Public Works & Buildings Committee

Public Works and Buildings Committee City Hall Council Chambers Meeting Minutes May 21, 2026 6:00PM MEMBERS PRESENT Chairman - Councilor Larochelle Vice Chairman-Councilor Fitzpatrick Councilor Walker Councilor Hamann Mayor Grassie MEMBERS ABSENT Councilor Sullivan (excused) OTHERS PRESENT Peter C. Nourse PE, Director of City Service Gretchen Young, P.E., Deputy Director – Technical Services Jenn Marsh, Deputy Director – Operations and Administration Ian Rohrbacher, Superintendent of the Water Treatment Facility Gina Golden-Silvestro, GIS Technician Aaron Lachance, Hoyle Tanner Kayla Hampe, Hoyle Tanner James Hoffmann, 4 Landry Lane Laura McDormand, Admin. Services & Utility Billing Supervisor MINUTES Councilor Larochelle called the Public Works and Building Committee to order at 6 PM 1. Roll Call Ms. McDormand took roll call attendance. Councilor Larochelle, Councilor Fitzpatrick, Councilor Walker, Councilor Hamann, and Mayor Grassie were present for roll call. Councilor Sullivan was not present for roll call. 2. Approval April 16, 2026, PWC Minutes Councilor Walker made a motion to accept the minutes of April 16, 2026, meeting as presented. Councilor Hamann seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. 3. Public Input James Hoffman of 4 Landry Lane was present to follow up on a previous request to widen the circle on Landry Lane. Mr. Hoffmann mentioned that the infield of the circle is being damaged by snowplows, making it difficult for delivery trucks and larger vehicles to navigate. Mr. Hoffmann expressed a desire to ensure he was following the procedures to facilitate this change. Mr. Nourse indicated that this was the appropriate place for Public Works & Building Committee Meeting Minutes May 21, 2026  addressing the matter and residents can call Public Works at 603-332-4096. Mr. Nourse concluded by stating that to complete this work properly, he would obtain an estimate and report back to the Committee. 4. Rochester’s Municipal bridge Overview and Updates Mr. Nourse provided an update on Rochester's Municipal Bridges and the City’s bridge program. He indicated that the City has 20 municipal bridges that are regularly inspected by the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT). Over the past year, the City has initiated a maintenance program for several bridges and plans to continue this effort. Aaron Lachance, Senior Structural Engineer with Hoyle Tanner, and Kayla Hampe from Hoyle Tanner presented the Rochester 2026 Bridge Update. (presentation attached) Mr. Lachance noted that the City of Rochester has more than 20 bridges, with 2 of them shared with the State of Maine. He provided an overview of the various types of bridges within the City. He also provided an overview of current and planned maintenance and reconstruction projects. The Committee agreed with Hoyle Tanner’s recommendations continue with reconstructing Rochester Neck Road Bride as originally planned and as discussed at the July Committee meeting. 5. Construction Cost Index Update Mr. Nourse provided an update to the committee regarding the Construction Cost Index. He indicated that costs and quantities for residential construction have decreased, however, governmental construction costs have increased and to expect to see these increases affecting project costs. Construction Inflation Alert Dec 2022_V4.pdf 6. Fluoride in Public Drinking Water: Discussion Rochester began fluoridation in 1968 Public Works staff stated that both the trade and professional organization and the American Dental Association support fluoride in drinking water. The Committee discussed the use of fluoride in Rochester’s drinking water and reached a consensus to continue using fluoride, provided that the American Dental Association and relevant health organizations maintain their approvals and our levels confirmed to be within safe limits. 7. Other 8. 2026 Household Hazardous Waste Day (HHWD) Event Mr. Nourse provided an overview of the HHWD that took place on Saturday, May 16, 2026. He noted that 10 communities participated, with a total of 529 vehicles involved. Mr. Nourse mentioned that the event was well organized and ran smoothly and noted that the State of New Hampshire provides an annual grant to the City, with this year's amount being $15,265. Meeting adjourned at 7:18PM Minutes respectfully submitted by Laura McDormand, Admin. Services & Utility Billing Supervisor Public Works & Building Committee Meeting Minutes May 21, 2026