By Adam Swift
As part of the Annual Spring Forum on Tuesday night, Town Manager Tony Marino highlighted some of the capital projects for the town included in the FY25 capital plan.
“The FY25 capital plan is similar to last year, it’s a five-year plan updated with the most current year,” said Marino. “We worked closely with the economic development and capital assets committee on this plan, and they had a lot of good input. Because of that, we were able to expand this plan this year to include a grant section.”
The capital plan also includes an update on the total vehicle inventory in the town, as well as a section on past capital projects for the last two years and where they stand for funding.
The capital plan also takes into account a recent facilities need study for the town that was completed by an outside consultant, as well as a water infrastructure capital plan.
The full capital plan, along with the proposed FY25 budget, is available on the town’s website, Marino said.
The capital plan includes the $7.5 million Revere Street TIP (Transportation Improvement Project) reconstruction project, which is being funded by the state.
“The town council asked to put in the Main Street TIP project design for the engineering work to do from the Belle Isle Bridge back to the intersection of Pleasant Street,” said Marino. “There will be more work to do, but we wanted to get started on that as that seems to be the intersection and that stretch of road that needs the most work.”
There is also some public money for seawall repairs in the capital plan, Marino said.
“The seawall repair on Shirley Street, we started it and we’ve been incrementally working that way with another $50,000 we’re asking for,” said Marino.
The public works director requested $200,000 in the capital plan for FY25, with Marino stating he is proposing $75,000 given the constraints of the budget.
“The same with asphalt resurfacing, the DPW director asked for $500,000 and we were able to fund $300,000 this year,” said Marino. “Continuing with what we did last year, we’ve got money in there for tree plantings, $25,000, and also the cemetery fund to replace some more fence, $40,000.”
Marino said the town is also going to be asking the Winthrop Foundation to help fund the replacement of the play structure at Ingleside Park for $120,000.
The biggest capital request for the school department for FY25 is replacing the rooftop units for heat and air conditioning at the Gorman Fort Banks School.
Marino said the schools will be able to use some of its ESSER Covid relief funds to help pay for part of that project.
“From the town, we are asking for $298,281 to get that work done this spring and summer,” said Marino.
Public works capital items include the final payment for the department’s sewer vacuum truck, as well as a financing plan over the next three years to replace the trash truck.
“We’ve got a payment on the fire truck, a lease payment,” said Marino. “We’ve got a new pumper that is being produced for us, it’s not in yet, but that is there. We’ve got our standard ask for $58,000 for a new police cruiser, staying with our one per year.”
Other capital budget items include $60,000 for police body cameras and $10,000 to replace some computers throughout the town, Marino said.