The Planning Board has received its first glimpse of the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for the next five years. Town Administrator John Anderson, Planning Director George Sioras and Financial Administrator Frank Childs presented the draft plan at the Feb. 20 Planning Board meeting. Anderson reminded the board and television audience that due to the town charter, Section 9.8, the town is required to present the CIP to the Planning Board. The requests for capital projects were submitted by department heads and had an initial review by Anderson and Childs. Highlights of the 2014- 19 document include:
• Route 28 South water and wastewater treatment system, $1,968,500 and $1,975,500 respectively, which have been approved to be bonded in those amounts. The plan is to bond $250,000 of each in April of this year, with partial construction to begin in September 2014. The remainder of the project, $3,444,000, will be bonded in summer 2013 if the project moves forward. John O’Connor, a state representative and vice-chair of the Planning Board, said he had recently met with the state treasurer, who told him bonding was still “extremely favorable.” The bond would also include the $250,000 Woodlands water upgrade.
• Reconstruction of Rockingham Road from Bradford Street to the Route 28 Bypass (Webster’s Corner), including replacement of the culvert. Scheduled to begin in September 2013, this project will be bonded in April for $1 million.
• Replacement of the tipping facility at the Transfer Station, $3 million, with increased recycling revenue expected to cover the debt service.
• “It will be more user-friendly,” Anderson said of the new tipping facility.
• GIS (Geographic Information System) flyover of the town, Information Technology department, $90,000.
• Replacement of the marked cruiser fleet at the Police Department, on a three-year cycle, $377,403, to be funded through a capi tal lease.
• Public Works’ requests include replacement of two large dump trucks, $81,500 each, with the town covering 20 percent and the remaining 80 percent funded through the state salt mitigation program. Other requests include $110,000, loader replacement at Transfer Station, funded by capital lease, and $400,000, recycling bailer for new transfer station, funded by the Waste Trust Fund.
• Derry Public Library, $83,000, conversion of HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system from oil to natural gas. There is an expected “payback” in energy cost savings within 10 to 12 years, Anderson said.
• Water Department, $220,000, replacement of water mains, and $575,000, new booster station Rockingham Road.
• Wastewater Department, $625,000 to remove and dispose of lagoon sludge adjacent to the site of the new Transfer Station facility.The charter requires the submittal of the CIP to the Town Council by March 1, one month prior to the submission of the next year’s budget. The budget will be delivered to the Council March 29, Anderson said.