ANDOVER — Building maintenance and vehicle replacements will take priority over new sidewalks and road repairs next year, under the town manager's list of recommended capital projects.
Reginald "Buzz" Stapczynski presented his annual capital improvement program to the selectmen last night. In all, he is recommending $7.7 million in projects for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2010.
Stapczynski said this is the second consecutive CIP that illustrates the local impact of the economic recession.
Last fall, he recommended $7.8 million in projects, compared with $20.8 million the year before.
"I did take into consideration the general economic climate, as I did last year," Stapczynski said. "They're not glamorous projects, but this is the nuts and bolts of what we do."
Stapczynski said the more than $2.5 million requested next year for various building maintenance projects represents a "modest investment." Included is $465,000 for upgrades to the senior center and other town building projects and $880,000 for school roof replacement.
Vehicle replacement requests total $832,000 for police cruisers, a sport utility vehicle and ambulance for the Fire Department, two public works dump trucks, and five vehicles for various town departments.
"The few that we have are ones that we absolutely need," Stapczynski said of the vehicle requests.
Minor sidewalk repairs will be funded at $75,000 under Stapczynski's recommendation and the town is budgeting for $1 million in state money for major annual road maintenance.
Further multimillion-dollar requests for sidewalk and road projects by public works Director Jack Petkus will not be funded next year.
"We're not keeping up with our road work, in his opinion, but we just don't have the money to do it," said Stapczynski, who said the same goes for sidewalk projects. "We just don't have those kind of resources."
Stapczynski's CIP, which outlines capital projects for the next five years, also does not include funding estimates for three major projects on the horizon — the replacement of Bancroft Elementary School and the Ballardvale fire station and the relocation of the Lewis Street town yard.
Stapczynski said those projects must be funded through Proposition 21รขÑ2 debt exclusions.
"They're still in the planning stages," said Stapczynski. "They're all on their own track."
Other proposed projects include:
$98,000 for town technology infrastructure upgrades
$25,000 to develop an online permit application and tracking service
$70,000 to purchase 10 trash compaction and recycling units
$52,000 for protective clothing for firefighters
$60,000 for parking meter replacement
$70,000 for athletic field renovations
$75,000 to continue the Wood Park restoration project
$500,000 for water distribution improvements
$1 million for water treatment filter replacement
$500,000 for sewer repair and replacement work
Stapczynski said this is the leanest list of capital projects in more than a decade. It was pared down from $11.3 million in requests from town and School Department heads.
The Board of Selectmen will hold a public hearing on Stapczynski's CIP on Nov. 16 and will discuss the list of projects with the School and Finance committees on Dec. 7.
Selectmen are expected to adopt a finalized list of projects on Dec. 21.
