Finance Committee

REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OCTOBER 20, 2010 A meeting of the Finance Committee was held on Wednesday, October 20, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. in the Aldermanic Chamber. Mayor Donnalee Lozeau presided. Members of the Committee present: Alderman-at-Large David W. Deane, Vice Chair Alderman-at-Large Barbara Pressly Alderman Arthur T. Craffey, Jr. Alderman Paul M. Chasse, Jr. Alderman Kathy Vitale Members not in Attendance: Alderman-at-Large Ben Clemons Also in Attendance: Alderman Richard LaRose Mayor Lozeau Alderman Clemons did let me know that he was not going to be available for this evening’s meeting. COMMUNICATIONS From: Robert Gabriel, Purchasing Manager Re: Hunt Building Design Services Amendment #1 (Value: $22,450) Account: 720-3738 City Building Improvements – Hunt Bldg Account Balance Remaining After Purchase: $1,032,550 MOTION BY ALDERMAN CHASSE TO ACCEPT, PLACE ON FILE AND AUTHORIZE AMENDMENT #1 TO THE CONTRACT WITH INTEGRATED ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR A NET CHANGE IN AN AMOUNT NOT-T0-EXCEED $22,450. SOURCE OF FUNDING IS THROUGH ACCT. #720-3738 ON THE QUESTION Alderman Deane Can you give us an overview of what’s going on here? Mayor Lozeau You’ll probably remember back in 2005, this company was hired to do HVAC and design work. They had a contract for about $26,000. They did about half of the design work, and then the remainder was diverted to replace the boiler because there was an emergency with the boiler. The boiler was replaced with the funds that were left in that account. Since 2005, nothing has progressed there. But now that the architect is back on and the work is progressing in the building, they needed the HVAC design completed. They also needed electrical design and fire alarm design. They went back to the same contractor and they have extended the contract with this change order. The amount that you see here will include the work that I just described for $22,400. Finance – 10/20/10 Page 2 Alderman Deane I don’t remember what work we got from them prior. Mayor Lozeau Just design work. They just never completed the design. They began the design work for the HVAC and since then some of the new plan has changed about how the air conditioning will work. For instance, it’s not going to be typical central air throughout in all of the ceilings. The basement ceiling, where they are hoping to do finish work in the basement for office space that they can rent out, will have some ceiling a/c’s. But the rest of the building will have a/c units that sit almost like a radiator underneath the windows. All the design work needs to be done for that. Then the electrical work and the fire alarm work as I said. Alderman Deane So they are not putting central air in. They are putting slim line units in that are just wall mounted? Mayor Lozeau Right. The majority will be done that way. Alderman Deane Similar to what we have in this building in areas. I believe we have some downstairs in purchasing, don’t we? Mayor Lozeau They are a little bit different than that. The ones in purchasing are portable and then they have the hose out the window. These units will be ducted into the HVAC system. They will be built in under the window and then they will have like wood around them so they architecturally fit in. Alderman Deane They’re a ductless unit though. They don’t go into any duct. They are wall units that will be mounted in the wall in certain areas throughout the building? Mayor Lozeau They will be on the floor under the window in all the areas with the exception of the basement. Alderman Deane That’s interesting. So they are putting those throughout the whole building. Mayor Lozeau Yes, and they are working with the architect. This design work will make sure that everything that they are proposing and that the architect has suggested will work. Alderman Deane So the first page was the ’05 … Finance – 10/20/10 Page 3 Mayor Lozeau Resolution. Alderman Deane The letter dated 16-2010, that’s the ’05 work? Mayor Lozeau I don’t know what you’re referring to. Alderman Deane “The system designed in 2005 shall be redesigned to reduce the amount of duct work wherever practical in order to lower the overall cost of the project.” Mayor Lozeau That’s true. Yes. Alderman Deane So now it sounds like they’re not really putting in any duct work. Mayor Lozeau No, there will be duct work because there will be replacement duct work for some of the heating systems and for what they are doing in the basement ceilings. Alderman Deane I thought the heat was all steam. Mayor Lozeau But they still have to design the system so the work together. That design work is part of what they are doing. MOTION CARRIED From: Robert Gabriel, Purchasing Manager Re: Masonry Block Building at Anniversary Park Requested by Park Recreation Department (Value: $19,898) Account: 590-23552-6911 FY11 Prior Year Escrow – Park Rec Account Balance Remaining After Purchase: $0 MOTION BY ALDERMAN CHASSE TO ACCEPT, PLACE ON FILE AND AWARD THE CONTRACT TO PM MACKAY IN THE AMOUNT OF $19,898. FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE IN ACCT. #590-23552-6911 ON THE QUESTION Alderman Vitale When was this concrete pad put down? Finance – 10/20/10 Page 4 Mayor Lozeau Last spring, I believe. Alderman Vitale It was put in last spring. Mayor Lozeau It’s been put in for awhile. Alderman Vitale And it was put in specifically for this building? Mayor Lozeau Yes. Alderman Deane I had asked the public works director about the slab and the frost. I’m just wondering what’s going to happen when we stack all this block on top of a concrete slab. I don’t know how thick it is. It’s probably six to eight inches thick. If we’re ever going to have any significant problems with the frost heaving and things of that nature. I know the building they put a little add on onto the concession building up on Murray’s Field that has problems with frost. It’s heaved. They didn’t key the block in which would have been a nice thing to do, but they didn’t do it. It’s pulling away a little bit. I’m just wondering whether we should have a frost wall under this or not, but I guess that would be up to the building department to state whether that was required or not. Mayor Lozeau It’s not required. The slab has been inspected. It’s six inches deep and there’s 18 inches of gravel underneath it. It’s been permanent and inspected. This is the first I’ve heard that there’s a problem at Murray Field that you described, but our other storage areas that are made this same way, we haven’t had any problem with any of those with frost. Alderman Deane I know like the dug outs out at Ledge Street, those are sitting on ten yards of concrete, about three feet deep. God help the person that ever has to take those out. I think that’s why they left them when they did the field renovation because they started looking at the depth of it, and they said forget about it. I think this is a great idea. However, I think the building is too small. It will help alleviate some of their storage. I am going to speak with the engineering department about bringing the sewer line into that smaller brown building over there. The health department shut them down. They wouldn’t let them use a portable sink and everything else. They struggled. They couldn’t do any concessions this year. I think that sewer line does run up there. It would be nice to just do a penetration in Artillery Lane and bring the sewer line over into that building so they have somewhere for their gray water to go. Pop a little hot water tank in there and then they can get their inspections. I did speak briefly with the football people a couple of months ago when they asked me. I told them that I had to get permitting as well as everyone else did in the city. I had to follow the same guidelines that everyone else is expected to follow. Finance – 10/20/10 Page 5 Mayor Lozeau I wasn’t aware that they had been shut down by Environmental Health. Alderman Deane Oh ya. Mayor Lozeau And we’re doing work over on Artillery Lane. I’ll be happy to look into whether or not we can do something. Alderman Deane I believe the sewer line does run up that far. I don’t know whether it’s combined or not. I believe it is. Mayor Lozeau That might be a problem. Alderman Deane Well, it’s gray water. If it’s combined, there’s people already using it for both purposes other than the nature’s additions as well as man-made additions to the system. The north baseball league currently uses that building but if the football folks were going to – we share it with them. I take my stuff out of there when their season starts. But if it got to the point when we put the sewer line in, I would just abandon the building altogether - just to give them. If they are going to use it for concessions, you don’t want to be loading it up with bats and balls and trashing the place. Then it’s just a nightmare. If that’s what they are going to use it for then I don’t have a problem. I know their revenues are way down because they couldn’t utilize that this year. I just think that’s - as we know with this investment in the storage building to hopefully get the rest of those trailers out of there - that’s going to be their home. That’s where they are playing. So I think popping the sewer line in there for them with a hand-wash sink and a little kitchen sink and everything. Then they can buy a tiny hot water tank to pop in there that will suffice for their needs. But I am going to look into that. I just wish this building was a little bigger. That’s all. I know there was only so much money and bids went out. Mayor Lozeau Well we did go two feet taller than normal for this building so that we could put a mezzanine inside of it. Give them some overhead storage as well. Alderman Deane I know but if you look at the square footage of the trailers they have down there and the square footage of the building. Mayor Lozeau But the trailers aren’t full. When we met with them and talked to them about what their needs were. I know you started that conversation because I had asked you to talk to them a little bit about what you thought they might need. They seemed to think that that would work. Things have a tendency to grow when you have a place to put them, so it may not meet the need, but the goal is... Finance – 10/20/10 Page 6 Alderman Deane Anybody that owns a garage can attest to that fact, I would imagine. I don’t have a garage. Mayor Lozeau I have three sheds so I can attest to that. Alderman Deane So we got the building permit then? Mayor Lozeau Yes. Alderman Deane And the inspections have all been signed off on on the slab? Mayor Lozeau Yes. Alderman Deane And that’s posted so it can be visible from the street? Mayor Lozeau When they do their work, I think it will be. Alderman Deane Do we have a date when they would be starting this project? Mayor Lozeau They are going to start it as soon as I can get the contract signed. They should have … Alderman Deane Completion by 24-November 2010. Mayor Lozeau Right. MOTION CARRIED UNFINISHED BUSINESS – None Finance – 10/20/10 Page 7 NEW BUSINESS – RESOLUTIONS R-10-62 Endorsers: Alderman Arthur T. Craffey, Jr. Alderman Michael J. Tabacsko Alderman-at-Large Barbara Pressly Alderman Mary Ann Melizzi-Golja Alderman Diane Sheehan Alderman Kathy Vitale APPROVING A THREE YEAR AGREEMENT WITH THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE FORESTS FOR CONSULTING AND RELATED SERVICES TO IDENTIFY AND ACQUIRE PROPERTIES FOR CONSERVATION PURPOSES AND AUTHORIZING THE TRANSFER OF $50,000 FROM ACCOUNT #372-7007 “NASHUA CONSERVATION FUND” INTO ACCOUNT #372-01045 “CONTRACTING SERVICES – PARCELS FOR ACQUISITION” • Also assigned to Budget Review Committee; Favorable Recommendation Issued 10/4/10 MOTION BY ALDERMAN CHASSE TO RECOMMEND FINAL PASSAGE OF R-10-62 ON THE QUESTION Alderman Deane Is this the piece of legislation that we’ve already approved? Mayor Lozeau No, actually this is the legislation that mistakenly didn’t get assigned to committee and now has… Alderman Craffey It was assigned to the budget committee. Mayor Lozeau The board did not take it up. Alderman Deane It was tabled. Mayor Lozeau Because there’s a contract that didn’t come through finance. Alderman Deane It was tabled. Mayor Lozeau What this resolution does is it extends the contract that we have with the Society for the Protection of Forests for the conservation land work that they’ve been doing with the city. It gives an additional three years. Finance – 10/20/10 Page 8 Alderman Deane Are you supportive of this idea? Mayor Lozeau I am. The conservation commission has requested it. And the work that’s been to date has been very fruitful for them. Alderman Deane And it’s paid for ouit of the conservation fund? Mayor Lozeau It is. And that fund, after the purchase of the two Terrell pieces of property and this work from the Society for the Protection of Forests, they will have a balance on the account of just under $1.8 million remaining. Alderman Deane I remember when that was over $3 million in that account. Bought a lot of land, I guess. Mayor Lozeau We’ve bought almost 90 acres. MOTION CARRIED NEW BUSINESS – ORDINANCES – None DISCUSSION WARRANT MOTION BY ALDERMAN CHASSE TO APPROVE WARRANT #7 IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $11,137,939.66 OF WHICH $2,604,099.06 ARE ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, $5,449,526.75 ARE PAYROLL AMOUNTS, $34,380.00 ARE PREPAY AMOUNTS AND $3,049,933.85 ARE WIRE TRANSFERS MOTION CARRIED POSSIBLE NON-PUBLIC SESSION ADJOURNMENT MOTION BY ALDERMAN CHASSE TO ADJOURN MOTION CARRIED The Finance Committee meeting was adjourned at 6:47 p.m. Alderman Paul Chasse Committee Clerk, Pro Tem