Committee advances school schematic funding, ADA library grant and rail-trail transfer; industrial-rail project tabled

At its Jan. 12 meeting, the housing committee advanced several funding and grant items to the full council and tabled one large infrastructure authorization pending further documentation.

MSBA schematic appropriation: Lawrence Public Schools asked the committee to approve a reduced appropriation of $1,000,000 (down from an initial $2,000,000 request) to fund schematic design work for projects identified as priorities by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). The schools said the schematic work would cover needs that include windows at the Arlington School and roof work at Frost and South Lawrence East. Capital staff Ramona Ceballos reviewed the city’s free-cash balance (about $15,000,009 excluding items on the agenda) and said the $1 million appropriation is consistent with MSBA historical precedents; MSBA deadlines require a vote for schematic design by March 3. The committee voted to send the appropriation to the full council with a favorable recommendation.

ADA library grant: The committee heard from ADA coordinator Richard Rodriguez and the library director about a $232,000 reimbursement grant from the Massachusetts Office on Disability to make accessibility improvements at the library. Proposed work includes a rail at the main entrance, accessible door hardware and push-button openers, signage for blind patrons, visual alarms and filling in a child-room pit to create accessible floor area. The grant is reimbursement-based and must be expended by June 30, 2026; the committee voted to forward the contract to the full council with a favorable recommendation.

Rail-trail transfer: Director McCarthy explained the near-complete rail-trail project and requested $280,400 from free cash to cover final engineering and contract balances for the long-running project. He said TEC (the engineering consultant) has worked on the project for years and that construction bids came in higher than earlier projections; the city has found partial offsets but needs this final contribution to close out engineering costs. The committee voted to send this transfer to the full council with a favorable recommendation.

Industrial-rail (IRAP) project: McCarthy also presented a related industrial-rail authorization that would use MassDOT funds (the packet requested $408,474 as a portion of a larger project estimated at about $680,790, with a 40% local match). Staff reported donated materials from MBTA that would reduce the city's match by approximately $210,000. Directors asked for and received permission to present more complete contract and companion agreement materials; the committee voted to table the IRAP authorization and asked staff to return with a PowerPoint and fuller explanation for the public and council.

All three funding items advanced to the full council will appear on the next council agenda for final action; the IRAP item will be reintroduced after staff presents additional documentation.