NEW GLOUCESTER – Selectmen on Monday grappled with 39 capital improvement funding requests totaling $4.1 million for the 2006-07 fiscal year.
Sixteen requests totaling $1.6 million were generated from Public Works Director Kevin Doyle. The board said the requests need to be consolidated into three categories: Facilities, construction and vehicles. Some of the accounts are for operational needs, rather than capital improvements.
The board said a project to upgrade 3,000 feet of the Woodman Road may qualify for outside contracting to assure that the work can be completed in the five-month work season next year. The town’s highway crew planned to perform some of the road improvements with some outside contracted service.
Two major proposals include a new fire station at $2.5 million to be funded through tax increment financing money paid by October Corp. at Pineland, bonding, taxes and capital reserves.
A municipal garage upgrade is estimated to cost $1.5 million, and relocation may be considered in the future as opposed to having the garage remain in Upper Gloucester. The project needs more planning, the board agreed.
Reviews of the requests begin in November and end in early January. The six-member Capital Improvement Planning Committee ranks the requests for selectmen.
Voters in May will be asked to OK spending some accounts and adding reserve funds to others.
Last year selectmen approved $856,900 in capital improvements from a list of $1 million in requests.
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