 23 as well uh soon. We have a

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couple of remaining uh funds for the 22 23. But really the biggest drawback for 20 and 21 have been the movement uh from for EOHLC to a new grant platform uh for Intelligants uh from their previous system to to the new one. So there's

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been delays in terms of how those financial uh records have moved over there and when new um um expenditures uh not new expenditures but um reclasses of of funds that would

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reflect in the that grant system uh could be made. Um looking ahead at the uh for the future grant cycles, uh we've initiated a plan for updating the slum and blight inventory of and expanding actually the

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scope beyond the existing urban renewal areas to encapsulate some other residential areas outside of uh those uh urban renewal areas identified for the Mil Street corridor and the downtown area that also I in my in my opinion

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really do need to have a better look at um the status and quality of some of the roads that are not were not previously encapsulated in the previous slum and blight inventory so we can really look at what projects the city can move forward with for future grant applications through the both CDBG as

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well as other uh grant funds that might become available um with uh the work that assistant director and Iris Koffmensa I just have a couple of statistics that I think are really important in terms of the work that they've been able to do with the FY24

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grant funds. Uh they were able to get 121 low to moderate income uh middle school and high school students have been able to receive scholarships to wave their athletic program fees. 1,131 gardener residents received uh food, hearing, or other emergency assistance.

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Uh 24 people who were homeless or at risk of homelessness received short-term rental assistance. 55 people were assisted through domestic violence prevention training or assistance provided to victims or survivors of domestic violence uh through all the grant uh awards that we were able to provide to the social service providers

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in the FY24 grant period. um with Iris uh the economic development and finance manager uh that had come on in uh around the August time frame of last year, she's been able to reconcile

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um our CDBG uh 20 2020 2021 uh funds uh returning the unspent uh 2021 funds that were uh and complete the draw downs to the state. and that was just over $4,600 and largely the administrative funds

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that were uh unspent um omitted uh or charged the omitted expenses that were made in Intell Munice but not referenced in intelligants and these are some of the items that I was talking about before in terms of being able to finalize these grant years and then um

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balance the overdrawn uh munice accounts uh in CDBG. So basically just getting everything to balance that is in Munice and Intel grants of both the the city's municipal financial system and the grant uh system for financial reporting making

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sure that they're balanced out for for the grant years that have largely been uh completed uh prior to um Iris starting but just needed to have some some heads. So, she's been working alongside uh the city treasurer and with

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the guidance of EOHLC uh and our new um our new rep over there, uh her name is Shelly, and they've been able to to really get this work done to to finalize these grant years that should have been closed out.

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>> Any questions, comments from the committee? Great. Thank you. This information is it's nice to see the um the totals, you know, work that's kind of something and what kind of came out of it because a lot goes into it. So, thank you. Small

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business support and workshops. So, Iris was able to have the develop a single uh small business workshop that occurred on January 28th uh for small businesses looking to I believe it was for for um

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like tax uh tax assistance that was hosted in conjunction with the supplier diversity uh office and continued outreach with them to build kind of the city's relationship with uh a rep that they were able to identify to work uh

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specifically specifically with the city. Um so they're looking to actually establish a series of small business focused workshops throughout uh 2026. The first one uh the next one being planned for March 27th uh focusing on increasing awareness for state

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contracting opportunities, certification programs uh and pathways for local businesses to participate in the public procurement process. Uh so really uh providing an alternative pathway for some businesses to get additional uh contracting opportunities um that might

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not know that those are available. >> And how does she um or maybe in conjunction with the Massachusetts Office, how do they advertise those to our local businesses? So, we have those posted on um I believe they're going to

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be having them posted on the city's uh Facebook city website and Iris herself uh has been liable to go down to the businesses directly in downtown and pass out pass out flyers. Uh I know she's at least done that a couple times in terms

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of the flower pot program which she's overseeing and has been really successful with getting sponsorships for um as well just to actually introduce herself and provide her card. Um so she's one to just go out boots on the ground and uh shake hands with the the

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business owners themselves and provide them updates. So I imagine in preparation for this she'll be doing that as well. But this is also in conjunction with the local chamber. So, I know Rebecca Morice will also be um participating in both coordinating and

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helping uh facilitate the the this workshop and I believe future workshops as well. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Um and then for myself, we we have coordinated with the Massachusetts Office of Business Development in regards to the newly restructured vacant storefront program.

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um they've actually just uh this month um provided the the new uh format for the that grant program. Uh we already have a couple of interested parties looking to take advantage of of those funds that we had had received but

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weren't able to uh begin um working through the grant applications because they've changed it now from the businesses themselves from applying to now the city applies on behalf of the businesses. there is a lot of it's like mo it's mostly coordinated effort um and

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most of the questions are answered by the businesses themselves but there are a couple questions that the city answers and then submits on behalf of the business so I think it's a it's a much better uh communication between expectations of from the the city and

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the business themselves by having these communications happen jointly from from the get- go from from the application period uh from the application itself all the way to uh then the grant agreement. Um so looking

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forward to sitting down with those interested parties and and getting those applications together um on their behalf to then uh submit to the uh office of business development uh to have them review and then uh be able to release

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those funds uh to those to those parties. >> Thank you. I I was going to ask about that piece. I'm glad to know cuz I I think it's you said that the um application came together. I think that's great. I'm glad that that's change is awesome to know about. Uh and

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I think it was probably warranted for them to do. They probably learned it from all the different municipalities that you know it's better to have the input also from the municipality. Can you just for us and the public watching, can you just go over if someone does receive a vacant storefront program

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grant, what does it pay for? What does it do? What can they apply it toward? >> So, it's any not any vacant business in uh I believe in in the in downtown area as well as the um we have two approved vacant storefront

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districts. It's the downtown urban renewal district and then the Tony Boulevard corridor. >> Uh any storefront that's been vacant, they just changed as part of the new changes. Uh they it used to be vacant for a 12-month period. They've lowered that now to vacant to a six-month period to allow increased eligibility for it.

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Uh, and it's really just the um the fit out costs, the soft cost, the things like that to help get the business into the vacant storefront and fit the vacant storefront out so that when the business goes in, it's less of an overhead and allows them to have more footing underneath them uh and get the business started rather than worrying about how

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am I going to make it so that I get my counters, my tables, my everything like that that I need to operate the business. Um it used to be that we were capped at two applicants of $10,000 each from the state. We've been awarded up to $50,000 for gardener now for this year. Um so it's also made it a lot easier.

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While it help is helpful to the city in coordinating our end of making sure that we're in those conversations, it also allows us greater opportunities uh to work with these businesses too by increasing that cap that's there uh for people to be able to come into the city and open a

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business. Thank you. Any other questions, comments, anything further to add on that? Yeah. Anything further on your update? >> I have nothing else. >> Thank you so much. Okay, we move to um

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item number 11454, a report on the investigation of Mackie Park projects. Uh Director Stevens reported on that during his quarterly update, so there's no objection. We're going to move to the next item. Thank you. Item 11746, upcoming community development projects. Unless you have anything more to add

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from the quarterly update you already gave. >> Aside from that, we've received the PRC grant agreement for the work that's going to happen at Ovola case for the upgraded uh park equipment. Uh so we just received that certified mail. Um

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they had to resend it because they had sent it. it had not been received by the city and they had to send a second copy um instead to the mayor's office which I will I will be doing in the future because everything always makes it to to to your office but sometimes things get

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lost um otherwise. So that will be in front of uh I believe this committee to to have it start uh for the city council uh approval. So now that it didn't make it in time for this this uh this meeting here, but for our next meeting, it will

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be in front of us uh for for this uh committee's review before it goes in front of the city council for for their approval. >> Uh for the >> Can you just get a give a little bit of details of what it what what the action would be of the council or what you know once it makes it to the council what

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needs to happen? >> Uh I think they just have to approve uh the the grant agreement itself. Um >> okay. >> And then if the grant agreement gets approved, what happens from there? What does what does that allow to happen for the

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>> us to create the accounts to move have the funds allocated because this is a reimburing grant. Um so we need to preset the um accounts with funding to the total amount that is expected to be received uh in relation to the grant so

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that the city can then expend its funds towards that to then with the intent of it being reimbursed uh in total uh through the structure of the grant itself. >> And how much is the grant? >> I believe 231,000 but I might have that.

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>> Thank you. And that's going to pay for >> upgraded park equipment for the over case playground. Yes. >> And so and and this is just for the public because I get a lot of questions I'm sure that the counselor does as well too about overlase um and the equipment there because it w it

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it has always been such a we have a lot of playgrounds gardener and we were lucky to have that. I stand by that. Um but that was one that um is was just utilized a lot before. Um so like before any of the changes had to happen which needed to happen. We did need to get new

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equipment in there. Um so basically once the council makes that action um is can work be work can be done then or when can the work get done so that maybe this summer people have equipment or like I know things need to get ordered. I just kind of want that layout as much info as you have. If you don't have it yet,

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that's fine. But >> I don't have a lot of info because it would really be decided after the amounts are allocated before we would then go out to bid for um installation of of the equipment unless it would be

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done through through DPW. >> The commit the um equipment is being how are we figuring out what equipment we want there? Because the last thing I want is people to go like it would have been nice if you got this, it would have been nice if you got that. You know, are we taking public feedback? I know I kind of brought this up at a previous meeting

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when this item came up, but like how is that being decided? We're taking public feedback or >> Yeah, the um municipal grounds commission oversees the the playgrounds. So, uh if anyone has any suggestions, we definitely reach out to Dane Arnold at the DPW or any of the members of the Municipal Grounds Commission. Uh we're

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happy to take feedback. The equipment hasn't been ordered yet. Luckily for this grant, we've already pre-approved the match uh for it. So, the money's already there waiting. Uh once all the final signoffs and everything is done, we can just move forward and order the equipment. Um so that you we obviously always looking for public feedback,

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especially when it comes to our playgrounds for that exact reason. Yeah. >> Um I know the disability commission's also asked to provide input on the playground equipment as well too. So, uh the last disability commission, the DPW director did go uh to that meeting to seek some input for that as well. And I I we'd obviously want it to be an

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organized effort to do that. When you start asking for for feedback, you need to be able to provide a a um avenue to to receive it and look through it. And obviously, there's a lot of things that the disability commission is a great example. There's needs to be things and

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different um guidelines standards that are met for it to be safe and all these other things. And just because one um park has it doesn't mean another park can have it. Like I understand that. So, uh, if you know that could be maybe I would I would suggest talking to

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municipal grounds and the DPW like if you could and just say like can we provide an avenue for public feedback so that if people ask is like we provided something and we did receive it and consider it. I think that is definitely worth in this case just because again that that

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um all of our playgrounds but it's a big deal when you get new equipment as soon as that opens people are going to they're not they're not going to be able to wait to be able to go and use it and so it's going to get attention just naturally um and that's when you're going to get feedback on it. So like it

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it it is a big deal um for for people who would have utilized it anyways. But um I just know that that's coming. So I would say get ahead of it. That's my suggestion. >> Any other questions, comments? Any more on that? >> Uh the only other project that I think there's an update on is yesterday

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afternoon I signed the notice to proceed on the South Gardener project. So, we'll start to see the preliminary survey work uh being done out there. So, you'll start to see the surveyors and their equipment to do the meets, bounds, and everything like that as we get ready for the full project come the summer. >> Awesome. >> Thank you.

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And um yeah, so I was going to go ahead and say, but u case um you know, one one of the big things is is there's like I know I have a 8-year-old daughter. She likes going to the park,

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you know, and things and such. And you know, we travel to go to nice parks. And that's one of the things that you look at when you're going by a house, when you're having kids, you know, you want to know how the parks are, schools are, um, things and such. So like with that

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part right there, that's one of our main parts, one of the most utilized parts. I would like to go ahead and, you know, get some younger families to go in and give their feedback because my worry is those that are making the decisions are out of

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touch on what the kids may want now. You know, like I grew up on the spinning around >> called the second. >> No, the mirror island. >> Yeah, the mirror island. You know, I I still got one side of my head.

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>> You know what I mean? So, if you ask me, I'm like, "Yeah, put it in there." Like, but I'm out of touch. >> As fast as you could, >> exactly. I still have CTE from it. And um you know like it there's just some things that may be out of touch and I I

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would hope that we can get some younger feedback to know what the kids like what's new up to date things and such so we can get people that will come here >> play with their kids and say you know something I want to buy a house out here I want to live out here this is beautiful.

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>> I I echo that. I mean there's definitely a budget too. That's another thing that needs to be really clear and cuz this is when it comes to something that kids are going to utilize. you will get the most feedback you are ever going to get because if it comes to their kids, parents, they I mean it is they are right on it and I think some of the

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feedback some of feedback I guess I call that I gotten the last year I would say is there another local community had a brand new playground open and all I heard about for 3 weeks from good friends of mine who live in this community have small children were like oh can we get you know what they have

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what they and I was like I want people calling their town being like did you see this playground in gardener like, can we get what they have? You know, I want other people to have to to, you know, understand that. Um, but kidding aside, I do I I I as soon as this was

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made available and we knew we were going to be able to get the equipment for Oola case, I was able to reach back out to constituents and friends and say to them, hey, guess what? This is so awesome. And I like sent them the link to when it was published and they were like, this is great. And I've heard nothing since because we're on it. we

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had an answer to it. Now they know there's an avenue that's going to happen. But it would be great to be able to follow up and say offer them feedback and but also educate people at the same time to say like there is a budget. We are looking into safety. We look into ADA compliancy. You know there's there's parameters we have but we would love to

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be able to consider your feedback. I think it can be as simple as that. Um and that again is a proactive approach rather than reactive number but we do this great thing. We open up this playground people show up and they're like what's this or that? Not everybody's going to be happy as a city counselor. I think I can we in public we

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can all say that we get that. But um if we're able to say, "Well, we put our best foot forward and here's what we did." You don't have to answer every complaint or every thing with an exact every question with the exact answer the person's looking for, but you have to be able to give them we tried. This is the best we did. This is why we did it. I

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mean, you should be able to answer that anyways with money that's being spent on behalf of the citizens. So, um I understand that we have a lot of different projects in the community that we go over that cost a lot of money and affect everybody, but when it comes to a place like that for um with people's

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children and it's their free time and it's free for them and they can make memories there, it it will you will get all the feedback in the world um before and after the project's completed. So, I can't emphasize that enough that I would say to get ahead of it. Um, and whether it's through DPW or through municipal

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grounds, whoever can do it, I would administer some type of way for people. Um, because people contact city counselors, which they in your office, which they do all the time. >> How can I do it? So, go contact EPW. That's not going to work for them. They're going to I love to be like, here's a link. Here's a form online. You can submit it right here and do that. I

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think I would get ahead of that. Now, >> any other questions, comments? >> Anything further on upcoming community development projects? With that, I will entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Motion made by councelor Harden,

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seconded by councelor heat to return. All those in favor say I. I. Those opposed say no. Motion passes. Meeting stays adjourned.