Asset Management Commission flags $123 million in requests, recommends work-order software and fund-balance use
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Summary
The commission presented a ranked capital improvement plan that ties top priorities to enterprise, non-enterprise and school funds; it noted a roughly $5 million shortfall for identified projects, recommended grants and prioritization, and asked the council to consider asset-management software to track work orders and maintenance.
The Asset Management Commission presented its annual capital improvement recommendations to the Town Council on Feb. 9, reporting prioritized projects across town departments and recommending new tools and funding approaches to close an identified shortfall.
Jim Halley, speaking for the commission, said members met multiple times with department heads and used a scoring system to rank projects. Top enterprise priorities included water-main replacements and a Post Road water-main project; among non-enterprise priorities the public-safety complex and fire station replacement ranked highest; pavement management was also rated near the top. For school projects, a set of mechanical upgrades (high-school boilers, piping and pumps) were listed among the priorities.
Halley read the commission's aggregate figures as "a total of $123,000,180 and $55,505.53" (as presented) and said the commission has identified an approximate $5,000,000 shortfall in projects already rated in the report. He urged the council to consider using restricted fund balance for one-time projects, pursue additional grants, sell surplus town property, and adopt asset-management work-order software to track maintenance and avoid future shortfalls.
Town Manager Ralph Mollis thanked the commission and said the administration will incorporate many of the commission's priorities into the FY27 budget and noted that two-thirds of the commission's top nine priorities will likely appear in the town manager's proposed budget. Mollis also reminded the council that severe weather had increased unplanned repairs to the library, senior center and municipal facilities this year, which affects near-term budgeting choices.
The council voted to receive and file the report.
Next steps: the manager said the administration will integrate the commission's priorities into the FY27 budget presentation on March 9 and will continue to explore software and grant options to address the shortfall.
