Bristol Voters Table Building Project, Trim Budget

By Thomas P. Caldwell

BRISTOL — The two-year effort to find a solution to space and safety concerns at the Bristol Municipal Building may end up with a different outcome than anyone expected if the town is able to come to an agreement with LRGHealthcare on the purchase of the Newfound Family Practice building.

Edward “Ned” Gordon, who has led the space needs committee for the last two years, stepped down from his duties as moderator of the Bristol Town Meeting on March 17 to bring voters up to date on how the committee arrived at the current plan to build a new town hall and renovate the Bristol Municipal Building into a police station. He then mentioned the possibility of buying the professional building from LRGHealthcare, which is closing Newfound Family Practice as part of its cost-cutting efforts.

Committee members had toured the building and concluded that, with some minor alterations, it could serve the administrative offices, eliminating the need to build a new town hall. The purchase might save enough money complete the police department renovations as well, and come in closer to the committee’s original target of $1.25 million.

As proposed  on the warrant, the project would cost $2,650,000, but Selectman Don Milbrand moved to table the article until the town has a chance to look further into the new option. If viable, the selectmen may call a special town meeting to take care of the matter.

Budget

Voters trimmed the proposed operating budget to $5,974,211, a $370,450 reduction from that proposed by the budget committee.

It took John Sellers two attempts to get an amendment passed, first proposing a figure of $5,888,262, which he said represented a 2.2 percent increase, matching the consumer price index.

Other residents questioned the impact of such a cut and said it would be irresponsible to make a cut based purely on a percentage.

Milbrand said, “The budget committee has been working all year, looking at every line. Blanking out all they’ve done does a disservice to the whole process.

The amendment failed on a close voice vote, after which Sellers doubled the percentage increase to 4.4 percent, and it passed on a hand count, 79-71.

Police Department

The town’s newly hired police chief, James McIntire, had not yet been sworn in, but he attended the meeting to get a sense of the community he was joining, especially with two petitioned articles that would drastically change the police department.

The first sought to switch from an appointed police chief to an elected chief. Among those supporting the article was Doug Voelbel, a police officer in Franklin who had applied for the chief’s job but was not called in for an interview.

Voters did not buy his arguments, and the article failed on a ballot vote, 28-153.

“Thank you for the warm welcome,” McIntire said upon taking the microphone to address the next article. “I feel as if I was elected.”

The article he was addressing was one to reduce the size of the police force by one officer.

Saying he plans to be a working chief, McIntire quoted statistics showing that, while there were 30 fewer arrests in Bristol last year when the department was short-handed, “crimes are still taking place. But I won’t be asking for a new officer today.” After a pause, he said, “I do have a sense of humor.”

Newly elected selectman Wayne Anderson asked, “How many police officers are enough to provide the security we want? I will vote in the affirmative on this and stick a fork into how many officers will be needed.”

Boake Morrison commented, “This new chief is going to be pretty good, but the selectmen need to show him our area. If we need 20 cops, just make sure they’re in our area. It isn’t our job to take care of the surrounding towns. If we stay within our 17-mile area, we’ll be well-protected and well taken care of.”

That article also failed to pass.

Health Insurance

A petitioned article to increase the health insurance contribution by employees from 10 to 17 percent passed on a close vote of 88-80.

Although the article is advisory only — the authority to set wage and compensation levels lies with the selectmen — voters sent the message that requiring public employees to pay a little more is justified when those in the private sector have to pay much more.

Kathleen Firth said, “I believe everybody should be entitled to health insurance,” because the current system is unfair, requiring the self-employed to pay exorbitant amounts. She and her husband pay $1,600 per month for their insurance, she said. “There needs to be a conversation because this doesn’t make a lot of sense.”

The change would increase the amount town employees pay from $30.49 to $56.14 biweekly for single-person coverage, from $60.93 to $100.99 biweekly for those on a two-person plan, and from $82.38 to $136.54 for those on a family plan.

Shawn Lagueux said that is a big hit for employees, but Paul Simard said it’s negligible compared to what those like Firth are paying.

Transfer Station

An article seeking permission to complete what the town refers to as Phase I of improvements to the solid waste transfer station took people by surprise for two reasons. Many were unaware that the town was even considering changes at the transfer station, and those who were aware did not expect the selectmen to amend the appropriation up from $250,000 to $287,210.

The town started looking to address safety and traffic flow issues after receiving a refund from Wheelabrator when that company abandoned its waste-to-energy operation in 2013. The money was placed in a revolving fund which allowed the town to draft plans and do preliminary engineering work for the project. Phase 1 addressed the location and setup of the transfer station, while Phase 2 involves purchasing scales to more accurately charge those bringing large loads to the facility.

Over the past year, the plans came together under the supervision of engineer Mike Vignale of KV Partners, who last December said Phase 1 was ready to go out to bid. In January, he provided an update that placed the cost at $227,359, but he noted that the figure did not include the new shed, containers, or the Phase 2 scales.

When the six construction bids came in on Feb. 14, all were higher than planned. Morrison Construction LLC was the low bidder, at $213,950, while the other bids ranged from $246,937 from United Construction Corporation to $293,800 from R.D. Edmunds & Sons. Besides the construction work, the project budget included $10,300 for engineering, $28,850 for a new compactor, and $8,000 for electrical, bringing the total project cost to $261,100.

At town meeting, selectmen bumped the figure up to $287,210, but noted that they could apply $178,000 from the revolving fund to offset the cost to taxpayers.

Several people questioned the need for an upgrade, but the majority supported the article.

Other Articles

Voters approved a five-year, $182,000 expenditure to connect municipal buildings with a new fiber optic system that also would make faster and more efficient internet services available to businesses in the area. In addition to improving service, it also reduces ongoing costs and provides the basis for increasing cellular phone reception downtown.

Voters agreed to reduce the size of the budget committee from 13 to seven members; to pay $25,000 for a design and engineering study for the fire department; to use $53,000 from the unexpended fund balance to complete drainage, roadway, and sidewalk improvements on Central Street; to spend $14,000 for Fourth of July fireworks; and to place $50,000 into the police vehicle capital reserve fund.

They rejected the fire chief’s request for a deputy chief; a requirement directing selectmen to appoint a new space needs committee; a residency requirement for anyone serving on any town committee making a recommendation on spending; and designation of seven parking spaces on Spring Street to winter parking.

In light of the possibility that the town would be pursuing a new building plan later this year, outgoing selectman Paul Manganiello proposed reducing or eliminating some of the requested appropriations for capital reserve funds. Voters agreed to spend $75,000, with $35,000 going toward accrued wages; $35,000 going toward a future revaluation of the town; and $5,000 going into town building maintenance.

 

21 March 2018