Watertown Town Hall
Town officials have a list of major projects and purchases for the next five years, including funds for improvement to parks, to purchase more than a dozen vehicles, and plans for school renovations but no funding sources for the school projects, yet.
The proposed Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for Fiscal Years 2018-22 includes $368.3 million, with $20 million planned for FY 2018 (the fiscal year that runs from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018). In addition, $24 million has been proposed in projects from the Water and Sewer Enterprise Funds. See the entire CIP proposal here.
The CIP includes $204 million for renovation and/or reconstruction of schools. Town Manager Michael Driscoll told the Town Council in January that the source of funding for the school projects is yet to be determined, adding that the school projects are “intended to serve as a placeholders to generate community discussion regarding the broader long-term capital needs at all school facilities.”
Some of the money could come from reimbursements from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). The town could get around 48 percent of the cost of the project reimbursed, but the program is highly selective and only a small number of school renovations are chosen each year. Watertown school officials have applied to the MSBA program to get money to renovate Watertown High School for the past two years, but the project was not chosen either year.
The CIP also includes $3 million for the design and renovation of Coolidge Square, which was scheduled for FY’22 as part of the Mt. Auburn Street renovation project.
Among the projects and purchases proposed for for FY’18 are:
Parks
$65,000 in bonds to rehab the Howe Dog Park
$850,000 in bonds for court reconstruction and field renovation at Cunniff School
$900,000 in bonds for field lights and a scoreboard at Filippello Park
$200,000 in bonds for court resurfacing at Arsenal Park
$45,000 in tax revenue to install a batting cage at Lowell School
Sidewalks/Paths
$325,000 in sidewalk bonds to design the Community Path from Taylor Street to Linear Park
$200,000 in Chapter 90 street/sidewalk funds to replace sidewalks on Belmont Street
Buildings
$385,000 from bonds to work on the asphalt roof, paint and replace the carpet in Town Hall
$800,000 from bonds to make upgrades to the North Fire Station
Schools
$1.6 million for school improvements paid with $517,000 from tax revenues an $1.125 million from bonds
Vehicles
$245,000 from bonds for a new ambulance
$575,000 from bonds for a new fire engine
$141,000 in tax revenue for three police cruisers
$233,000 in bonds for a six wheel dump truck for the DPW
$255,000 in bonds for a front end loader for the DPW
$185,000 in bonds for a sidewalk tractor for snow removal
$240,000 in bonds for a six wheel Snow Fighter salter
$260,000 in bonds for a 4×4 six wheeler for snow removal
$100,00 in bonds for a bucket truck for the Property/Building Department of the DPW
$240,000 in bonds for a tree truck for the Parks and Forestry Department of the DPW
Other
$186,000 from parking funds to replace 263 parking meters