Watertown Town Hall
Watertown will spend nearly $10 million on projects to improve parks, streets, schools and vehicles in the Capital Improvement Plan approved by the Town Council last week.
The council approved $9.9 million in capital projects and purchases for Fiscal year 2017 (which begins July 1, 2016) which will be paid for using a variety of sources including $4.7 million in borrowing.
The capital improvement plan will make up about 7.9 percent of the total town budget, which fits within the Town Council’s goal of spending 7.5 to 8 percent each year on capital projects.
Before the recommendations came to the Council on March 22, the Budget and Fiscal Oversight subcommittee met four times for about nine hours to go over the proposals, said Councilor Vincent Piccirilli, chair of that subcommittee. The approved projects include 33 recommendations (see the full report here).
There are some major road constructions in the plan, including reconfiguring the Lower Common Street area ($1,950,000). Before the project goes ahead, the proposal also be discussed with the School Administration and School Committee to get their support of the design as it impacts the High School.
A full-depth reconstruction of the roadway on Waltham Street from Bridge Street to Rosedale Road will be funded by $285,000 in mitigation money.
Work will be done on town buildings, including the fire stations, the library and Town Hall.
Building improvement projects include:
- Administration Building Improvements, $852,000
- Library Improvements (Slate Roof and other renovations), $325,000
- Three Fire Station Improvements, $500,000
- Skating Rink (Scoreboard and Exit Doors), $34,000
- Library Improvements, $100,000
- Improvements to the Filippello Park Grove Street entrance, $600,000
- Improvements to the Casey Park baseball area (public meeting must be held first), $950,000
There are also some school projects:
- Lowell School carpet installation, $122,000
- Replacement of Middle School science laboratory equipment, $75,000
- Hosmer School preschool plaza and walkway, $145,000
A number of vehicle purchase were also included in the plan for the Department of Public Works. Councilor Angeline Kounelis commended the DPW for providing detailed reasons for why they need the new vehicles.
“Kudos to the DPW for maintaining vehicles. Whenever I see them around town they look freshly painted,” Kounelis said. “They are also reusing them before retiring them.”
The DPW will get:
- Parks & Forestry Infield Groomer, $22,000
- Highway Sweeper, $230,000
- DPW Snow Blower Attachment for Front Loader, $205,000
- Vactor Truck, $356,000
- 6 inch Pump System, $62,000
- Backhoe, $210,000
- Central Motors Service Truck, $145,000
- Central Motors Hydraulic Lift, $63,000
- Highway Asphalt Hot Box Truck, $260,000
- Sidewalk Snow Tractor, $180,000
- Salter Truck, 6 Wheel, $230,000
- Cemetery 1 Ton Dump Truck, $85,000
- Property/Buildings Forklift, $90,000
- Property/Buildings Supervisor Pickup, $55,000
- Parks/Forestry Service Truck, $88,000