By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — The Capital Planning Committee (CPC) last night voted unanimously to recommend $1,999,967 in capital spending for FY 2016. That is the amount that will go before Annual Town Meeting, which opens on May 5.
Another $150,925 in capital investment was recommended for new Information Technology leases town-wide but the first payments on those new leases won’t be due until FY 2017.
The CPC recommended $483,990 to fund existing IT leases for both the town and the School Department, another $26,443 in school vehicle leases and $152,475 in DPW/Fire leases.
The “Fleet Section” of the capital outlay recommendation includes replacement of a 2008 Ford bus (14-passenger) for the Senior Center at a lease to purchase cost of $35,000 next year toward the total cost of $110,000.
The plan also calls for the purchase of replacements for several DPW vehicles, including a 1994 Ford Van ($35,000), a 1998 Chevy One-Ton dump truck and plow ($50,000), a 1997 Chevy GMT 400 pickup truck with plow ($40,000) and a 2002 pickup with plow ($40,000).
Other recommended DPW equipment expenditures include $50,000 toward the lease/purchase of a replacement for a 1995 Case 580 Super Backhoe/Loader, $54,000 toward a lease/purchase of a replacement for a 1970 Sicard Snow Blower and the purchase of a $13,000 mower-walker.
The CPC recommends the replacement of two Police cruisers for a total of $82,000 (reduced from the three cruisers requested). Also included is replacement of a 1994 Special Operations Box Van for the Police Department at $57,000. CPC member Cy Bode questioned this item, suggesting that on occasions when the Special Ops van would be needed, a better approach might be to call in the State Police.
A police pickup will be transferred to the schools and a lift gate added at a cost of $5,000 instead of funding the requested $35,000 for a new replacement of the schools’ 1998 pickup with lift gate.
Under buildings, the Capital Plan calls for $20,000 for interior painting at the Greenwood, Walton, Doyle and Woodville schools, plus $25,000 for ceilings and $25,000 for flooring at the Greenwood School.
Borrowing to purchase heating system/bypass dampers for the Doyle School coupled with a Town hall boiler is budgeted for $20,000 a year for the next five years.
For the High School, the plan includes $15,000 for exterior doors and $15,000 for exterior painting.
At Beebe Library, $43,000 is budgeted for masonry improvements, $21,000 for HVAC system software replacement and $5,000 for interior/exterior painting and repairs.
The plan includes $120,000 for the first phase of funding for the Senior Center roof, plus $7,000 for perimeter lighting.
At Town Hall, $5,000 is budgeted for interior painting and repairs as well as $6,500 for carpeting. Borrowing to purchase a boiler (coupled with a boiler for the Doyle School) is budgeted at $20,000 for FY 2016.
At the Public Safety Building, $40,000 is recommended for HVAC system controls.
Town-wide, $100,000 is budgeted for roof repairs, $100,000 for heating systems and $50,000 for security system improvements at town-owned buildings.
The Capital Plan calls for $50,000 to be spent on town parking lot repairs and $90,000 for drainage system work and stream cleaning.
At the Dolbeare School Playground, $37,500 is budgeted for playground rubber.
A $209,050 request for certain Fire Department gear was reduced to $19,004 due to a grant funding the rest. Similarly, a $21,600 replacement for a radio comparator was reduced to $12,165 due to a grant.
Another $5,400 was budgeted for fire hydrant assist valves and $7,000 was recommended to replace the stove at the Fire Department. Environmental improvements at the DPW were approved at $7,000 and $5,000 for safety mats for gymnastics was approved for the schools.
For the Water Department $172,625 in capital outlay was recommended along with $166,625 for the Sewer Department. As both of those departments are self-sustaining, neither of those amounts comes from tax levy.