Back to Capital Outlay Committee Minutes
12/9/2010 at Town Office Building
Attending: Chairman Ray Eisenbies, Ron Kirven, Lucy Hancock, Tom Pyles (representing the Advisory Committee), Sue Nickerson (Interim Town Accountant)
Ray Eisenbies called the meeting to order at 7:32 PM in the 3rd floor East Hearing Room.
Town Assessor
Hingham Town Assessor Lane Partridge described upcoming capital needs but did not request any funds for FY 2012. The big-ticket item is a replacement for the CAMA system. This software is working now, but it is a COBOL program with an outdated Oracle database, and Lane thinks a new system and conversion effort will be necessary in the next few years. A product called Patriot Properties is a possible replacement, although five or six other products are available. The estimated net cost is $75,000 to purchase the software, convert the data, and inspect approximately 8,000 properties in Hingham. An RFP will be created well before the need becomes critical.
The other topic of discussion was the 2005 Toyota Prius used by the Assessor. The battery warranty is for seven years, so the current battery should be replaced in 2014. The other option is to replace the car in 2014.
Permanent Building & Facilities Management Study
Jerry Seelen, John Manley, and Ben Wilcox presented the proposal from the Permanent Building & Facilities Management Study Committee. COC members asked questions and provided feedback. The goal is to move from project-specific building committees to a permanent building committee with responsibility for all significant Town construction, addition, and renovation projects. Members of the Study Committee hope to submit two warrant articles for the 2011 Town Meeting, one to appropriate the funds for a facilities audit, and the other to create a by-law that establishes the permanent committee. The deadline for warrant articles is January 20. The School Department has not yet agreed to include school capital projects under the purview of the new committee.
Hingham Affordable Housing Trust
Jim O'Brien updated the COC on the capital expenditures of the Affordable Housing Trust. This is an annual presentation that is a notification rather than a request because AHT projects do not require approval by the COC or the Town. Jim explained that the AHT receives federal and state funding and that $2M in capital projects is due over the next twenty years. He also noted that a capital needs assessment has been completed for the Lincoln School housing complex.
Other Business
COC members approved the minutes from the 3/25/2010 meeting. They also approved the minutes from the 9/16/2010 meeting with two amendments.
Andrew Mooradian has resigned from the Advisory Committee and thus from the Capital Outlay Committee. The AdCom will appoint someone to replace Andy on the COC.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:28 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Lucy Hancock, Secretary