Keegan Recommends $11M in Capital Projects, Riverdale Roof Debated

Town Administrator William Keegan recommended more than $11 million in capital funding Wednesday evening for fiscal year 2012.

The Capital Expenditures Committee, expected to vote on the host of projects, postponed their approval until they can investigate the necessity of a roof project at that didn’t make Keegan’s list.

Members of the committee said they didn’t want to prolong projects that could either pile up with planned capital projects next year or that would not meet state standards.

The committee plans to look at the roof this week and reconvene Monday to vote.

Besides $207,000 for a new roof on the gym of Riverdale, several committee members didn’t want to put off the school department’s $70,000 request for library books.

According to Michael LaFrancesca, assistant to the school superintendent for business affairs, Dedham will face a state evaluation next school year of their library book collection.

“There will be a finding, and then we have to have corrective action,” LaFrancesca told the committee.

He said they need $70,000 in order to update their collection and meet state standards.

“That’s going to roll into the near future,” said John Heffernan. “We seem to be pushing this off and it is building up.”

If members want to keep the nearly $277,000 for the school department – pending a review of the roof situation – they’ll have to find a place elsewhere to cut from. Keegan said the town is at its capital limit heading into fiscal year 2012.

“It would mean that we would have to reprioritize,” Keegan said.

Heffernan referenced Keegan’s recommendations of $275,000 for the district’s technology plan as a place the committee could cut.

“My concern here is, I would prefer fixing leaking roofs before we start giving out laptops to freshman,” Heffernan said.

LaFrancesca reiterated that the program accounts for a portion - roughly $80,000 - of the $275,000 recommended.

Square Improvement Project Comes Critiqued

Capital Expenditures Committee member Michael Podolski questioned why the request for $6.1 million for the Dedham Square Improvement project didn’t go to voters, but instead will go through the capital process.

Podolski said he would rather see the money save taxpayers or go to another capital expense.

After the for the project comes in, the project will cost a base of $4.8 million plus interest over 15 years, according to the town’s finance department. Estimates provided to the committee hovered around $500,000 each year.

“It seems like this has been driven into this capital plan this year because we have this 1/6 paid by this PWED,” Podolski said.

Keegan said if the town didn’t immediately start the project and use the PWED money, then state would reallocate the funds.

The $6.1 million Keegan recommends for the project accounts for more than half of his capital recommendations.

Town officials plan to add the project to its debt at a time when other projects are coming off in order to maintain the same level of debt, Keegan said.

“A certain amount of debt means good operations,” the town administrator said.

Meeting Notes

• Keegan recommended $220,000 for a complete overhaul of the . The committee didn’t discuss this project at Wednesday’s meeting.
• Under the recommendations, the wouldn’t have its parking lot resurfaced or a new motorcycle. Recommendations do include new cruiser computers, two-way radios and roof repair.
• The would receive $58,736 for a new hose, new facemasks, canisters and clothing. Keegan didn’t recommend a new car for Chief William Cullinane or a new fire alarm maintenance truck.
• Committee members debated the value of paying $775,000 for a new up to . Town engineer David Field called it a “safety improvement” rather than classifying it as a “safety issue.” Keegan didn’t recommend the project.
• The Capital Expenditures Committee will meet with the Finance Committee on April 2, when the Finance Committee will vote on the recommendations.