Live reporting - DPW

DPW, Water/Sewer enterprise accounts
Brutus Cantoreggi
Paula Lombardi


Nutting overview
budget is up, staffing is down, less folks to do the same amount of work

Cantoreggi
no additional funds added to snow and ice removal for this year
reduced .5 for a non-union employee for environmental affairs
one full-time mechanic was reduced
800 man-hours were eliminated
$100,000 reduced in a number of small items (i.e. weed control for the sidewalks)
major concern for the loss of personnel
where there will be a delay in responding will be in the mundane things like potholes
we don't have the people like we used to, why are trash barrels getting emptied
Storm water is a huge thing and the town does not have an identified funding source for this
this is a big thing and you'll hear from me again

60% of my budget is based upon expenses, how to forecast and budget for this
it is like a tumor, i don't know when it will burst
we are very lean right now, I can answer specific questions about the budget

Q
we look at reducing impervious areas, it doesn't work everywhere
snow plowing is probably a minor thing, minor to plow around it, reducing road width
moving road width down to 26 feet from 30-36 feet

Q
is there an unfunded liability on storm water
EPA is identifying Milford, Bellingham, and Franklin to reduce and it would cost $70 M
The $100,000 is just to get their permit to start

Nutting
The process is going on and on, a minimum would be about $500,000 per year
subdivision retention ponds have never been cleaned
street sweeping may need to be twice a year instead of once

$15 M would just fix the roads that cover the first 30 worst miles, we have 200 miles of road

Q
salt is continuing to be a high expense
Are there other technologies to look at?

Nutting
actually salt only works down to 20 degrees, below that we have to add something that is more expensive
we are in a consortium to improve our buying power
we are buying $1.90 per gallon of gas, but it won't be that it is also going up

Q
Nutting
when storm water comes full throttle, we'll need help there but that is not anything immediate

motion to approve, passed 7-0 (Cameron recused herself)

Franklin, MA