CC MTG MINUTES AUGUST 27 2007 /r7/07
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE AGAWAM CITY COUNCIL
AUGUST 27,200
President Rheault—The Agenda calls for first the Roll Call. Will the CIerk please call
the roll?
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Item 1. Roll Call:
ROLL CALL, - 14 present, 1 absent(Calabrese)
President Rheault--Ten present, one absent. The uh, for any of you who may have a
copy of the Agenda,there's Items 2, 3, 4 and 5, for the benefit of all of you here, Item 3
is against Council Rules and will be ruled off the Agenda. But there will be any
opportunity under Item 4 for us to suspend the Rules to allow the citizens to speak
because of the importance of the nature.
Item Z. Moment of Silence and the Pledge ofAlle ip�ante
President Rheault—So, please rise for a Moment of Silence and the Pledge of
Allegiance.
Item 3. Citizen's Speak Time
President Rheault—Item 3 is being ruled off the Agenda because it is against Council
rules on Special Meetings to speak but we will entertain a motion to suspend ...it will be
adhered to. Moved and seconded by Councilor Carr Bitzas and Councilor Magovern.
All those in favor? Opposed? We do have a dozen or so that have signed up in
anticipation to speak. I would think that should be sufficient and within the time frame to
cover any base that you want, might want to cover. So the first one that did sign and
you're going to have to apologize for the pronunciation of some of these. Mariel
Birchenough, is it? ...There's a button on the light up there. If you'd state your name
and address for the record please. LJh, there's a little...okay, thank you very much.
Mariel Birchenough—Good evening, my name is Mariel Birchenough. I reside at 886
Main Street; Colonial Haven, Senior Housing. I'm on the Board of Directors of the
Council on Aging. As you know, we represent over six thousand seniors in Agawam. I
don't need to reiterate the fact that we need space. We ran out. We have a bigger
problem coming in to face us and that's the baby boomers who are at our door steps and
we can't let them in. We can't have any more programs. We can't even service the
people we have. If you vote no this evening, you're gonna disappoint and hurt a lot of
seniors who have worked so hard in raising funds for this project. On the other hand, if
you vote yes, all the seniors in Agawam plus the baby boomers are really going to be
grateful. And I hope you vote yes. Thank you.
President Rheault—Thank you. Gail Freeman.
Gail Freeman—Good evening, Council members. I'm a resident of Agawam and the .
Executive Director of the West Springfield Senior Center. Tonight I speak on behalf of
the seniors of our community. I speak on behalf of your mothers and fathers, and aunts
and uncles, and you senior friends and loved ones as well. Ten years ago, as the newly
appointed Deputy Director of the Agawam Senior Center, I walked property on School
• Street with employees and other dignitaries of the time. I viewed a Senior/Community
Center design schematic in the office of Mayor Chris Johnson. Ten years have passed
and I continue to hear promises given to our seniors here in town. When we get a new
DPW,then it'll be your turn. Well I say, now is the time to fulfill your promise to the
seniors in your community who have trusted and believed in your words all along the
way. They have worked tirelessly to raise over $250,000.00 towards the construction of
a greatly needed facility. Currently, they are conducting exercise programs in the middle
of a dining room as meals drivers pack meals. This is no way to encourage your seniors
into a healthy exercise program. As seniors continue to age and want...and live to be
much older, they want to remain in their own homes. They need to have a private space
where they can meet with a social worker to plan for support services. Certainly,not
having to meet in the main office of the front of the building where they currently have to
meet. West Side provided a new senior center for their seniors over twenty-six years ago
where they have rooms for exercise, wood shop, pool, knitting, cards, dancing, eating and
other activities. It's time for the Agawam community to give to their seniors and loved
ones a place where they can come together. One of the ways the community is judged is
the way in which they treat their elders and their children. I respectfully ask for your
support for a new senior center for our seniors in this community. Thank you.
,President Rheault—Thank you. Billy Chester.
Billy Chester—Yes, good evening. My name is Billy Chester. I live at 320 Barry Street
in Feeding Hills. First let me say, I do feel that seniors are in need of a new senior center.
There is some question about the issue. The question is, do they need the facility of this
magnitude? That is the question. A one-level facility is suddenly two-level building,
should be more.. should be more than adequate for their needs...a one-level building
i structure,not a two. Remember,the cost quoted to build this facility does not mean that
it will be the final cost. Past projects have indicated otherwise. If this project were to
pass, I would as a taxpayer and the Councilors should demand that the amount allocated
to this building, not go over the six million dollar amount. Please keep in mind that
property taxes...property values may be coming down in the near future resulting in loss
* tax revenue and we will be faced with major bonding issues with high interest rates. This
project is not a crisis nor is there a big rush to build this facility. I would hope that the
Council would seriously take a hard look at this project to see if a facility of this size is
really necessary. Thank you for your time.
President Rheault--Thank you. Joan Linnehan.
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Joan Linnehan—Good evening, Councilors. Thank you for the opportunity to speak
tonight on behalf of many seniors who could not be with us. I have a petition here for
• signatures of over 450 people who support the funding of the new larger, up-to-date
senior center on Main Street and thank you to the over one hundred people who came
tonight in show how important this issue is for our town.
President Rheault—Joan, excuse me,just for the record would you state...
•
Joan Linnehan--Joan Linnehan, Executive Director of the Senior Center.
President Rheault—Thank you very much.
• Joan Linnehan—We know that$6 million is a lot of money and the amount only grows
with every passing year. Do you know that this senior center expansion project has been
in the capital budget for twelve years with many discussions, plans,revised plans, and
many fund raisers? If not now,then when? What are we waiting for? First the new fire
station,then the library expansion, then the new DPW. In 2006, over thirty thousand
people visited the current center. It is the seniors turn to reap the benefits of their hard
earned tax dollars. There are seven schools in town for ages 5-1 S, a thirteen year span,
but for people 60-100 years old, a forty year span, there is just a small,ten square-foot
area for activities. And let's face it,no one is getting younger. Please take this vote
seriously tonight. Many people have worked very hard over the years to make this new
senior center a reality. Many...special people who have gone before us, like Kathy Cote,
Barbara Gingrass, Clem Hobbs, Gert Duval, Darold Davis, Fred Prouty, and many more.
For them and all the seniors to come,join Mayor Cohen and his staff as well as Doug
Goodman and Reinhard& Associates, to create a place that you will be proud of to have
your names attached to. This senior center will only enhance Main Street, our city of
Agawam, and our senior center... They deserve it. Thank you.
•
President Rheault—Thank you. Emile Cote.
Emile Cote—Good evening, Councilors. My name is J. Emile Cote, 2 Meadowbrook
Manor, Agawam and President of the Friends of the Agawam Senior Center. By the way,
it is pronounced"Co-TAY", Frenchman....
President Rheault—On my side of the family it's Cote...
Emile Cote - ...that's a long story, but there's rumors going around that some of you
• councilors are not approving this bond issue. When I heard it, it was just like a stab in
the back. We've worked so darn hard including, as Joan said, my wife Kathy, she
worked hard as heck to get the money up that we have got. And we have worked with
my committees..,and we're looking forward for you folks to approve this bond. Thank
you.
• President Rheault—Thank you. Thank you,Mr. Cote. Darcy Davis.
•
Darcy Davis--Darcy Davis, 1215 Main Street. This town has a lot of things to be proud
r of and I think we can have something to be more proud of with this new senior center.
It's an amazing gem. We have things going on there,right now my chorus is banging
away while they're trying to...my combo's blasting away while they're trying to play
cards and it's a shame. There's a lot of things in the wings that could be going on if there
was space to do it. I take the music groups to many senior centers around the area. We
don't hold a tenth of the activities that were happening with limited space...difficult
situations, everybody still has a good time. We appreciate your letting us make so much
noise when you're trying.to do other things. And uh, I just say that we...this is a
possibility for another thing to make Agawam really proud of
President Rheault—Donald Sorel.
Donald Sorel—Good evening, Councilors. My name is Donald Sorel. I reside at 23
Edgewood Lane here in Agawam. I am also a member of the Council on Aging and the
Treasurer,of Friends,the group that's been responsible for raising as much money as a
quarter of a million dollars to see this center through. It is true that we need a bigger
center, regardless of what someone said before; we don't need something of this
magnitude. I beg to differ with him. I use this center quite often and one of the ones who
plays cards in the comer while the band's playing on the other end and, uh, watch people
do exercise in the middle of the cafeteria and move the chairs and tables in and out, in
and out: It's just not fair to the seniors. Most of these people have been residents of
Agawam most of their lives and pay taxes all of their lives here. Now, if we can't do
something for people like that, who can we do it for? Again, we've been put on the back
burner time and time again and now's the time to do it. Costs will only go up. Yes,$6
million is a lot, but if we wait to next year or the year after,the same equivalent building
will be $8 million. Now's the time to do it. Give our seniors a chance to live their
retirement into—in a place they can be proud of, Thank you very much.
President Rheault— Bea Wilson.
Bea Wilson - Thank you. We do need the senior center.
President Rheault -Excuse me,Bea,but I think you shut it off and if you would state
your name and address for the record.
Bea Wilson—Okay. We do need a Senior Center. We need one that has bathrooms
made for handicapped people not like the one we have here now. it's in the front when it
should be in the back and everybody gets hit with the doors and everything. And we
need a senior center where everybody can have room to do things. We have a lot of
activities. And we need a new kitchen to put the people that work in the kitchen,there
just wonderful. And I don't think it's fair. How would you like it if you had to go
through this? How would you like if you had to be in a wheel chair or have a walker or a
cane? It's not fair to the seniors.
President Rheault—Linda Lee Davis.
Linda Lee Davis—Good evening, Councilors. My name is Linda Lee Davis. I live 36
Silver Lake Drive and I'm a member of the Council on Aging. I'm at the senior center
every day. I see the commotion. I see the work, the hard work that everyone does. And
I see things that need improvement, like Bea said, even the front door...it's hard for the
handicapped to get in and out any of the doors. And I think we should keep up-to-date. I
• see all the other towns are getting senior centers or updating theirs. There's Westfield,
there's East Longmeadow,there's West Springfield, to name a few. We need to be on
that list. Please help us. Thank you.
President Rheault—rim Burgess.
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Jim Burgess—My name is James Burgess and I live at 38 Roberta Circle. I know
several of you Councilors. I think I coached one in Little League and I've worked with
one...
« President Rheault -Not me!
Jim Burgess -No, not you. I've worked for one of you people and I see one every
day...in their senior center. I go everyday to the senior center and all the things that
you're hearing are absolutely true. Um, the lunches are crowded, the tables...I even help
with the tables, as much as I can everyday, to get `em up and down, as they do their
• exercises and do the other things that need to be done. I...I just hope that you all will,
you know,if some of you haven't been there and really looked it all over, you should go
and look it over. And if you know what it's all about, then I know you would vote for it.
And I sure would appreciate in my heart.
• President Rheault—Linda Galarneau.
Linda Galarneau—Linda Galarneau, um, 24 Siccamore Terrace. I really didn't come
prepared tonight with a speech so if I tend to go over feel free to tell me when my time is
done. I won't be offended. I'm here tonight because I have a really,.a vested interest. I
served on the Senior Center Expansion Fund Committee for two years; I was a member.
And I worked very closely with the seniors. I also chaired the Walk a Mile for...it was a
fiend raiser for the senior center to raise funds um, for that project. I.too hope that you
vote very favorable on this evening with regards to the senior center bonding. If you look
at it truly, these people present today,the senior that are present today worked very hard
and very diligently. And a lot of them have passed on and was notable to see the
completion of the senior center. However, because of the work that these people.have
done, it is an investment for future seniors. You know, we're all getting up there and
I'm...some of you are up there too,just as I am and will take advantage of the many
many programs. I have, um; I do visit the senior center quite often on business reasons.
And I can attest that the programs that they have going on over there, that the Agawam
Senior Center is one of the most active senior centers in the area. I work with all the
senior centers in the areas and the outer lying areas, Palmer, Holland, Brimfield, Wales
and Hampden and those also in the Springfield area. And.I can tell you,that West
Springfield are two of the most active senior centers in the area. And the crowding is
0 unbelievable. The lunch programs are a hit and they do have very limited space. They
could service a lot more seniors if they had more space. Same goes with the schools.
You know, people say,well,you know the number of children...the enrollment has not
increased and we keep asking for more space in schools. That's because there are
increased programs. People...the availability of programs and services have increased
and they will continue to increase. And the types of programs that are being serviced
now will not only increase but also change due to the fact that there are different
interests. So, it would be foolish to not bond now and to have this space available that we
need because you will need it for future services even if the population doesn't increase,
if it stays stable, you will need it for increased programs. And again, the privacy that is
! needed for particular programs and services it of the utmost importance because they
don't have that now. They're talking in a chair here at a desk and there's a program
going on next door. That is no way to conduct business either at a senior center or any
place else. So again, I'm not going to spend too much more time. There are other
speakers; um I'm just here because of the importance. I work with seniors everyday and
I truly do see the need, not only at the present but for the future. Thank you.
President Rheault—The final speaker is Rick Bellico,
Rick Bellico—Rick Bellico, 51 Park Edge Drive,Feeding Hills, also Chairman of the
Council on Aging. Our town has seen the growth of our senior population that now
represents 25% -27% of our population of our town. Our current senior center cannot
accommodate this increase. The current senior center also needs much needed work but
could cost in excess of one million dollars and we do not even own that building. Senior
Centers are increasingly recognized as occupying a position of relevance on the care of
the elderly. They play a vital role in communities by providing opportunities for social
interaction, information and education, outreach and benefit care. They perform an
important function as preventive care providers. All wanting the elderly to retain their
independence. Please vote yes tonight for our seniors of our town.
President Rheault- That concludes the speakers' remarks.
A
Item 4. Old Business
(a) (1) TOR 2007-29 - A Resolution Authorizine a Loan Order for
Constructing,Equipping and Furnishing a New Agawam Senior Center Located at
986 Main Street (Mavor)
President Rheault— ...whereas Agawam's population of senior centers is expected to
increase in the foreseeable future; whereas the current senior center is unable to meet
both the current and future demand for services; whereas planning for the new senior
center has reached the final design stage; whereas it is in the best interest for the City of
Agawam to replace the current senior center with a modern facility equipped to provide
the increasing services necessary for the growing senior population in the City of
Agawam; now therefore the Agawam City Council hereby resolves to authorize the
following: that$6,450,000.00 is appropriated for constructing, originally equipping and
•. furnishing a new senior center including paving, landscaping, and other cite
improvements, incidental or directly related to such construction. That to meet this
appropriation the Treasurer with the approval of the Mayor is authorized to borrow
$6,450,000.00 under General Law, Chapter 44, Section 7-3 or any other enabling
authority that the Mayor has authorized to take and otherwise action necessary to carry
• out this project. Item. is in front of the Council. Moved by Councilor Bitzas and
seconded by Councilor Magovern.
Councilor Bitzas—Mr. President? I'd like to move to make uh,...to go...
• President Rheault—Moved to go under committee's approval, seconded by Councilor
Letellier. All those in favor? Opposed? We now under committee where I see we have
a contingency from the Town in front of us. Any questions to the...Councilor Simpson,
you've got your light on?
Councilor Simpson—We're starting with questions first, that's okay?
President Rheault - There's no discu...
Mayor Cohen - What we would like to do is make our presentation and then if there are
• any questions afterwards, if that's okay with the Council. Hopefully, we will answer all
of your questions during the presentation and with the handouts and with all of the
material we're going to present to you this evening in favor of the uh, awaited, long
overdue, needed new Senior Center. Thank you Council for meeting. I thank you from
my heart for coming this evening, for the magnitude and the importance of this project. I
also thank you for suspending your rules and having Citizens' Speak Time because as I
was told and as you can see, it is very important to a large population of our wonderful
community. So I thank you very much for allowing people to speak tonight. I want to
thank all of the seniors for being here tonight because you have worked very hard with
me, the architect, the building committee, and so many to get it started, oh buying the
building even three years, doing the surveys, stuffing envelopes,taking all the surveys,
putting the data together, having it um, analyzed, coming up with everything that you
needed,what you wanted, and all the time the Council on Aging, The Friends,the Cooks,
the Director, the Assistant Director, the Activities Director, but most importantly,the
input from all of the seniors to make this building not a building of just...let's build a
building and say this is it, it's beautiful. This is a building that was built with your input
to meet your needs and the future needs long into Agawam's history and I thank you all
for the time that you have put in and now we are at the point and ready to build what you
have helped us put together to this point. So I thank you Seniors. We presented a time
line a couple years ago. While we are close to that time line, we're a little far behind.
We had hoped to come a little earlier by a few months, but I'm glad we waited. Gas
.prices are down, the economy is slow. We have sub-bidders who want to build and we
want to start this project. It would be irresponsible of me to spend money of hard earned
taxpayers that we didn't need. But this is a building that meets the needs of our seniors
•
because this is what they told us they needed to fit it on that property. Mr. Goodman has
put together that I think meets everyone's needs from what they told us. I met with the
i Chairman of the Finance Committee, CeCe Calabrese, she was unable to be here this
evening which she regretted. I went over everything with her along with my financial
team and I do have a letter signed by her that I'd like to read into record and it says: To
Agawam City Council, from Cecilia Calabrese, Chair of Finance Committee, Subject
new Senior Center, August 23, 2007. I wanted to make sure that the at least the
• chairperson because we couldn't have posted a meeting when the bids and posted a
meeting and been able to do it within 48 hours, so I met with your chairperson and this is
a letter that she sent to me. "I am sorry that I am unable to attend this special meeting on
Monday, August 27, 2007 for the new senior center construction project. I will be
attending a prior family function in Florida. As we are all aware, this project has been in
i the works for the past few years and it is now time for the funding. As Chairman of the
City Council Finance Committee, I met with Mayor Richard A. Cohen on Thursday,
August 23, 2007 to review all of the bid costs for this project. After a thorough review
and discussion with both Mayor Cohen and his financial team, I am pleased with the bids
for the construction of the new senior center. I therefore am asking the City Council to
i strongly support the funding for this project on Monday, August 27, 2007. As a City
Councilor and Chairperson of the Finance Committee, I positively support the funding
for our seniors and the new senior center construction. Sincerely, CeCe, signed Cecilia
Calabrese,Chairman of the Finance Committee and I have a copy of that letter for
everybody. I met with the Committee of Finance, I've met with um, Laurel Placzek, she
i will make a presentation to you this evening. We've been very responsible in putting this
together. We have done everything that we can do, um, from the time we purchased the
house,the land,the surveys, the due diligence. And another thing while I'm thinking, we
will be fixing all of the parking that currently exists add more parking and we won't even
have a transient parking issue because the seniors will park at their brand new senior
center! This is something near and dear and I want this project because we have worked
i hard on it. I don't like to spend money. I'm very frugal. But this is taxpayer money that
they have also worked hard for and have...frugal all their lives and they don't mind, I
don't think, if their taxes go up a little bit for a new building. Do you mind? (No!)
Because we all know it costs money to run a town. But what makes a town so special?
The new senior center, the new library, our wonderful police, our wonderful fire, and all
• the things that we have. Our new parks, but the new senior center is long overdue. As
somebody said we have a new DPW, we have the new library, our police and fire are
running, we have a low tax rate and we have some bonds that are gonna be up,but now
it's time to build our new senior center.
i Richard Theroux--I'm Richard Theroux and I'm the Chairman of the Senior Center
Building Committee and this is the fourth occasion that I and members of our committee
have been before you. As you are well aware, we have tried something a little different
that other building committees in the past but, this is where, if you will, the buck stops.
So we have tried to bring you along every step of the process. At this juncture, I certainly
• want to introduce you once again and hopefully for the final time, the committee that has
worked so hard. I'm going to ask them to stand because these are the people that really
put this together along with myself and they are Jane Schmidt, Pauline Paquette, as a
i
representative of the Council, George Bitzas, the late Kathy Cote and certainly Emil
Cote, who has not let us down. As I stated,this is the fourth time I've come before you
• and again this evening we are open to any questions that you have. Mr. Goodman is here
if you want to revisit the plans and what they look like. We're here to answer your
questions. If you want to revisit the site and the parking issues that we've looked at,
we'll be here to answer your questions. I believe that from the very beginning we had a
figure uh, that was well over the bonding figure that you're looking at this evening
! because uh, you know, the first time we looked at this, this is the uh, the numbers we
were given because the bids came in lower, I think we're also looking at some savings
there. But we have been here; we continue to be here to answer all your questions. Now,
I would be remiss if I uh,just, uh, spoke constantly about this center and how beautiful
it's going to be and how it going to serve our seniors, even though I do believe that
• certainly. I sat where you sat a number of years ago as a President of the Council. I
know what these decisions are. I know they are very difficult. I know uh, that you
certainly understand the wish book if you want to use it as that called the Capital
Improvement Program. I myself as an employee had a wish to computerize my office
this year; the Mayor took my wish away. So that won't happen this year because he felt
! the money wasn't there. So we move on. This wish has been a wish for the seniors in
this community for a long time. I think that this Council certainly and let's not sugarcoat
it at all,this is a financial decision. This isn't an emotion decision. We have come to the
point where we're looking at the hard numbers. And make no mistake about it, you know
it, I knew when I sat there where you sit, and the people here know it,this is going to be a
• financial, um, issue. The taxpayers of all, all-the taxpayers will be paying for the senior
center through uh, you know,their tax bills that come quarterly. We are doing our best to
keep the cost down. We have. We have looked at other areas. The Mayor as you know,
is not a very shy man and grabbed the uh, Congressmen that I was talking to,
Congressman Neal at the Sheriff's picnic and dragged him over to our new Governor to
look to see if there could be more money in the supplemental budget. The next day we
• had a letter from the Congressman urging the Governor through the conversation they
had, to look for$600,000.00. We have had conversations with Senator Kerry's office
and Senator Kennedy's office looking for grants and so forth. But let's face it; every
community around us is doing the same thing. Northampton, West Springfield looks for
grants everyday, Chicopee had just built their new senior center a little while ago, it's all
• around us. So we are in a great deal of competition but we are one step ahead of some
other communities because we have a plan to go forward. So we're certainly not gonna
stop there and I guess I can speak for my friend, Mr. Cote, who is NOT going to stop at
least from the mail I get from him to fund raise. And that's a real, uh, uh, I think a
shining star for our community to say that the people that want this building are actually
going to furnish this building and the needs of this building are going to be met by their
own fundraising. In closing, I guess, this has been a really labor of love for me. I think
that the Council has seen that when I've been before you. It's something I asked the
Mayor to do because I felt that it was a project worthwhile. I tried to deal with this
project very differently than projects from before, bringing everyone in through Mr.
• Goodman who has been a wonderful asset for us, trying to do everything we can to have
as much input. And I would be remiss if one of the pieces that we have just recently put
together which is the state piece. The uh, as you well know, the housing around the
•
center is owned by the Commonwealth. Through the efforts of Representative Sandlin
who I think is here this evening, Rosemary Sandlin, and also Senator Buoniconti and Carl
• Stanton, the new Director. We were able to push forward to have the State allow us to
use that property for additional parking, for access, for our construction and so forth, and
that was no small feat, if you certainly have ever dealt with the State government. So I
certainly applaud the efforts of Representative Sandlin who's here tonight and Senator
Buoniconti and Carl Stanton. But let me close with this, it's a financial situation. You
• people are elected, coming up again in November, cuz I run these elections. But, but
that's not really the point. I think the point is again the bigger picture here is what we
want for our community and what we want for the people involved in our community.
Many of us on this stage, talking,many of the people here in this audience attended this
school. I always look at Ray Harris' picture and think of what would he think of me
• now? But the issue is that all of us that have grown up here and lived here or have
chosen to live here and so forth, know the fabric of a community. And I think we have a
lot to be proud of in other areas. Our schools are absolutely beautiful and.well kept. The
new library is second to none. The high school additions and so forth that you people
bonded for make our high school a shining example of higher learning. The School
• Street project with the help of the Land Preservation Act and so forth is going to be a
wonderful facility for people to have sports program. This, I believe, is another piece.
It's what, and I have learned through being a Chairman of the committee, it's a question
when people choose to Iive in a community, they look at these issues. When people
choose to move out of a community as they get into later years,they might very well say,
what is there for us, you know, down the road? And as you have heard speaker after
• speaker say, well I go to the Senior Center everyday, I meet new friends, I reconnect with
old friends. This is the fabric of our community and I think it's necessary. And I would
be remiss if I did not say that for me, personally, it also is very gratifying to be able to be
part of a project in which I am very, uh, uh,happy tonight to see some old neighbors and
so forth, and my old friend Mrs. Edwards from Woodside Drive, my mother who goes to
• the senior center, my aunt who goes to the senior center. And so, like you, this is the
decisions that we make. And I urge you to make the right one tonight. It's a difficult
one; it always is when you have to go into a financial situation. But like the decisions
that have been made in this council in the past and past councils, it makes our community
what it is. And I believe passing this, going forward with this project, is the right
decision. Thank you very much for your time.
Laurel Placzek- Good evening. I've prepared an update of the capital improvement
program that we had gone over with the Council in a workshop about a year and a half
ago, to include the latest figures and final bid numbers with the senior center.
•
President Rheault—Laurel, would you state your name and address, please. Thank you.
Laurel Placzek—Laurel Placzek, Treasurer/Collector for the Town of Agawam.
Oops...Okay, our bond rating remains high, It's the same as it was the last time we met.
It's a Moody's AA3 and a Standard Poors AA-. That's high quality investment grade.
Our last rating was done in October of 2006 when we bonded the DPW facility. Our
strengths continue to be a strong focus on capital planning as is shown in tonight's
•
meeting. Our budget monitoring, our excess levy capacity, and our strong debt ratios. If
you look, you always have the question as to, as to our debt capacity. Presently, our debt
0 capacity is $122,126,207.00. I certainly would not recommend that we borrow that much
money but that is how much room we have,um,according to the state law. Our existing
debt if$22million for the General Fund, $7.5 million of which is the Town's side and
$14.5 million which is for our school improvements and additions. Our total existing
debt including all our self-supporting funds is $26.9 million. I'm not going to bore you
• going through all these, but this is what comprises our General Fund debt at the present
time. You'lI see that we have $3.1 million left on the Public Library and the newest debt
is the Fire pumper trucks which are on a ban and will probably be bonded with the senior
center should that go forward. Our authorized and unissued debt, which is on the next
page, are, um, the CSO project, storm water management, fire pumper trucks,because
0 originally you had authorized $645,000.00 and we were able to get them for $630,000.00.
You also authorized an extra$238,815.00 for the DPW facility. If you recall, I needed to
have you authorize that amount so that we could expend it but we received that amount
back from um,NEMA. This authorized and unissued debt,I'll be coming to you
sometime this fall with a rescention, so all of this is not going to be spent, it's just to
show that when we're conservatively budgeting, we put up what we may need for bond
and then we have some left over, so we don't back to the well. I,just wanted to let you
know, our Stabilization Fund balance at the present time is $3.5 million. That's a fund
that we use to accumulate funds for capital planning, uh, this could be used for capital
improvements, debt service and is a fund that requires a two-thirds vote of the Council
• for us to spend it. Now we get to the nifty-gritty, which you all want to see and I want to
go back over the tax rate impact, which has not changed since our last discussion. For
every $100,000.00 of new debt that you vote to issue,our tax rate will increase
.0...TAPE WAS TURNED OVER... for every $100,000.00 of valuation. The next
slide shows where we are with our current debt situation, and as it stands right now, we
spend on our tax bill, $94.47 per year or $23.62 per quarter, in order to provide the
• principal and int...this is a very busy slide...just look at the last column to the right...and
this is what pays for our debt principal and interest payments on an annual basis. This
slide goes from fiscal year 2009 through 2028, because the when the senior center would
mature. Credit analysts use the debt service as a benchmark for financial soundness.
They say that ten percent of a total operating budget is a ceiling for debt service. We
• presently have a debt service ceiling of$6.6 million, but we're spending $2.4 million,
about 5% of our Operating Budget. The next slide shows what the senior center is going
to cost the taxpayers of Agawam. In the first year, the median tax bill will increase
$23.49 per year, $5.87 per quarter. That's based on the medium household value of
$132,000.00. If you look at the next slide, it shows the total tax impact of debt with our
• current debt service requirements and those of the senior center added to it, which will be
$117.96 per year or$29.49 per quarter. Total debt service would be about 5%of our
operating budget, well below the 10%ceiling recommended by financial analysts. We
also have other proposed projects in the Town that are up for bonding, and if you look at
the General Fund and those are the projects that are paid for by the tax rates, the senior
center is the biggest piece at this point. We also have in the capital improvement plan,
Perry Lane pool renovations, a school all-weather track and the internet protocol
telephone system. I also included the water and waste water funds, uh, proposed.
•
bonding, but those would be paid for by Waste Water and Water Fund rates and also
betterments. If you're looking the nice, big$31 million for Feeding Hills/ Southwest
•. sewer. I've included in your packet, I don't think we need to go over it now because it's
not germane to the senior center expansion,but I included the discussion that we had last
year, regarding how we would pay for the Feeding Hills sewers. And um, I know you
probably have questions in regard to the financial aspect.
• President Rheault—Councilor Bitzas?
Councilor Bitzas—Yes, uh, I think you answered all the questions,my questions
anyway, but one plain question for the people who are watching this, can the town afford
to have the Senior Center, build and pay for it? Simple question.
•
Laurel Placzek—Yes. Yes.
Councilor Bitzas—Yes, thank you.
President Rheault—Councilor Rossi?
Councilor Rossi—Yes, thank you. You mentioned that $23.49 on the household median
of$132,000.00?
• Laurel Placzek- Yes, our medium value of a house in Agawam is $132,000.00.
Councilor Rossi—So if somebody had a house for example of$260,000.00, that would
double?
• Laurel Placzek--That would be $46.00, yes.
Councilor Rossi--Now is that above and beyond where our levy is now? In other
words, would the the percentage increases in our budget, would this $23.00 or $46.00 be
added to that?
• Laurel Placzek Yes.
Councilor Rossi—So, say for example if our budget at$150.00 is $23.00 or$46.00 be
added to it?
Laurel Placzek—If this is passed, your fiscal '09 budget will increase, if you look in the
.middle column on that slide, the annual debt service for the first year for the senior center
is $615,250.00 that would be added to your budget.
Councilor Rossi—Thanks.
Laurel Placzek—You're welcome.
•
President Rheault—Councilor Mineo?
0 Councilor Mineo—Yes,just one, actually one question. If we did the sewer project also
this year,how much would the taxes go up the for median residential tax payer...?
Laurel Placzek—The plan for this, this sewer project is to not impact taxes. The sewer
will be paid for by the members of the special assessment district. Those would be the
i homes in Feeding Hills, Southwest, that would be serviced by it. It would also be paid
for by General Benefits, those are if there are town facilities or other facilities that would
benefit, and those would be an increase in the sewer rates. It would not affect the
General Fund Budget.
Councilor Rossi—Thank you.
President Rheault—Councilor Young?
Councilor Young—Uh, I have uh,three questions. I'm not sure they're for Laurel
Should I just ask them and see who can best uh,? So I guess my question since I didn't
see the detailed bids,um, was what the confidence factor was in the bids,the uh,not the
bid,the asking the $6.5 million that you're asking for, and is there a contingency built in
there, is that plus or minus some percent, I'd like to understand what the minus and the
plus is one that and again, in keeping with the question before, you told us how we are
trying to uh,to be conservative so you don't have to come back. So we know we didn't
do too well in other projects. So I want to understand what the thing is now before we go
too far on that. I'd like to understand a little more about where we stand on looking for
grants and uh, federal and state monies. I saw the recent letters and I appreciate that but I
didn't know um, I think early on in some of the discussions,there was hopes of money
out there somewhere. I didn't know if there was still any possibility of debt for this year
or maybe next year. Finally,the last thing is there any uh, opportunity for additional uses
or additional uh,for instance, one of the things that's been brought to me recently was an
idea, any thought to, uh, further expansion for recreational uses of other ages and times
on that same site? So, I know that's a lot a questions and...
i Mayor Cohen-Yea, I can answer the one, I have been in contact not only, um. First of
all, we have to thank the state--they gave us $100,000.00 already in an earmarked to do,
towards the design. Um, and that was very helpful for us because it was a third of the
cost. We have been in contact with Senator Kennedy and Senator Kerry's office for
many, I would say, three years now asking for earmarks. I got a letter which I sent to you
in the packet from them, the latest one,because it gave no earmarks, quote this is Senator
Kerry's office telling me since no earmarks were given out last year, they owe those
people that they promised last year earmarks,this year and they hope that sometime in
June or sometime this winter, we should put it again in January and they will work very
carefully and promise that you saw the letter what is says, we're working to get that
funding. Um, they promised us anywhere from uh, we asked for $4 million,they told us
that was too much. 1 said okay, how about$3 million? They said no, it would probably
be somewhere between $500,000 and $800,000. I said fine, we'll take it. So we're
r
hoping that's what we get. I saw Congressman Neal, he got a copy of all those letters
also, um,while he was.there, we both walked over, talked to the Governor. I sent the
Governor a letter, Congressman Neal sent him a letter and we're waiting to here because
we could get as mush as $600,000 of monies that are given to the State for such projects
other than the earmarks from the Federal government. We're working to get that money
and we're trying. And we're gonna continue to do that. Uh, so we're looking, um but
this figure does not include any other that funding. Oh, contingency, you asked of
• that...I knew there was something else. We put in a ten percent contingency in order so
that we wouldn't have to come back. That's about a little over a half a million dollars-
which is included in $580,000 for a contingency to do any kind of extra site work that
may be done or anything that unnecessarily may come up or soil contamination,once you
start.digging, you just never know. So we put in, because of what uh, in the past, we
• wanted to be very conservative, come with a number that we felt was a true number as to
doing this. What is not spent as you can see, as Laurel showed you, is returned and we
ask you to uh, rescind it and that comes off. So what isn't spent, we won't spend and
we'll watch it very carefully. But we're being very conservative, yet realistic.
Richard Theroux—For a point,uh,just an the contingency and then I'll answer you
other question, Councilor. Um, we're looking at through the Housing Director, Mr.
Stanton, uh, redoing that entire campus as you are well aware, the parking in that area;
certainly the existing parking lot needs some improvement. So we're looking at possibly
the contingency. The one thing that I have tried to do as the Chairman of the committee,
is not only as I've stated previous, come before you, but the one thing do not want to do,
is have what we all know are change orders. And I'll say that again to Mr. Goodman.
Change orders. We will not have change orders. We will try to attempt to not have
change orders I should say because we all know that they are costly. That's why we
spent so much time on this. To revisit that issue, that is why we're before you on the 27th
rather than the I" of July, which was my target date because we waited for our
• Engineering Department to find if we could tie in to some different uh, waste water issues
with the old center and so forth and that took more time that we wanted. So that's why
we're here on the 27th rather that the first meeting in July, which was my target date. As
far as your other questions, and it's certainly been brought up to me before, you're
building a wonderful facility, we've all these recreational areas and so forth, and
• computer rooms and pools rooms and so forth, can we then flip that over to at some point
in the evening a different generation that's called for use. And I will say this to you,at
this present time; we're looking at the use of this center through our director. As you
recall the plan, that there's a coffee shop in the very uh, uh, I think it's the left side of the
building, off the main entrance. We have made that corridor going in both directions
secure from the rest of the building to allow us to possibly use that coffee shop after
hours so that people that would like to just socialize and uh, have friends stop by, we
might be able to do that with the right staffing. We certainly are looking toward using the
community room, a conference room that ...will have for the Planning Board meeting
and other issues, cuz as we all know there's space needs. However, at this juncture, and
• this is not my area,this is not, should not be my decision,but I would think that turning
over the center later on in the evening for another generation, would not be conducive to
the needs. Um, first of all, and that's my own opinion, and take it for what it's worth, but
•
I think again, I have young children. And I wish they were younger, but they're not,
they're older now. But still the issue is that would they go to a center of this nature,
would they play pool,if you held dances, uh, if you held dances there in the larger rooms
that we have, uh, would they use the exercise room and so forth. And I think any of us
that have been involved with children or know,the answer is no. Our Park & Rec
programs have all these programs and they have trouble filling them for a certain age
bracket. I mean no one more than me would like to see more dances up at the high
i school, kids having things to do,uh,you know,the weight room at St. John's where I
belong having young people down there using those facilities. They just don't uh, maybe
you blame it on the video games, maybe you blame it on other issues. Certainly Mr.
Rossi knows as a former policeman in our department, that it would be better if these kids
were busy doing these things. However, that is just not the case. So at this present time,
i I think the answer at least from me and from what I hear from our committee and so
forth, is no. That doesn't mean that it couldn't be used in the future for for uh,you know,
things of that nature. But I think if you really think our facility and our plan, because this
question does not...come up the first time. You look at what we have in particularly,just
at the Jr. High. The Mayor had a suggestion uh, a short time ago in a different budget
i, calendar year, that the Park &Rec Director to utilize our Jr. High for the movies that they
have in that facility, in the auditorium that's connected to the gymnasium that would have
a dance,that's connected to the gym and the pool that would have recreation facilities.
Councilors have extensive conversations with the Park& Rec Director, other agencies,
other people that would be involved and the answer came back that this particular
i generation would not come. So, I; I think that this is a facility built for our seniors and
we'lI look down the road to see if we can utilize it to the fullest for sure, but at this point,
not for another generation. Does that answer your question?
Councilor Young—Thank you.
0 . President Rheault--Councilor Carr Bitzas?
Councilor Carr Bitzas—Thank you, uh, my question is for Mayor Cohen. I appreciated
the two letters that you've written to the Governor and also to uh, Senator Kennedy, but
I'm wondering, if this passes tonight, the $6.4 million, wouldn't that sort of make the
i state or encourage the state to kind of put their big donation on the back burner? Or
maybe I just don't understand how it all works...?
Mayor Cohen—Getting earmarks today are very difficult. The supplemental budget for
the State oh, I would say in the next,I'm not really sure of the date when they'lI come out
i with...but I know they're working on supplemental budgets. Um, I've sent a copy of my
letter uh, that Congressman Neat also sent, I sent one, um to the Governor, I've also sent
it to um, Senator Buoniconti and to uh, Representative Sandlin, believe me I would like
nothing more than to get as much money as we possibly can get from uh, the state and
from the federal government. We're not going to stop trying to get money. Any money
i we get would go to reduce the bonding or what we had to do, but I can't force them...we
have sent in Joanie, what two budgets already,to the federal government for the last two
three years, as I said the first one was for$4 million, we said let's go for you know, a lot.
i
i
But I think now that we're in the process of building it, if it's approved tonight, I think
and I truly believe that our chances of getting money is much greater than if we are just in
the planning stage. They gave us a hundred thousand for planning. Um, East
Longmeadow, they're doing an upgrade which it an old 19, I believe 22 or 32, it was built
I forget,they've an old building,they got$2 million dollars to renovate and it isn't any
near, anywhere near what we're doing. But their senior center is nowhere near as active
as ours. So yes, we're going to continue to work to get it, we'll reduce the tax, the
• bonding by whatever we get, and just push. If you can write letters to uh, representatives,
our senators, to the governor, to the congressmen, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Kennedy, amen, let's
send more letters. I've been sending them for uh, three, four years. All the help I can
get, let's go.
Councilor Carr Bitzas—But in the case of East Longmeadow, is what you're saying, if
they paid for their project up front, wouldn't that discourage an earmark? Why would
they earmark you just to reimburse the town, is that what you mean?
Mayor Cohen—No,no they do it for reimbursement. And a lot of times, they're happier
0 to know that we've gone through with the project and are happy to reimburse knowing
the cost and the impact on the taxpayers and there's bonding and that it's definitely gonna
happen and that the bonding note can be reduced, which is a relief to taxpayers. So, no
they understand that.
i Councilor Carr Bitzas— Good, I was just a little concerned that maybe you'll lose some
money.
Mayor Cohen -Oh, yeah, I asked that question.
Richard Theroux—Councilor, if I can, two issues and one is the earmarks coming from
the Congress and also from the State and in particular the congressional earmarks, and
this is all a learning process for all of us and is recently been one for me as Chairman of
the PBTA board. The earmarks going for Union Station, that were wasted under a
previous administration that the PBTA in going to Washington with our new
administrator and asking for new earmarks, we had to have a plan uh, luckily Mayor
• Ryan of the City of Springfield came forward with his planning department and allowed
the planning department to put together to go out to bid and we went there with our
congressman, Congressman Neal, to request for these earmarks, but we had to have a
plan first. We're even further that a plan, obviously, so I think we're in good shape there.
But the other thing that I'd like to mention in this area is as you recall, and we can revisit
46 if any Councilors would like, the particular plan, but if you will go back with me to like
the coffee shop or the library room or the computer room, we are planning to unleash Mr.
Cote to the businesses in our area with a flourish and we are confident that he will get
businesses such as Six Flags to maybe sponsor the cafe, uh, Berkshire Power to maybe
sponsor the computer room, etc., other businesses. Just like they do as you see the
plaques in the hospitals and so forth, in the area. So that uh, you know, they will be part
of our community and we'll ask them to step up that plate. I have every confidence in
Emil.
i
President Rheault— Councilor Letellier?
Councilor Letellier--Thank you. I want to thank everyone that came tonight.
Obviously the administration and all the senior citizens that came tonight. I do have a
couple of financial questions but, I just want to state for the record that um, if a Councilor
asks a question,that doesn't mean they're against the project. Because I have heard the
• rumors too and they've gotten back to me and my family, and I'm, I don't want to say
personally offended in an election year, but I am a little offended that people assume
because a councilor asks questions,that they're against a project. So I just want to put
that out on the record. But Laurel, you can probably answer these questions better than
anybody else. My concern is we vote for the $6.5 and like the DPW, we come back, and
we come back and we come back. So what I'm looking for and it looks like CeCe has the
benefit of having the bid figures, cuz when I read her letter, she says she reviewed all the
bid costs. Obviously it would have been nice if we had been able to review those bids
costs before this evening, but what I'd like is for the council to get some sort of a print
out that shows what the bid costs are and the breakdown so that if this comes back to us,
• we'll know exactly where we may have under or over budgeted.
Mr. Theroux—I'm going to turn that over to Mr. Goodman, but you will recall um, on
the two issues of the bids. First of all, they are sub-bids. And this is something new for
all of us, certainly for me being involved in it for the first time. There are sub-bids for
the sub-contractors. Those sub bids have been reviewed by the architect and then the
general contractor, which we just did last Wednesday. And as I stated before, as a
Chairman of this committee and the committee people that I've worked with,we wanted
to ...our target date was July 1st for this issue, we were delayed by the Engineering
Department and 1, I, well will not cast dispersions for therm because as the Mayor just
mentioned they saved us money by doing that engineering work and finding a different
• way. So they did delay us a bit but they saved us money and I think that's worth it. But
I'm going to have the architect go over the bids, how uh, they were arrived at, and why
we are at this figure here this evening and hopefully, that will help you Councilor.
Councilor Letellier- Well, what I'm looking for is some sort of a print out, I mean I
• read CeCe's letter and it says, I met with Mayor Cohen to review all of the bid costs for
this project. After a thorough review and discussion with Mayor Cohen and his financial
team, I am pleased with the bid. So I guess what I'm looking for is, if we vote this $6.5
million tonight, if we vote it tonight, I still want some guarantee that we're going to get in
the next council packet, a list of what the costs are that add up to the $6.5 million so if
• there is coming back for overages, we want to know, are we dealing with the same
problems that we had with the DPW, have we not learned our lesson?
Mr. Theroux - I certainly understand where you're coming from councilor, but you also
have to understand that these are two different projects. One was a renovation in which
r you knock down a wall and find asbestos on the other side. This is a brand new project
so I am very confident in the time I've spent with the architect and the people that came
in with the bids... that we will come into this number. Um, and if not, then I'll be back to
•
you and I will certainly have you understand it. But we will get it to you in the next
packet...but I'm going to have Mr. Goodman go over that with you
•
Councilor Letellier - Okay, is the answer yes, we will get a list of how the figure was
totaled? Okay,thank you.
Mayor Cohen—Absolutely.
Mr. Theroux—Yes.
Mr. Goodman -I'd just like to make one statement relative to the bids that we did
receive. We received and I think this may, maybe I'm repeating it, fifty filed sub-bids
and we received nine general bids which is almost unheard of Normally, if we get
general bids we're happy as a clam. But in this case, we did receive nine. From the first
or low bid to the sixth bidder there was only a 5%difference in the cost of the six
bidders. It just indicated that uh,the climate right now is perfect and we're so happy that
uh,you know, as well as they did and-as close as they did. The bids are are, uh, legally
enforceable where-whatever you want to call it for a thirty day period and actually we,
with the discussions with the committee and with the mayor, we approached this a little
different. You're asking about whether there'd be-change orders or similar coming back
to the council, um ahem,this, uh,the procedures here we used were a little bit different.
While we estimated the project, we put the project out to bid, okay, before establishing
• the budget that you have before you. So these are, you know, the figures that we have in
terms of the contractor bids are hard and fast.
Councilor Letellier—Thank you Mr. Goodman.
President Rheault—Are you finished councilor? Councilor Simpson.
•
Councilor Simpson —Well, one of my question was answered, I'm gonna reserve my
comments for discussion time. Thank you.
President Rheault—Okay, uh, Councilor Perry, I think is next.
•
Councilor Perry—Yes,thank you Mr. President,through the Chair, uh,the actual
construction bid according to the information I received through the paper um, is
5miIHon, ....is $5,356,000...and
• Mr. Goodman - I'm sorry, with an alternate that we put in, yes, that's correct.
Councilor Perry— Okay, so the one million one hundred or so that's left is based for the
furnishing, the paving, contingency and I'm just wondering what the rest of the
$1,100,000.00 is for?
•
•
Mr. Goodman - Then we have the ten percent contingency on top of that plus other soft
costs for reproduction of plans, things of that nature and the construction administration
clerk of the works,things of that add up to the $6,450,000.00.
Councilor Perry - Okay, and going back in a different direction. Earlier in your
statement, Mr. Theroux, you stated that you've worked out things with the state as far as
parking, as far as egress in and out, has a contract been signed? If so, how much? How
• long?
Mr. Theroux - We have a binding agreement signed by the Dept. of Elder Affairs to
utilize that facility for our needs. Now as far as the parking, anyone who has ever met
Carl Stanton in the recent weeks that he's been with us,knows that this is a uh, a very
concerned and I'll use the word fastidious individual and believe me, we're going to
work very diligently with uh, his new lanterns, his apple trees, and everything else that he
requires. I've been done there speaking to him on a number of occasions, working out
the parking, not only for uh, as you're familiar with the campus down there for the
housing but also on an entire overlay of the whole design of the entrances and the exits so
we can have the best flow not only for the seniors that live there but for the seniors using
the center and so forth. Um, this is a man, um that leaves no detail unturned. He is going
to probably turns Mr. Goodman's hair black by the time he's done with him. But he,he
has done a great job down there.
. Councilor Perry - The question was is there a contract? If so, was it signed? How much
and how long?
Mr, Theroux-Yes,yes, and I've ...
Mayor Cohen - It's not a money, it's an easement. It's a licensed agreement, no money,
• easement, granting us an easement allowing us to utilize that space no until we all decide
we want to do something different. It's good forever, no money.
Councilor Perry - Okay. Now in the bidding process, I know that the Planning Board
just recently approved the site plan. Was that the site plan that was used in the bidding
process? I know that typographical land that we're looking to build this on slopes down
and has to be brought up, now was that site plan used in the bidding process? The one
that was approved?
Mayor Cohen - Yes. That, the one that the Planning Board just recently approved?
•
Mr. Goodman - We also did the one that extends and makes it...also where it extends
onto the Housing Authority site as well.
Councilor Perry —Okay cuz I know it's going to take an awful lot to rise that up for the
sewer level.
•
Mayor Cohen - Well we've, they've also made some um, changes and addendums were
sent out which were bid on where the grading will be less high and we've also looked at
i putting more shrubbery,moving some sidewalks, so on the sides where no light shine
into cond...apartments and things like that. We're working with Carl on all of that.
Those are things that really are incidental and will not, uh, shouldn't increase any costs. I.
don't see it increasing the cost because they've already been, um there's been addendums
that were sent out to that affect that you're speaking of.
•
Councilor Perry—Okay, yea cuz I know it's an awful lot of fill to bring it up two feet.
Mayor Cohen - Oh, yea, um.
Councilor Perry— If the Council will bear with me just to go into another different
direction. If we approve this and it's built, we have to start looking at the budget as far as
the amount of employees that are going to running this center for us. I mean, you know,
the current senior center had almost $50,000.00 for electricity and heat. That's a lot
bigger. I mean, you know...
Mayor Cohen - What type of budgeting have we looked at?....Many of you were here
when we did the library and those were the same issues when we did the public library.
We're still operating on the same staff that we were efficiently, effectively, and um still
meeting all the state requirements for state funding. Um, we talked about this. Joanie's
• on one floor, Chris is on another floor. And we believe we'll be able to still run the
facility with the same amount of people because the building, the way it's designed is
gonna run more efficiently that it is now. So we don't foresee any employee increases,
everybody, every department would like more increases. We need more people in all our
department. But no, I don't, that's been talked about and that's the way the building's
designed, we shouldn't need any more employees.
•
Councilor Perry - Okay, I mean, as far as the operation costs, um, is there any estimate
over the current...
Mayor Cohen -No, cuz there's a custodian already there.
•
Councilor Perry - No, I'm talking electricity, heat,all of those things...?
Mayor Cohen - Oh, heat, electricity? Oh, of course, there's always that increase. Any
time you have a new building, heat, light, that's...the cost if you put an addition on your
house, as you know. But yes, that's been looked at and we're aware of that. But that's
insignificant to the need of this facility.
Councilor Perry - WelI, it...it may be but in the long run the tax payers keep paying for
that throughout the next twenty years of bonding but for the facility to be run and
maintained is part of our annual budget. So it a concern of my so you can't say...
i
Mayor Cohen -No. You're right. We...it's a concern for all of us, but we do take that
um, I can tell you that um, we paid heat and electricity and energy in the new building.
This building...for the old building...we'll be paying it for the new building and that
building is going to be more energy efficient and I don't know if we'll see an increase...I
can't talk or if it'll be the same, cuz we, I talked with BayState Gas on green energy, we
talked about rebated and all kinds of things. And um, it's our hope that if there is an
increase, it would be slight because the old building is not energy efficient at all.
•
Councilor Perry -No it's not,
Mayor Cohen—As a matter of fact,the air conditioning,...that goes down all the time.
The new one will be energy efficient,will be on time so it can go on and off, it's not
constantly running, it's not breaking down,that all leads to more energy efficiency and
that's something that the building committee looked at, I looked at, Tony Albro looked
at, and how much of an increase until the building is built and is utilized, but we don't
foresee a large increase.
Councilor Perry--Okay. Thank you.
President Rheault--Councilor Magovern?
Councilor Magovern —I want to thank Councilor Perry, you just asked about 80%of my
questions, so it was very efficient. Um, so you cut down my time but I still want to make
a couple of comments and ask a couple of questions. Gina.Letellier, Councilor Letellier
brought up a point and that was if we ask a questions, it doesn't mean that we're against
the project cuz I too had several people question whether or not we were against the
project and I think we're all for the project, but we're trying to do our due diligence here
this evening and as our Town Clerk said this is a financial decision. We're looking out
for the interests of the entire community and that's why we're asking the questions that
we're asking. Uh, I've been a supporter of this senior center for many years and I look at
those drawings up there and I'm very pleased to see the beautiful buildings. And if, I
spoke with some of the members of the senior center several years ago when the project
was being proposed for School Street and I said no that's not the spot for the Senior.
• Center. The spot for the senior center is right where it's being built today and this goes
back many years ago. Most of you remember Andy Gallano,who worked very hard to
get that facility where it is and it was Any Gallano and I can remember sitting in my
home with my parents because my father was the one who owned the property at the
time. And between Andy Gallano and my father, they were the ones that positioned the
senior center where it is today, And I think that the building to go on Main Street, I
think, is a perfect location. Uh,the library cost us five million dollars as the Mayor said,
and I remember the discussion about the library being built and the pros and the cons and
the negatives, I was gonna ask the question about the personnel because that was the
same question asked about the library and I think that this is part of what has to be
40 budgeted. It's not just the cost of the building, it's the cost of the electricity, it's the cost
of the personnel, it's the cost of everything else. I think those questions were answered.
But I think that there's one question that I'd like to leave you with and that is that, when
•
everybody was upset about the five million dollars plus for the library even though part
of that was picked up by the state, I don't think that there's anybody in this town, young;
old, middle aged, that would be upset at the price that we are paying for that library. That
library is a beautiful structure. It's being used by everybody in town just about and I
think the senior center is going to be the same thing. And five years from today, people
are gonna look at that senior center, and say how did we every get along without it? So I
think that we are going to go for the senior center, but these questions have to be
• answered. I don't want to see us run into a situation like we did with our modules for the
school where the Council approves x amount of modules and then when the bids come
back in, it's x minus two. And this is very very important that these bids have to be
looked at, it's not casting dispersions on anybody. But if we allow$6.4 million for this
senior center, it better be $6.4 million. I don't want it coming back for another million
dollars, oh gee, I'm sorry that was an uh, mistake, and it's an add on. I mean, our
architect, will maybe get his black hair back but he'll lose it again if this doesn't come in
for budget. Um,so again I think that the questions that we're asking this evening are to
make sure that this is what we're going to pay and this is what we're going to spend.
We're for the seniors, we're for the building, but we're not for fiscal irresponsibility on
the part of the City Council. Thank you.
President Rheault—Let's see between Councilor Perry and Magovern, that reduces
mine down to about a percent. I have, I'd just like to share some uh, some things that
have transpired the past couple of weeks and I think that Councilor Letellier brought it to
• attention uh, I don't think any of us are against progress for the seniors. Certainly, I am
not as you can see by my gray hair and my length of involvement. I'm one of you.
However, I think it's incumbent on this council to also ask the tough questions. We're
spending six and a half million dollars of your money. It's not just our money,it's your
money too. And I've got some seniors that have brought to my attention, "hey, I'm on
fixed income, what do I do here? What are you guys doing spending$6.5 million?" I've
had seniors that brought up to my attention that they thought it was a housing project.
They didn't even know that it was a senior center/recreational facility. I've had seniors
come up to me and say hey, if you don't vote for this, you're out next election, Rheault. I
think that's pretty unfair, quite frankly, if they're gonna judge my performance for all
these years on one vote. And I'm the kind of guy that tells it like it is, I'm disappointed,
• honestly, with the Mayor for the reason...
Councilor Bitzas - Mr. President, we have a question now?
President Rheault-No, comments and I know you're here to protect George, but I'm
going to make my statement.
Councilor Bitzas - I think the person in the chair should go to...off the chair...
President Rheault- The questions is, I've got a question for him. Why wasn't either the
• City Council President or...
Councilor Magovern - Excuse me, Mr. President
•
• '
President Rheault- ...or the Council Vice President invited along with the Chairperson
0 of the Finance Committee? I thought that would be incumbent to have the same
information. The other committee members I don't even believe knew about that
probably until they received the letter tonight. So that's a little disappointment. The
other questions were already asked on maintenance, uh, oh I do have one question.
The...
•
Mayor Cohen -If I could Councilor, I could just tell you that the'City Councilor
Calabrese asked after seeing the article if she could review it with me. So she set the
meeting, okay, I was very glad to have Councilor Calabrese do that because she couldn't
be there and I'm glad that she did..
•
President Rheault - So am 1.
Mayor Cohen -And it was very responsible on her part to come and see me. As you
know, you come in my office every day just about where you welcome. You are
• welcome to call me and talk to me about anything any time. All of you, like I said many
years, I'm like the Maytag salesman, waiting for you to call me. But you don't...But all
the information is there, it's always been there. I have no questions. I believe what may
have happened was your comments of saying it would be irresponsible not to have the
City Council Chair people look at it. Well, she was responsible, she looked at it and I
! thank her for that. I did nothing to personally go after you so, in a way, resent what
you've said because I thought we worked very well together.
President Rheault- We do. When we communicate.
Mayor Cohen - Well, I'm communicating. .Call me anytime, Don.
•
President Rheault—The uh, question I guess is to Mr. Theroux regarding the gender gap
and the use of the facility for other areas or other age factors. So, basically it's not going
to be used as any type of community whatsoever,no matter what the age factor is?
• Mr. Theroux-Well, I don't, as Chairman of this committee, I don't feel qualified to
answer that broad questions because down the road I'm going to be there hopefully for
the groundbreaking and hopefully there when they open the doors. And then maybe in a
few years, hopefully there myself, but outside of that I don't think I can expand on that.
However, I can tell you in our committee and in the survey that was sent out to all the
seniors in the community and so forth, um, that is not a thought. Now that is not to say
our Park & Rec.Director and the Mayor might look down the road to see that there's
something that can be utilized for that building. But I think all of us really have to and I
think you yourself can with your own grandchildren, we all have to be honest and we
don't like it, at least I don't like it. I can remember going to dances with Coach Harry
Leonardi with a couple a football players and older cheerleaders from the high school
when I was in the Junior High here and he had a small record player and I wore my
cousin's sport jacket and then I wore my awn every other week, and I just had a heck of a
•
time every Friday night. I wish they still had that for the kids at the Junior High but the
problem is they will not attend. Um, and I think that's backed up by our Park&Rec.
i
President Rheault - I'm talking about adults.
Mr. Theroux- :And, and, and even down the road for, you know, a population of let's
say my generation maybe on the cuspit of going to the senior center. I don't think, let's
• say, the fitness facility, I don't think we want to be in competition with the area fitness
clubs that we have and I don't think that's what the center's for. For a 40 to 50 year old,
I think there are facilities as I mentioned in my talk a little bit, in my own church at St.
John's they have a fitness center and it's not utilized as well as it could and it certainly is
open for anyone who'd like to go get the key from Father Brennan. But I...
•
President Rheault - So the answer is no.
Mr. Theroux- I think we try to use all our facilities. Can we in the future? I can't really
give you that answer. I don't want to say yes or no. Will we try if it uh, I think uh, if our
• Park &Rec Director and the Mayor,thinks it's feasible, yes. But I think we have to
answer for ourselves. I don't think either generation, my or a younger generation should
be in that building. I think it's for the seniors and that's what we're looking for.
Mayor Cohen -Um, when we did the surveys, the seniors and it came back very clear,
• the seniors do not want to share the building as a community center. And I made it very
clear that it would not become a kid's community center. Their needs are totally
different. This building has been designed for seniors. If Joanie, as the Director, would
like to open the building in the evening for senior activities and things like that. I would
definitely not be opposed to that at all, if that's what you're asking. For senior activities,
I couldn't care if they keep it open twenty-four hours a day. I hope they do. There's
enough, gonna be plenty to do there. But to mix the community center and the senior
center, I won't go along with that because (1)our Park &Rec Director doesn't think it's a
good idea and our Senior Center Director doesn't think it's a good idea and that's not
what our seniors want, so I have to go by `this is a Senior Center'. I do believe that
uh,...
•
President Rheault- Question's been answered. Councilor Bitzas?
Councilor Bitzas—This would be my second question. My last one...uh, it's very nice
and I'm very thankful almost ten councilor to ask questions ...finances...it's like we have
• finance committee without a chairman and the chairman support that. So it's so well
done here with just all that have been done here. And I want to follow Councilor
Letellier's questions that the $6.4 million, am I correct by saying we may not spend that
much? Can be a lot less? But could not be more. Because we have a debt percent ....90
more? Okay good....but it could be less. Because you have ten percent the fund to cover
the expenses...okay. Thank you.
Councilor Simpson - Motion to come of committee?
•
President Rheault - I'm sorry, Councilor Perry?
•. Councilor Perry—Yes, if I may please. One more question, through the Chair to Laurel.
Just going back to um, your slide page 11 senior center expansion tax rate impact.
You're basing the first year bonding of$615,250.00 would affect the average tax bill
23.49 right? $23.49? And that's based on a median home price of$132,000.00? Where's
that coming from?
•
Laurel Placzek- That is on the median tax valuation..It's not the average. That is the
median. That means that half of the houses in Agawam are higher than$132,000.00 and
half are lower.
Councilor Perry - You can find a house in town for $132,000.00?
Laurel Placzek- Yes...no no it's median. I'm saying if there's....(microphone was
accidentally hit and shut off for a minute) —or less.
Councilor Perry - Is that based on
Laurel Placzek- Accessed is...
Councilor Perry -No I understand.
Laurel Placzek-And that's...
Councilor Perry-These figures are from the Assessors Office
Laurel Placzek- Yes, and there from the State...
•
Councilor Perry- ...where they've a hundred percent tax evaluation. I find that very
hard to believe. I really do. I mean that's just my input. You know, in looking at that, I
just had to ask. I wrote the $132,000.00 down and I'm like my kid's looking for a house,
where can they find one for that price? I mean...
•
Laurel Placzek- It's...it's....it's the valuation which should be, should be close to sale
value but you can back to that other side that says it's 28 cents for $100,000.00.
Councilor Perry - Thank you.
•
Councilor Bitzas—I make a motion to go out ...
President Rheault—Moved by Councilor Bitzas to come out of committee, seconded by
Councilor Mineo. All those in favor? Opposed? We're out of committee. Back in the
Council's lap. What's the Council's pleasure? Councilor Letellier.
•
Councilor Letellier—Thank you. I just wanted actually to make a couple of comments
cuz this is separate from the question and answer period and that is I do know hard the
Friends of the Senior Center have worked. I get Emil's mail and I get Emil coming to my
office—want to do this? Want to buy that? And I also remember Kathy to her dieing day
was thinking about the senior center. So when I say that I was personally offended that
people questioned my support of the senior center because they knew I had questions, it's
because I do know so many of you so well. And I do support the fund raisers and now
• that our questions have been answered, and knowing that we're going to get a bid
breakdown, I'm happy to say that I'm going to vote yes for this but I'm asking...what
I'm asking is from now into eternity, if you hear that a Councilor has a question about
something, don't assume they're against it. Call me. Obviously, a lot of you stopped my
dad in town and that's fine too. I don't mind that but my office is right in town. People
come in and out all the time without appointments. I have my home number, my office
number. I'm not offended if you ask questions of me as to why I'm asking questions of
other people. So thank you for your hard work and I'm sure we'll all be at a lot more
fund raisers. Thank you.
Mr. President, may I speak?
President Rheault—Councilor Simpson had her light on first.
Councilor Simpson—Thank you, um thank you for the information tonight. It was very
informative. It added on to some of the information that we had before. Um, I too,will
be supporting the senior center this evening however,however, I would like to see down
the road this given some thought to the multi-generational concept. I got a couple letters
from seniors asking me to support it but,you know what my most phone calls were?
Were from people from probably age 30 to 40 with young children saying `I know the
seniors need a place,but we still have been asking for years for a boys and girls club,a
community center for the kids.' Every child does not play sports and I think there is a
feeling...we all say the generations change. They say a fifty-year-old today is not the
same as a fifty-year-old was thirty years ago. Everyone's much more active and
involved. So maybe the children that are coming along, have a different feeling and
different venue of what they would like to do. We really, Chris Sparks does a great job
• with the facilities that he has now in front of him. Parents are out there looking for things
for their kids to do. They won't necessarily want them on the ball field playing soccer
and what not. Kids are into playing pool, into playing cards now. I see it changing. My
children are getting older. My youngest one is graduating from high school. I'm past
that. But I've gotten a lot of calls saying could this be something that other generations
could snake use out of. So I think it's great that we're gonna have the senior center, great
for you guys, for everyone to have a new facility, but I hope down the road, that
everybody takes a look at that and maybe it is a possibility. Because as they say, the
young can learn from the older, and the older can learn from the young. So hopefully
we'll keep that tucked back in our mind and I think as we all try up here, we can't please
everybody,but we do have to answer to the whole town. And when people ask my those
questions from a different generation, um I'd like to let them know that maybe that-is still
a possibility. That we're not gonna say no and close the door totally. And a couple years
•
down the road, it might be something that the seniors would enjoy and that the new
. generation of children coming along may enjoy. So thank you and I will be voting yes.
President Rheault— Councilor Bitzas?
Councilor Bitzas—Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I'm pretty happy tonight as seeing
that the Special Meeting is working very well. We have about 7...9.00 now past 9:00,
• we spend lot of time discuss the issue, very important issue and I'm glad we spend this
time. If you mention next Monday, be so many items on Agenda, and will be here all
these people, hundreds of people, almost two hundred I can see, waiting til midnight
maybe. And that's good for the whole council. I give you credit whole council because
not one single councilor up there is absent one with very good reasons and I'm happy and
I spoke to her also and she said she surely will send a letter of support...Councilor
Calabrese. So I speak as a Councilor and also a Vice chair of committee, I assure you
Councilor and I assure the Agawam people that we are going to have one of the best
senior centers that everybody be proud of it. And we not going to cost more money.
Thank you, we do the best we can to spend the less money with the best project. Thank
you.
President Rheault--I'd like to make just one or two comments. First of all, I think
Councilor Simpson brought a very important issue to the light of all of us. And that's the
youth...as well as, we take care of the seniors but there's the other side of the spectrum.
• So we've got to really seriously look at. We also have to really take a close look and in
my opinion, move up very quickly as we can,the...home. And I think Councilor Mineo
will attest to that. The other question I have and this is directed to the Mayor. If he
could,just so I'd have a better understanding of it. The last sentence of the motion it says
that the Mayor is authorized to take any other action necessary to carry out this project.
What does that interpretation mean to you? Or Laurel?
•
Laurel Placzek—That language is required by bond council.
President Rheault- Oh, it is? That explains it.
• Mayor Cohen- It's every motion that we have...
President Rheault—Oh it is? Fine.
Councilor Letellier- If I may as a point of order, you just need to take the word `AND'
and become `ANY'. That's why it is awkward to read it, it's to take any and not to take
and action.
President Rheault—Probably a typo. I believe Councilor Carr Bitzas is next.
Councilor Carr Bitzas—I had a lot of comments prepared tonight but I know you heard
them before and from me, so I'll go on to something else. I just noticed some of the little
comments that were made by, in citizens speak time. Such as sixteen years in the capital
•
budget writing in the senior center. Well, we waited 18 or 20 years for a DPW and I'd
hate to see the senior center put on hold for another 2 or 4 years. So, it is a crisis. So if
you think it's not a crisis, I'm afraid you're wrong on that. We cannot serve the people
that we have. We]I, we can serve the people that we have but it's not easy. I go down all
the time and there's no exercise at the senior center. We've been doing it for five years
now and uh, we set those tables up, I can't even tell you how many times. Of course, I'm
trying to build muscles anyway but still, it's hard for some of the seniors to do it and yet
• they try to do their part. We need this senior center. There isn't any doubt about it.
Another thing I had a little comment on here was, I think it would be nice if the camera
man turned that camera around and took a picture of all the people here, so that people at
home could see who moves tables and chairs every single day of their life. I know it's a
lot of money and I know it's two floors but that is a beautiful building and that'll be a
beautiful building into the future for all the people coming up after us. And those people
are pretty close on our tail right now and uh, when I read Richard's census results and
saw the seniors are now about 27% of the population. Well, who knows in another 2 or 3
years, they may be 30% of the population, it probably will as baby boomers move on up
there. So we need this senior center. We need it now. And I'll be voting for it. Thank
you.
President Rheault—Councilor Mineo?
Councilor Mineo— Yea, I would like to thank the administration. I thought the
• presentation was good. I'd also like thank the seniors that came out in support of this. I
was on that building committee; I believe back in 2000 or 2001. There were a couple
years that I was on it and I'm not on it any longer but I supported you then and I still
support you tonight. Thank you.
President Rheault—Councilor Rossi?
•
Councilor Rossi—Thank you. I would just like to touch on a couple of things here. I
think if anybody has been following my career or any article I've written, I think you'll
know what my feelings on the seniors, and the youth of this community are, and that is
that I think that probably they're greatest resource that we have in our society today. I
! think we need a youth service community in this town but I don't think it should be
coupled with the senior center. I think there's a lot a data and lot of information out there
saying that that just wouldn't work. But I do think we do need a community center and I
think that's something we could look at down the road, to encompass after school, before
school programs,those kinds of things. But Mr. Cote,I see him standing there in the
background; I think he knows more than anyone else how sensitive I am to the needs of
the senior center. I'm been on Friends of the Senior Center Committee and I stood on the
corners with a cup in my hand and walkathons and served coffee in the rain and those
kinds of things so I know what it's.all about to go out there and work hard. And I see a
lot of the faces that have been there along the way and have really worked hard to try and
make this thing happen. And I would guess that that's why they're here today. So I just
wanted to say and I was a little disappointed when I heard them say that there was rumors
going around that there was some people against it. I don't know where that came from
but I'm sorry to hear that somebody got that kind of information out there which really
wasn't correct. But I think that that's been touched on and I'm not gonna go there again.
But I just want to say that I appreciate your efforts and I applaud you efforts and I
applaud your appearance here today. And it'll be a pleasure to support it. Thank you.
President Rheault—Councilor Magovern
• Councilor Magovern—I'd like to move the question.
President Rheault—There-was just one quick comment if you could.
Councilor Magovern—I will hold off on moving until...
•
President Rheault—I think it might have been a difficult position for Billy Chester to
come up and state what he stated,but I think it uh,it had a lot of merit and a lot a
consideration. These are not easy votes but ultimately I think you are going to see a
unanimous vote from the Council.
•
Councilor Magovern—Now I will move the question.
Councilor Bitzas— Seconded
• President Rheault—Question's been moved by Councilor Magovern, seconded by
Councilor Bitzas. All those in favor of moving the question? Opposed? Will the Clerk
please call the roll?
ROLL CALL—Ten Yes, One Absent.
President Rheault—Ten yes, one absent. APPLAUSE. Thank you and I'll entertain a
motion to adjourn. Moved by the council to adjourn. All those in favor? Opposed? We
are now adjourned. Good evening.
Adjournment.