Town Meeting members will vote on several significant capital spending projects and two affordable housing initiatives when it gets back to work for Day Two of Annual Town Meeting Wednesday, May 7.
Members disposed of 31 articles on the first night of this year’s session May 5, but still have about a dozen more to consider before it can move on to Special Town Meeting scheduled for May 12. If Annual Town Meeting is not completed on Day Two, members can adjourn to next week, complete their work and then continue with Special Town Meeting the same night.
Given the amount of potential spending under consideration, Wednesday has the potential to generate more discussion than occurred during Monday’s two-and-a-half hour session when articles faced minimal opposition. The remaining articles include nearly $30 million worth of spending on capital projects and another $6.3 million in projects supported by the Community Preservation Committee.
The evening will begin with consideration of three CPC articles — two that satisfy the CPC’s requirement that a project be related to community housing and one that qualifies under its recreation mission.
The largest is a request for $3.2 million to support the Needham Housing Authority’s plans for the preservation of its 46 affordable public housing units at Seabeds Way. The town contribution is expected to close a funding gap that exists for the more than $20 million project. The vast majority of the potential funds is being sought from non-town sources.
The CPC is also supporting a second community housing initiative, having voted to approve a $2.84 million grant for the Charles River Center to use, also as gap funding, on behalf of its planned $50.1 million integrated housing and education complex on 3.5 acres adjacent to its facilities at East Militia Heights Drive.
The project would provide 86 new units of affordable housing, with half of the units set aside for adults with intellectual disabilities.
The Select Board supports both projects. The Finance Committee supports the NHA project but has withheld support at this time for the Charles River Center funding for multiple reasons.
While unanimously supporting the project’s intent, five of the eight FinCom members expressed concern about the CPC drawing down the bulk of its reserve funds to support both projects. Also, they would prefer the award be in the form of a loan instead of a grant, and have concerns about dedicating town funds to a non-town entity.
The third CPC project up for approval would allocate $300,000 for the design of an action sports park and pickleball courts in and around Claxton Field on Central Avenue across from the Recycling and Transfer Station.
OTHER CAPITAL PROJECTS
The largest of the five remaining discrete capital spending articles on the warrant would authorize $19.6 million in debt funding to expand the Department of Public Works’ Jack Cogswell Building on Central Avenue so it can house the Fleet Maintenance Division currently located at the deteriorating 470 Dedham Ave. complex.
The project would be the first phase of a long-planned, four-part upgrade of DPW facilities that would require upward of $100 million and likely span at least a decade.
The other four capital projects are:
– $2.386 million to renovate the young adult area at Needham Free Public Library
– $1.8 million to upgrade the Newman School Auditorium for multiple technology, infrastructure and safety improvements
– $1,040,000 for a comprehensive repair of the exterior staircase at Needham High School
– $395,000 for three projects at the Center at the Heights — expansion of the kitchen, expansion of fitness facilities and modification of a rear entrance.
In a recurring annual article, the town is also seeking $4.558 million from Free Cash (unspent funds from the prior fiscal year) to spend on an array of 17 capital equipment needs.
These include technology purchases, fleet and equipment replacements, stormwater quality upgrades, school furniture, traffic safety improvements and more.
Save as PDF