[Roberta Cameron]: Calling to order meeting of Medford's Community Preservation Committee on the evening of July 9th, 2024, 6.30pm. We are meeting hybrid. Some of us are in person in City Hall and some of us are meeting via Zoom. And a recording of the meeting will be made as soon as possible afterward. And so 1st, before we get started, I wanted to welcome a brand new member that we have joining us. That is out of gunning. Do you want to take a moment to introduce yourself?
[Ada Gunning]: Yes. Hi, everyone. Thank you for having me. I'm excited to be here. I'm a therapist by day, mom by, I guess, 24 hours a day. That's how I come to CPC stuff, just from being involved in the community and seeing all the projects happening and getting excited about them. So I'm happy to be here, happy to learn from you guys.
[Theresa Dupont]: Awesome. We're so happy to have you here. Thank you.
[Roberta Cameron]: Thank you. So, we'd like to start the agenda this evening with a small grant application review from the Winthrop street community gardens. And I believe we have Georgiana here to present a request.
[SPEAKER_10]: I would like to make a motion to approve the proposal. I move to approve the proposal. And this pergola project is to both enhance the garden itself so that community members can enjoy being down by the riverside and then also being another space where there can be gatherings to learn about the environment, the effects and importance of growing local foods, as well as the different ways in which the community is helping to keep Medford healthy with the pollinators that are continuing to keep the vegetation around the river alive.
[Theresa Dupont]: Great, thank you. And currently right now, Georgetown, there's like little to no shade in this entire garden space, correct?
[SPEAKER_10]: That is correct. And I have to say over the years of being a member there, it was I think in the last couple of years, there was more asphalt added around our community garden. And so that has increased the temperature in the area, which this year, too, with overall rising temperature has made it quite challenging to keep our soil moist and keep our vegetation growing. And so yes, there would be great to have this additional shade for people. But then also just in that general area along that extended walkway that happened along the river there for people to actually find some shade as they want to enjoy just being outdoors in that area.
[Roberta Cameron]: Thank you, I just wanted to ask for some clarification Teresa in our application materials. Do we. Have we changed the guidelines for the small grant program? I think I recall that it was originally. $5000 max CPA ask that can be matched with outside funding for up to $10,000. Correct, so this is coming through as an off-cycle application. It's an off-cycle application. Okay, so it's not a small grant, it's an off-cycle application. Okay, thank you for that clarification.
[Theresa Dupont]: The community gardens, as much as they try to fundraise, Georgiana, I think you can confirm with me that the coffers are lean there, so there's not much in the way of matched money available. Yeah. That's correct.
[SPEAKER_10]: Correct. The garden is supported by member fees, and we try to keep that affordable so that anyone can participate in being a community garden member.
[Unidentified]: Okay, are there other questions from committee members?
[Theresa Dupont]: Yes, sorry.
[Reggie Graham]: I read the proposal, and I was going to ask Georgiana if it said that the pergola comes assembled or they'll assemble it, but I realized that it needed a footing, and I was wondering who was going to provide the footing. To me, the $10,000 seems like a reasonable amount, Just putting that together, it still needs supporting in order to last for at least the six years that they proposed for it.
[SPEAKER_10]: Correct. And so you clearly know more about construction than I do. So in terms of the footings, they would need to be there for security reasons as far as I know, right? So that the structure does not fall over and it also doesn't blow out of the ground and hit someone or go into the river and become debris. And so we're looking at how we can purchase kits because kits would be more affordable and the less than $5,000 range for the actual pergola. That would leave us about 5,000 or so to do the footings in a way that also align with the environmental standards for putting in footings into the ground because of the distance that the location for the pergola is to the river. Be looking definitely for additional support around any existing vendors who are working to do that kind of work in the city and know how to make sure that it's compliant to one, be safe, and two, being environmentally safe as well.
[Reggie Graham]: Does that answer your question? So in other words, you need another $5,000? Or is the kit $5,000, and the cost of the footing $5,000? The latter. I'm just trying to understand. That's all.
[SPEAKER_10]: Yes, correct. So the latter. So the kit would be $5,000, and then the footing to be able to install the kit and secure it would be $5,000.
[Reggie Graham]: I'm good. I'm okay. I understand you. Thank you.
[SPEAKER_10]: Yeah. Thank you.
[Roberta Cameron]: That was actually a very good question that you opened. I'm sorry. Was there someone else? It was a good question that you opened with, Reg, because you asked who would be installing the footing.
[Reggie Graham]: The company said that they would. I mean, according to the application, the company would do it. But it also indicated that they needed a footing. Okay.
[Joan Cyr]: So that doesn't actually match with what I see in the application. Is there an amendment to the application?
[Theresa Dupont]: So the application, and Georgiana, feel free to correct me here. It has the pergola kit from New England Outdoor at $8,600, and then the base and footings at $1,400 for a total of $10,000. That's what you're seeing, Joan?
[Unidentified]: Mm-hmm.
[Theresa Dupont]: Okay. So maybe the numbers, Georgiana, weren't 50-50, it was split 8,600 for the kit and then 1,400 for the footings?
[SPEAKER_10]: Yes, that was at the time of submitting the application. And then when I did more research around what the cost would be with some potential vendors that are already working with the city of Medford, it looked like the cost was going to be more than that $1,400. They were not able to do a project for that cost. That wasn't something that they would do. So I don't know how that factors into this conversation, but it is a piece that would need to, I guess, be adjusted because of the environmental concerns and then also the scope of a project that vendors would be willing to take on to actually install the footings. Does that make sense?
[Joan Cyr]: It does to me, but I feel like the application then now isn't complete. There's some missing information. We're not clear information.
[Theresa Dupont]: Go ahead.
[SPEAKER_10]: It was my understanding that I couldn't. really engage further with vendors of the city without having an actual project. So I had to do a guesstimate because they said I cannot give you a complete number until we've engaged. I got a range of 1,400 to 5,000, but the more I press and said, guys, it'd be really helpful to know so that I can have an accurate conversation tonight. I then was told, yeah, it's more likely to be closer to 5,000 because we do not do small projects for the $1,400. So that wasn't anything that I was able to ascertain at the time of submitting the application because I was not provided that information until I continued to press and press and press. Knowing that this conversation today was going to happen, I didn't realize as part of the application itself that I should have maybe gotten some. Contract quotes from these vendors, if that would have been helpful, I would have been happy to do that.
[Unidentified]: Deb?
[Doug Carr]: I agree with Georgiana. I think just my back of the envelope calculations, $1,400 for what I assume are four cast in place or even precast concrete footings, that sounds way too low to me. That doesn't feel in the right ballpark for what it should cost. Is there an actual image of the trellis that you can put on screen? I didn't see that in the package, but I might have missed it. I know it's a kit.
[Theresa Dupont]: I don't think that there were photos included.
[Doug Carr]: That's okay.
[SPEAKER_10]: I can't get that to you, I'm driving, but I'd be happy to share that if that would be helpful.
[Doug Carr]: I don't think it will prevent us from voting on it if everyone feels comfortable, but I think it's important that people understand what this thing is. It's a little hard to understand it now, but the need is clear to me and I think that As long as you think you can do the 10,000 to cover everything, the footing and the kit, I don't see a big issue here.
[Unidentified]: All right.
[Ari Fishman]: Thanks, and I'm going to keep my video off because my internet has been freezing when I turn it video on, so apologies. not a deal breaker, but I'm curious. I'm fairly familiar with the community garden and I didn't see a map of the garden. You're cutting out, Ari. I think Ari is saying that there's no map of where to go. Right.
[Theresa Dupont]: I can pull up a satellite view really quick here.
[Roberta Cameron]: I just wanted to interject while Teresa pulls up the satellite view. A question about the... Oh, go ahead.
[Theresa Dupont]: Sorry.
[Ari Fishman]: I put it into the chat. It sounds like you didn't hear me. Sorry.
[Unidentified]: That's not it.
[Theresa Dupont]: Sorry, folks. I really hate having the two screens here. Continue your thought there, Roberta.
[Roberta Cameron]: Well, actually, maybe somebody can read what Ari wrote into the chat while you look for that. Where in the garden? Yeah. Which is where I'm looking at. We intuited that's what you were trying to get at. Yeah.
[Theresa Dupont]: Thanks. I'm struggling is what I'm doing, Rich. See this. So everybody see in the garden as a satellite view?
[Joan Cyr]: No. Oh, there it is. Okay, now I see it.
[Theresa Dupont]: So right where it says the Mystic River path here, and then there's a cluster of trees, the pergola would go in that very exposed area between the two clusters of trees. Maybe tuck a little bit underneath there, but that's the general area. Georgiana and I walked it together.
[SPEAKER_10]: Thank you for pulling that up.
[Theresa Dupont]: This was a 12 by 12. Structure 12 foot by 12 foot.
[SPEAKER_10]: That's what yes, I think that's what you estimated that.
[Theresa Dupont]: Yeah.
[Roberta Cameron]: So a question that I had is about the urgency of our making a decision tonight respecting Georgiana's time and what questions that we have that we feel like we need to answer before we can make a decision on this project. Realistically, what is the possibility of being able to have the project be approved by City Council and be able to get under agreement so that we could proceed with ordering the product before the end of this growing season.
[Theresa Dupont]: City Council meets next Tuesday, so if we approve tonight, I can get that on the agenda. Um, realistically, the funding agreement in place, I would say probably end of August is a good realistic time period right now. To being able to purchase and put in the ground.
[Roberta Cameron]: So, um, the best case scenario is end of September. We'd actually have a shade structure in place if they went out and got it. Immediately, right?
[Theresa Dupont]: I would say that's that's a realistic.
[Roberta Cameron]: And is that a helpful timeframe for us to rush a decision this evening? Or would it make more sense for us to include this in the regular funding round and be able to gather any other information that we feel we need before proceeding with an off-cycle application?
[Joan Cyr]: Right, because the whole idea about an off cycle is if there has to be some sort of outward reason why we have to take it off cycle, like a discount that we will lose or a matching grant that we will not be able to take advantage of if we don't do it by date certain. It's not really for just putting in applications when we want to. We should stick with the round, especially since it's not a small grant. And when does the round end? I know you just opened it, Teresa. When does the cycle end? September 9th.
[Roberta Cameron]: It's the applications, and then we're making a decision, hopefully by the end of the year, but sometimes it goes into the next year, so that the funds would be available in February.
[Joan Cyr]: Right. So, John, you were going to say what the reason was. You have to submit it now.
[SPEAKER_10]: Well, because the costs are going up, right? Costs of lumber, cost of projects like this to create these kinds of structures are just going up because of the interruption from COVID for supplies. So the only concern would be that any further delay actually would increase the cost of the project for the same product because it's already gone up in the last year.
[Joan Cyr]: I think that's probably true for every project we've had since we started.
[SPEAKER_10]: Right. It's just in terms of it becoming feasible, because then we're back to the issue which was before in terms of we're keeping our costs low at the garden in terms of membership fees, but this is a growing need because it's getting hotter in that area to be in that space or to even enjoy that space. Time is just only going to keep compounding this concern we're trying to resolve. and the cost of actually purchasing the materials.
[Unidentified]: Haley?
[Doug Carr]: If I could just question the assumption you made earlier about off-cycle having a need. Is that written into our bylaws? We actually say that you can only do that if you have a need. We can't evaluate projects throughout the year when they come?
[Joan Cyr]: I think so. I don't have it in front of me because I'm not in my office, but maybe it's worth looking.
[Doug Carr]: I guess I thought it was trying to spread things out a little bit too. I'm not opposed to voting on this. If people don't want to vote on it, I completely understand that. But part of me thinks something built tomorrow or a year from now is five or 10 percent more than today no matter what we do.
[Unidentified]: Yeah.
[Doug Carr]: It just is, and it's not a big number either. I guess I'm leaning towards voting for something even with conditions.
[Roberta Cameron]: Okay, so I mean, just it is in our criteria. It's in our instructions in a number of places, but. We also made those criteria ourselves and we can re, evaluate whether the criteria makes sense.
[Joan Cyr]: I think we did it because the city council asked us to get in a schedule that didn't interfere with the rest of the work so that it would have its due diligence and its time in front of the council. Because we'd be working all year long in terms of it would be a never-ending thing. We'd never be able to do other things like re-evaluate the plan and reach out and that kind of thing. Thank you.
[Roberta Cameron]: Hi, I'm sorry I met Haley and I was reading.
[MCM00001830_SPEAKER_05]: I'm sorry, I lost my train of thought. What was I going to say? I appreciate, you know, Georgiana's argument here about prices increasing. And yeah, I'm just going to echo what Joan said. I mean, prices for any project that's going to apply, they would love to get money now, but they're waiting for the application period and they're doing it, you know, through the steps, the procedures that we've laid out. I think that that's kind of where this project's going. I mean, I work in local government. I know how procurement goes. I know how long this is going to take. You know, best case scenario, we think a September installation. My gut says it's more of an October, November type thing. And then I think it should just wait for the regular funding period. That's my two cents.
[Unidentified]: Thank you. Ari?
[Ari Fishman]: I'm going to risk my internet again. I also typed in some of what I am thinking. I love this project, big fan of community gardens. This is in no way coming from a lack of enthusiasm. But I do agree that all projects at this point face inflated costs. And I remember when I started on this committee, we had many more off-cycle applications and that made it very difficult to compare apples to apples. I think this is an apple that would come out ahead of other ones. But I think barring truly exigent reason, we should, and given that it realistically won't go up until the fall, I think we should move it to the main cycle, at which point I will be very happy to vote for it.
[Reggie Graham]: I agree. You can't vote for it if you don't wait for the cycle. If you don't wait for the cycle, the vote doesn't come until the second spot. So you can't flip flop on it. You either got to go with it or not go. So I don't know if somebody wants to make a motion or something like that.
[Unidentified]: There would be two
[Roberta Cameron]: To if we were to vote to recommend this evening, it would require 2 motions. The 1st motion would be a motion to accept as an off cycle application. And then the 2nd motion would be to recommend funding for the project. So, um, I hear a. More consensus around the 2nd of those and less consensus among within the group around the 1st.
[Ada Gunning]: Can I, sorry, can I ask a clarifying question? Sure. Sorry. Apologies if this is like an ignorant question, but I was just, while we were talking, I was just like quickly Googling 12 by 12 cedar pergolas. And they were just like, seemed to be in like 1500 to 2K range. And it just made me wonder if there's something I'm missing about like, do we, for these types of projects in Medford, are there like certain, types of materials that need to be used to meet criteria. It sounds like you need to use Medford approved vendors. I'm just curious because I was thinking, like, could it fit into that small grant framework of the five K if it was you just went with like a cheap pergola that still met your needs? That's where my mind was going. But but I might be like missing some details about how these projects.
[Theresa Dupont]: Work. I think the the The $1,500 to $2,000 range is more of a consumer grade, whereas this is a structure on a city-owned property. It needs to be of a little bit more fortitude than... Got it. Yeah, I hear you. And that's a great, great solution. I thought of the same thing. But yeah, this needs a little bit more of a stick build rather than a pull out of the box. Got it. Okay. Thank you for the suggestion. What was that, Reg?
[Reggie Graham]: I would agree with Ari. I agree that we should have something like this. It sounds like a good opportunity to create a nice cool space for the community garden.
[Joan Cyr]: My concern is that our application is not a small grant. It's a regular application. It's incomplete. It doesn't have a quote or it doesn't have anything like that. I know, Georgiana, you said the city told you not to or not exactly sure how that goes because we've gotten lots of other applications for city-owned property that included quotations and stuff like that that they supported and the mayor signed off on. I don't want to set a precedent of You know, just taking an application that's incomplete off cycle to me is 2 strikes against, you know, what we're supposed to be following our rules. And I just don't want to stray from that.
[SPEAKER_10]: And if I can clarify, Joan, I was just saying I was not aware based on the application itself that those quotes needed to be submitted is what I'm sharing. And so I also didn't have any awareness from the application materials that a sign off from the mayor's office would have been favorable.
[Joan Cyr]: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, you said you did the small grant application, first of all, which I think is a little different from the regular application that you would use for an off cycle. But yeah, I get it. I get it.
[Roberta Cameron]: And actually, yeah, there are a couple of things that I would clarify, like, pieces of information that would be helpful to add. 1st of all, as, as Joan just pointed out, the small grant application is a little simplified from what the full application would be. So there would be additional information that we would be asking, but also this isn't it's a city. Initiative, but it's actually located on property. So, as the property owner, what we would want to have is not a sign off from the mayor, but a sign off from, or it could be because I know can be difficult to work with in that respect. If there is some documentation of the cities. user agreement for that site. I feel like there needs to be some documentation that we have permission to erect a pergola on DCR property.
[Joan Cyr]: So that could be... Like Hund and Schell, we have a user agreement, support agreement there.
[Roberta Cameron]: Right, yeah, so submitting that user support agreement or letters specifically stating that this that they support this project would be helpful. And secondly, with respect to the quotes, if we have any concern that 1400 is going to be insufficient. it is much easier for us to ask for more money now and refund, like just drop the rest of the rent that you don't need to complete the project than to go later and ask for more money. So I think a second due diligence that would be helpful to go through the full application process Would be those quotes if you can go, I think it's fine if so for a small project, it's under 10,000 dollars. You don't have to go with a, like, there's not a full procurement process. You can get. go to any vendor who can provide that service and get asked for a quote from the vendor. And the service you're asking for is to install the puddings. So you don't have to go to the city vendors. You can choose one of the ones that you've listed here. But if they could give you a written quote, that would give us better assurance that the budget is going to be sufficient to cover this. And just one last point that I wanted to raise, and this has nothing to do with your project. I think it's a great project, but a reason why we want to be careful about planning improvements on DCR property for city managed parks is because we are still waiting for that storage shed and concession stand across the street at Memorial. play, um, ball field. And I don't know what, you know, I don't know what the prospect is for that coming to fruition. So we thought that there was a plan that would be really easy. Just go to a vendor, get a ready-made product and plop it in place. And it ended up being more complicated than that. So I know it's, It's ridiculous legwork that has to be done for such a small thing, but I'm afraid we either not have enough money or tie up money for something that ends up getting caught in the bureaucracy.
[SPEAKER_10]: I just want to make sure that I'm following this conversation. It sounds to me like what's being recommended is to complete a full application by adding these additional pieces, even though that's not the application that was submitted. Although the application that was submitted followed the guidelines of the application. So I just want to make sure that I am clear on the discussion and if I'm following it correctly.
[Roberta Cameron]: The application that's submitted is a small grant application for which the maximum request is $5,000. And the committee, it sounds like, welcomes a full application for this project. It sounds like a project that the committee would be very supportive of. But the process for a $10,000 or more request is a different application form. So you could take what's in this form, cut and paste it into another form. It's not meant to be make work. But there are perhaps some additional questions and additional instructions that you missed that would answer some of the questions that we've had this evening.
[Theresa Dupont]: And Georgiana, I apologize that I should have given you some more direction on that. So you and I can work on the full application together. I'm publicly owning some miscommunications there. Thank you.
[SPEAKER_10]: I appreciate that. I think what I'm just trying to understand is if there is a conversation about off-cycle or if this off-cycle application is actually opening up a new conversation, which is please submit a full application. We're not going to consider the off-cycle application because that's what it sounds like to me. I just want to make sure I'm following because it's not clear to me.
[Joan Cyr]: So there's 2 pieces that you actually pointed out. 1st of all, it came in the wrong application. So we need to have the right application. But the other point is. Is this application an application that meets the criteria for an off cycle application? So we'd have to review what the rules that we wrote up at the beginning when we said what defines an off-cycle application. In fact, the very first application this committee looked at was an off-cycle application for Harris Park. And we accepted it because They were going for a grant, a matching grant that if we didn't supply funding by a certain date, which was outside the application cycle, we would lose the grant. So that was a good reason to consider it off-cycle. I don't have the information in front of me, I apologize, but there were really specific reasons why we would consider, and I think I recall, When Brianna was a Councilor, she was very concerned about the number of off-cycle applications that we considered because she felt like others who waited for the cycle had less of a chance of getting funding if we started funding everything off-cycle. There's reasons for why we set the rules up like we did, and I know that we could always reconsider them, but I don't want to just willingly push them aside just because we haven't had a chance to review that to see if it still makes sense to do it that way.
[SPEAKER_09]: Are those criteria available as part of the application? Because it's great to know.
[Joan Cyr]: Yeah, it's either part of the ordinance or part of the application. I honestly don't remember.
[Roberta Cameron]: It's part of the application and it's actually not a complicated set of criteria. I think the only two criteria are that it is, it's driven by a timeline that's outside of your control. and that it is a high priority project. And high priority is defined in our plan. That's also very discretionary. So I think like we, I would not put too much emphasis on the high priority aspect, but the driven by a timeline outside of your control, that is more the The, the principle that that we apply most frequently.
[SPEAKER_10]: Yeah, yeah, no, I appreciate that. I think I just did not realize that I was. I submitted the wrong application based on the materials available online. That's just why I'm asking for this clarification because based on what is online, it to me presented that this was the correct application form to complete. But to hear the feedback you're giving is why I'm asking because somewhere there is something that's not connecting in terms of- Curious, which website?
[Joan Cyr]: Did you go to the city's website or the Preserve Bradford website?
[SPEAKER_10]: The city's website? I would have to go back and look at the exact link, but I think it's through the city's website.
[Joan Cyr]: Okay, because we can look at that. I mean, we're obviously keeping information in two different places. We should make sure it's aligned.
[SPEAKER_10]: Yeah, so that's why when you said I submitted the wrong application, that surprised me. I said, huh, I didn't realize that based on the information that was there and just curious, what is the application that I submitted used for?
[Joan Cyr]: under $5,000. We had an application from a student group that wanted to paint the benches, I think at Duggar Park or something, and it was less than $5,000. So that's what that's for. Thank you. Which I don't even know if those benches ever got painted because COVID came.
[Theresa Dupont]: They did. They're actually going to install them over the summer.
[MCM00001830_SPEAKER_05]: Do you need a motion to move this to the regular funding or do you want to ask them just to reapply?
[Roberta Cameron]: We'll ask you to reapply, Georgiana. Thank you so much for bringing this application. This is a great project and I really appreciate the work that you've already done to plan and bring this to Into the form that you brought it so apologies for the confusion about the application form and instructions. I hope. That we all benefit by taking some time to complete the full application and to provide the additional information that's needed in that that will ensure that we have the budget and the permissions that are necessary to be able to move the project forward. Efficiently once we're able to make a decision.
[Theresa Dupont]: So Georgiana, I'll follow up with you on next steps and how we'll do the application together, okay?
[SPEAKER_10]: Sounds good. Thank you so much. I just wanna ask one last question, that there's no consideration at all if the information where I got it from is not aligned with your process, in which case that'd be an administrative error, not a submission error. Is that an option to explore?
[Unidentified]: I would say no. Okay.
[Ari Fishman]: That being said, I think we should make it a point to track down where that error is and make sure that it is corrected for the future. That's something that I very much take and I hope that that's something that Teresa can make happen because it As you make it a point, it's frustrating and I'm sure feels very frustrating and not the best use of your time to be in this situation. We want to make this a very supportive environment, so we're going to fix it.
[Unidentified]: Thank you Georgiana. Thank you. All right everyone, thank you for the discussion.
[Roberta Cameron]: I look forward to receiving their full application when they come back and we'll have to look into the clarity of the application materials. The next item on the agenda is the fire station windows study. We've received a memorandum. Has everyone had the opportunity to review the memorandum? Perhaps, Teresa, you want to describe the content?
[Theresa Dupont]: Yes, in fiscal year 22, the city came to the CPC for funding to conduct a historic window study on engine three. This is the Salem Street station that has been out of commission now for a couple of years. It's actually just about to come online. So again, this body funded $75,000 in fiscal 22 to conduct a historic window restoration study. Lo and behold, fast forward to 2024, we have discovered that, in fact, 95, 96% of the windows that are at Engine 3 are vinyl, replacement having been done sometime within the past 10 to 15 years. There are no historic windows in which to study or restore. So that being said, the city, the facilities director in particular, has asked if this body would consider pivoting $25,000 of the original $75,000 that was awarded, giving that $25,000 so that they can install a new HVAC system in the community room, which is the public facing section of Engine 3. The memo, I can read it aloud. It's very short. Currently, the HVAC system at Engine 3, which is 276 Salem Street, is non-operational. The system provides both air conditioning and heat to the common room on the first floor of the station, which is not only the gathering spot for the staff of Engine 3, but it is also the area in the station that the public is welcome to interact with the Medford Fire Department. Current HVAC system has been non-functional for about two years. It has not been an issue during this time as Engine 3 has been closed almost the entire time the HVAC system has been non-functional. With Engine 3 about to come back online, they're asking if we would consider carving out $25,000 from the original award to go towards HVAC. I will also say that the conversations I've had with the city, whether that's the chief of staff, chief of fire, or the facilities director, I don't know how much precedent we set by funding. I think it was in fiscal 20, fiscal 21, the Chevalier Theater HVAC system that was put in there so it can be a functioning building space. That was kind of the reasoning here for coming to this committee and asking for that consideration.
[Joan Cyr]: I think Chevalier was about it being a Uh, it's sort of a recreational area.
[Roberta Cameron]: At theater theater. Yeah, you can, you can have a functioning fire station without an HVAC system. You can't have a functioning theater without an HVAC system. I also have a lot of other thoughts and feelings about this, but maybe I'm going to let other people talk 1st. So, 1st of all. Back when we originally funded this, we funded window restoration for three fire stations, not one. And it says in the original application that they had a walkthrough with a contractor who gave the scope of the project, who advised on the scope of the project. So if their walkthrough that was the basis of the original $75,000 ask did not find any impediment to restoring historic windows at that time. I don't understand why we've discovered that we can't restore the historic windows today. We can replace vinyl windows with appropriate wood windows. That's a project that I've done in CPA funded projects elsewhere where inappropriate windows were installed, so we restored a building by taking out the inappropriate windows and putting appropriate windows in.
[Joan Cyr]: That was what we- Like Royal House, we took the asphalt shingle roof off and replaced it with the historically wooden roof.
[Theresa Dupont]: Yes. I will say that that is very cost prohibitive, and we just don't, the city does not have the budget to be able to do that. There are many windows, and a vinyl window is 500 bucks, 600 bucks. These historically accurate windows with mullions and whatnot, divided lights, I think their costs, the facilities director did try that route and got pricing, and it was something like six times more expensive. It was like $3,000 a window For the sizes we need.
[Roberta Cameron]: So just to yeah, that was thought through and evaluated and I would appreciate seeing that documentation before they ask us to walk back on the intention to restore the historic buildings.
[Doug Carr]: I agree, Roberta, that the nature of historic preservation is the windows are not going to be what an Anderson window off the shelf is going to be like. That's the whole point. You're taking it back 80, 100 years in some cases to do that. That kind of mistake is odd. I agree. To not understand what the age of the windows were, but to put a grant in seems odd to me. Clearly, there was nobody looking at the window who knew what they were doing, I think, if they couldn't see that those windows were not historic.
[Theresa Dupont]: I think that person who put in the application may very well agree with you. Happily, we have a facilities director now in place. At the time of the original application, we did not. It was reliant upon well-intentioned people who just weren't sure what they were looking at.
[Doug Carr]: Understood. But what about Roberta's earlier comment about the three buildings, the breakdown of the 75? The way I read this, it was we're going from 75 to 25, but is that really what they want to do? To give back the $50,000 and reduce the scope and not deal with any of the windows on any of the fire stations?
[Theresa Dupont]: They will be dealing with windows, just not in a historically accurate way, unfortunately.
[Doug Carr]: Is that not a problem if we already deem those buildings historic? We've made that decision, right? That comes with, usually that comes with some sense of you need to think about this building differently. And I'm sure they could just make that decision in a vacuum.
[Roberta Cameron]: So one thing is that we had hoped when we approved this funding that we would find a way to put a preservation restriction on these buildings. And I have abandoned hope for a preservation restriction. But what we ought to do is to put all of the buildings that we fund under local historic districts. Which we can do for both city and non city buildings. So there, we did not mention his local historic district when we gave them the funding for this project. So, I can't fault them for not pursuing that option there, but a year ago, we did. request a local historic district for the cemetery buildings. And I have not seen an effort yet to follow through with that request. So I don't see good faith in the city committing to protecting its historic buildings. There is no teeth. We've designated it. We recognize it as a historic building, but there's no teeth to ensure that the building is treated as a historic building unless we either have a local historic district or a preservation restriction. So the local historic district would give us teeth. Ari?
[Ari Fishman]: So with some buildings like the cemetery that our primary purpose in the current day is kind of historic, I think that makes sense. I don't know that I'm super excited about putting an active fire station under a historic preservation. The way I don't think I was on the committee when that request came in, but the way I would be thinking about it if it came now is, is this a way we can use CPA money to support the functioning of a fire system? Firehouse, I actually want them to just be able to do what they need to do to fight fires and protect people in Medford and have a community space that can be used as a cooling space and a heating space and a kind of space in emergencies. And I For me, the historical preservation is second to that for a firehouse and for similarly active functioning buildings versus something like the Brooks Estate whose function is, at this point, historic. I say that with great affection to the Brooks Estate. Haylene.
[MCM00001830_SPEAKER_05]: My question is, so the windows to HVAC, there's no nexus. I don't know how they correlate and I don't know what are, because I'm semi-new here too. Is there a history of doing this, where an application comes in for one thing and then they pivot to a different thing? Is this allowed? Even if we wanted to fund an HVAC system for a fire station, that's not what they originally applied for. Me personally, I would say, Like, okay, sorry, the window thing didn't work out, like resubmit an applicant, like give us, you know, we'll take back the money and resubmit an application, and then we can reconsider it at that point. And I have to say, this is a fire station in the city. Like, you're telling me like, if we don't give them money for HVAC, there's no other money for HVAC? Like, I don't believe that. So I don't know, I'm kind of like, No.
[Joan Cyr]: So, Kayleen, you're absolutely right. It's not the first time a pivot has been requested, but we tell them just as you said, you know, you applied for this. If you want to apply for something else, you can apply for something else, but you can't just take the money and move it. Because first of all, we don't approve the money. We recommend funding. It's the city council that approves the funding. So we can't change their decision. That's their decision. But I'm on the Community Preservation Coalition page about projects that are allowable. You've got your three areas, open space and recreation, historic preservation, and housing. You can acquire, create, preserve, support, or rehabilitate depending on the type. HVAC doesn't really fall into any of that. The one that Chevalier did because it was a historic and to a recreational facility. It was making it functional for its intended use. And making it functional for its intended use. Thank you.
[Reggie Graham]: Yes, Reg. So are they still going to give us back the $75,000?
[Theresa Dupont]: Yes.
[Reggie Graham]: No matter what.
[Theresa Dupont]: Oh yeah, they never actually got it.
[Reggie Graham]: It's a promise to pay.
[Theresa Dupont]: Yeah, just for everybody's benefit. Anytime it's a city organization that is the grantee. It's it's not a reimbursement. It's they send me the invoice and I pay it. So the money never went out the front door. It's still in the basement.
[Reggie Graham]: asking for money that they haven't received?
[Theresa Dupont]: Well, they've asked us to consider transferring the funding to a... So, can we get a motion?
[Reggie Graham]: A motion to... Oh, I'd like to make a motion that we deny this.
[Roberta Cameron]: Would anyone like to second that motion?
[Joan Cyr]: I'll second it.
[Roberta Cameron]: All right. I will call the roll. So I'm going to first call the people in the red.
[Theresa Dupont]: Yes, for myself, Joan? Respectfully, yes. Doug?
[Doug Carr]: Yes.
[Theresa Dupont]: Ada? Yes. Ari?
[Ari Fishman]: Yes, and if they want to pursue HVAC, maybe they can discuss a separate application for us to consider. But yeah, I don't think that we can do this.
[Roberta Cameron]: We can give them that feedback. Thank you. And Kaylene? Yes. All right.
[Unidentified]: Any further discussion on this? Yes.
[Doug Carr]: Go ahead, Reggie. I'll go after you.
[Reggie Graham]: I'd just like to say that if it doesn't fall into the three categories that we're supposed to be dispensing funds for, I don't think that that would fall into that category, to be honest with you. Because obviously, if they don't have historic windows, they're not really a historic site. And so subsequently, they don't qualify. But that's just my opinion.
[Theresa Dupont]: I appreciate that. Well said. Doug?
[Doug Carr]: I'm kind of with Reggie on this. I think we should try to give them a sense, rather than have them resubmit something that we think has very little support, if that's the sense of the group, I'd rather kind of tell them that and not have them spin their wheels in September and October to present something that is dead on arrival, if that's the consensus of the group.
[Joan Cyr]: Yeah. Can I ask a question? Is there any window of opportunity, pardon the pun, for ADA-compliant work, HVAC being an ADA-compliant thing? I just don't know.
[Roberta Cameron]: The HVAC is, I think, I mean, it's both heat and air conditioning.
[MCM00001830_SPEAKER_05]: But to make something ADA compliant is a much bigger scope of work.
[Doug Carr]: Sure, maybe down the road if you're going to do that. Yeah, I don't think it's shoehorned HVAC into an ADA.
[Ari Fishman]: I think where I was thinking with the potential is the community space, if that's used for recreation in any way or the heating, cooling, emergency shelter. I forget if they're on the list of like weather shelters that are open right now during a heat emergency. But if that were the case, I could maybe see an argument for that being recreation. I think it is important to have third spaces, and I don't know if that would be legally permissible, but that's where I was thinking it could potentially be shoehorned in.
[Roberta Cameron]: I agree with the importance of their spaces. This particular use, I think, would be a great fit for CDBG funding because especially if it's a community space that's been to serve vulnerable people in the community. That's what CDBG is for historic preservation to what Reggie just said. If they tried an approach, say, to focus on 1 building, not all 3 of them restore the windows in that 1 building, then. Restoring the mechanical systems within the building would look more like a historic preservation project. It would be part of a whole project. To do this piecemeal part that isn't really related to historic preservation just because it's a historic building without actually restoring the building. In fact, making a determined decision to not restore the building. Then ask for historic preservation money for mechanical improvements is just too far off the reservation.
[Ada Gunning]: Can I ask a question really quickly? Sure. My understanding was that the recreation that we cover in this committee is specifically outdoor recreation. Did I misunderstand that? Because you guys seem to be talking about recreation more broadly than that.
[Roberta Cameron]: It is outdoor recreation. So the project that we funded before was where there was H back. It was a theater. It was built to be a theater and in today's climate, the theater literally couldn't be used for three months of the year. They had to shut it down because they could not operate during the hot season. So adding an AC, it wasn't even theoretical, adding an AC was making the building actually able to function as a theater. So by recreation use, I think what we're saying is that it was a building that was a public place of assembly that we couldn't use without HVAC.
[Ada Gunning]: Okay. So outdoor recreation purposes can be understood more broadly as public places of assembly? No.
[Roberta Cameron]: Outdoor recreation literally means outdoors. The Chevalier Theater is a historic building, so that was a historic preservation project. Got it. Thank you for asking all of the questions.
[Joan Cyr]: But there are some times where they cross it can fall under 2 different things.
[Ada Gunning]: Yeah.
[Doug Carr]: And I would just add 1 thing I don't know how. if there's HVAC drawings, but they'd have to be able to prove that this HVAC, if it did actually rise to the level that we agreed to, it could only serve this space, not the rest of the building, right? That's probably one of the things, one of the restrictions that would need to be put on it, because HVAC for the entire building is not, it's only the public space we're talking about, isn't it?
[Theresa Dupont]: No, it is just the public space, yeah.
[Doug Carr]: Okay.
[Roberta Cameron]: And also just additional feedback to give back to them is that the purpose for the CPA would be to actually fund the restoration of the windows, not just the study. So if they wanted to apply for whatever it costs to restore the windows, that would be a legitimate CPA request.
[Doug Carr]: I would go one step further and say, you might even consider a triple glazed window, something that is 21st century, like truly something that would cut down on their heating and cooling dramatically versus a new window, but looking like an historic profile. And then what we talked about earlier, there's ways to kind of do what you're saying, I think, and make it feel more forward thinking, not just restoration.
[Unidentified]: So, any other discussion on this.
[Roberta Cameron]: And next on the agenda is a brief review of the. Potential applications that have submitted. The eligibility determination forms to date.
[Theresa Dupont]: Well, they haven't submitted the EDS. This is just conversations that I've been having with various folks. I know that these ones are coming. Okay. Thank you. I was trying to get it all on one. I'm sorry. It was funny. As I was printing, I was like, Reggie's going to yell at me. For the folks at home, it is in the meeting packet, but I'll just kind of briefly I'm going to jump through it. Paul Riggi, who again is our facilities director, will be applying in tandem with DEI for the bathrooms here at City Hall to become ADA compliant. They are currently not.
[Joan Cyr]: There is also... They sure aren't. I can't even get into those things.
[Theresa Dupont]: Yeah. It's not great, but it's a very preliminary estimate about 100,000 per bathroom, of which there are eight public facing bathrooms. This would not apply towards any private bathrooms, of which I think there are only two in this building. Yeah, nurse's office and mayor's office. Everything else is public. So 800,000-ish, this might be phased in, I don't know. They're still thinking about it, but that's coming. Obviously, our affordable housing trust is hitting the ground running. I believe they're meeting next month, the first or second week of August. This is just a very rough estimate of what type of seed money that they would be looking for. They haven't quite figured it out yet, so this number is arbitrary at $250,000. It might be more, it might be less. Next, St. Joseph and St. Francis. St. Joseph is curious about if they can do some chimney repair as well as look at a study for their historic stained glass windows. That's about 75,000 between those two projects. This one's exciting, Dr. Cushing, Yeah, super superintendent assistant assistant superintendent. Thank you. Is looking to do a study for the Curtis Tufts high school, which is a very underutilized building here in Medford. So, just a study to figure out what could be done here. Next, increase enrollment, maybe. Again, this is a study to figure out what the best usage is, but increased enrollment, perhaps diverse programs to that one in particular, what happened.
[MCM00001830_SPEAKER_05]: Yes. Wait, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I missed what you said. Which building?
[Theresa Dupont]: This is for the Curtis Tufts High School next to the pool.
[Roberta Cameron]: Yes. I don't think that what's described is a CPA project. Although I support it, I think it's fantastic. We should be looking what is the best use of the Curtis Tufts School. But what I really want them to apply for is to restore the cupola before it falls down. Just the cupola on top of the Curtis tough school before it falls down.
[Unidentified]: It's a little.
[Roberta Cameron]: The little decorative yeah, it's, it's, it's in rough condition and yeah, it's not quite as bad as Somerville City Hall, which actually did came in and we just put some CPA funding into restoring that this year, but we're going to get there pretty soon. If we don't do anything about it. I'm just trying to find a good picture, sorry. What's the current use of that school or that building? It's the alternative school.
[Theresa Dupont]: It's an alternative school.
[Roberta Cameron]: It's for the students who have a very difficult time in the general population at Medford High School.
[Theresa Dupont]: That's an excellent way of putting it. Thank you.
[MCM00001830_SPEAKER_05]: But it's part of the public school system? Yes.
[Theresa Dupont]: I'm just going to do a quick share. Hopefully, everybody's seeing a picture of a building right now. The cupola is this little deck. It's decorated-ish. Maybe it might be functioning, but this is kind of an older picture. It is in rough shape. I'm going to stop sharing now. Could they apply for both a study as well as repairing that? Is that something we would entertain within the Same funding cycle?
[Roberta Cameron]: I don't see how the use study is historic preservation.
[Doug Carr]: Okay, I'll bring that feedback. 2 different applications.
[Roberta Cameron]: Okay, definitely 2 different applications, but I have a very hard time envisioning how you study would be eligible for CPA.
[Theresa Dupont]: And maybe he has designs on it beyond school, but since the building itself, I believe has a form B. Yeah.
[Roberta Cameron]: Anything related to restoring the building is eligible, but what we do in the building is not really the CPC's business.
[Theresa Dupont]: Right. Which, like I said, I'll take that feedback. Perhaps I misunderstood his conversation. Maybe he can readjust his thinking based off of that feedback. I'll bring that to him. Next up we have, Carr Park is still a maybe. They've applied for grant funding here, but we may need an additional 200,000 tranche for phase two of Carr Park. For the new folks, we have funded Carr Park before. We funded the master plan years ago, as well as the Pickleball Courts, which are opening up next week. Um, so car park is a frequent flyer here at CPC. So, um. To be determined, I'm sure they'll come back and ask for something. Um.
[Joan Cyr]: Next, the unitary universalist church passed right over the car park invasive plant study.
[Theresa Dupont]: I did sorry car park. It is small. I am reading this. It's it's mom. Sorry. The car park. This is kind of a new idea that actually came from me. Um. In terms of invasive plants, especially in our park lands. Car park is my my baby. That's my part. But I've noticed that a lot of the invasives on the outskirts are starting to encroach on private property. So. But nobody knows how to deal with invasives.
[Joan Cyr]: We did that.
[Theresa Dupont]: I'm sorry.
[Joan Cyr]: Brooks Estate and Wrights Pond.
[Theresa Dupont]: We haven't made some work done. What I'm getting at, let me rephrase it then. There's not a point person in this building whose job it is to own invasives. So I'm trying to make it somebody's job by suggesting this PDS was amenable to it. But figured we'd just start at Carr Park because it's topical, it's prominent. but just to see what we can do about invasives on our public lands that are starting to encroach on private lands. Unitarian Universalist Church will be coming to us for some exterior, I can't remember if it's shingle or siding repair. I have not yet seen the EDF, but the building envelope is in need of some historic specialized labor to repair it. We will be seeing an application for tennis court resurfacing at Berry Park. Seems like we do one or two of these every year, so Berry Park is up this year.
[Reggie Graham]: Is it?
[Theresa Dupont]: Yeah. It does. Oak Grove Cemetery Master Plan. This I put on there, Roberta's staring at me and I can feel it, just for potential additional funding to conduct a master plan study at Oak Grove. We need a professional. to come in and own this project. Bandwidth is just not really there for our current staff. ABCD is our local administrator for both our fuel assistance as well as our Medford move-in. So the ABCD is a big partner for the city. CPA funds the Medford move-in program, which helps folks either coming into Medford or moving within Medford, helps them put up funding for their first, last, and security to move into the city.
[MCM00001830_SPEAKER_05]: Is this different than the other rental assistance requests we had from last year? I forget who that was, but it was not ABCD.
[Theresa Dupont]: That one was from Housing Families. So Housing Families manages our program that helps with rental arrears. And then they also do help with another program that's funded by CDBG. But for CPA scope, we fund ABCD for the method of move-in program, as well as Housing Families, which again, helps with rental arrears. So that's the one you're remembering Kayleen was from from our last cycle, we might change up the program. Maybe next year for the next time that they come back to us. I'm in talks with ABCD's director of housing. about evaluating the program to see if it's meeting current needs, because the guidelines were put in place during COVID. Things are a little bit different now, maybe worse. I would say worse. So just making sure that what our current program is meeting the current needs.
[Roberta Cameron]: And also making sure that people know about the program because it has had very slow uptake in Medford, despite other communities that have similar programs having a lot of demand for those programs. And so there's a gap somewhere and I think we need to explore how we can close that gap and see that the resources are being utilized by the people who very much need them.
[Theresa Dupont]: And tomorrow evening, I have a meeting with our prevention and outreach folks who also are community liaisons that go out into the communities that are non-English speaking and seeing what they can do to help make awareness of these, all of our resources here at City Hall, but specifically bringing this information, arming them with it, seeing if we get stuff translated, I'm not sure, but just trying to get this information more out there So yeah, I have a meeting with them about how they can be helping push CPA agendas forward. So we might be coming back to this committee and asking your feedback on what that program might look like. So more to come on that. But I think for this funding round, we don't wanna change too much and just kind of push it out as an additional tranche to fund that program. I don't think anything's changing this year, but for next year, I'm gonna try. And then lastly, the Chevalier Auditorium, we had, I wasn't quite here during that time, but we had funded historic window restoration at the Chevalier before, or at least a study. It was a restoration, thank you. There were some windows that were omitted at that time. For a reason, I'm not quite sure, but they're they're come back and asked us. We're ready now to do the additional windows that are at ground level. So they're going to be putting together. An idea for that, that's it.
[Reggie Graham]: Can I ask you a question? Yeah. Talking about St. Joseph's. Yes. Yes. They said something about windows.
[Theresa Dupont]: Right. The stained glass windows are so.
[Roberta Cameron]: We would make it clear that the stained glass windows can only be for windows that don't have iconography or illustrations.
[Theresa Dupont]: I don't remember much.
[Reggie Graham]: I'm getting old. But I do remember that we were talking about.
[Roberta Cameron]: And actually, I wondered whether Shiloh should also be on the list of potential. Yes. Thank you. Yeah.
[Theresa Dupont]: Yeah. Shiloh will be coming and asking for, I believe, an additional 200,000 as well. Another 1 yeah, it's it's additional build out that they're as they're starting to really get into this elevator installation. Now they're realizing and that's kind of how we funded it before. It's like, this is how much you need to do the elevator. And now they're realizing, well, we've got to do some more work here, expand that out, put in a new work way here. So, they're working on putting together.
[Reggie Graham]: That's what I heard, but it's public. Well, if you've heard it, then it better be public.
[Theresa Dupont]: I'm going to last a year. I just didn't want to be the one to say that.
[Doug Carr]: A couple of comments. I grew up in St. Joseph's Church. I thought every single stained glass window in that building was pretty much telling some story of the Old and New Testament. I could be wrong. I did go to that church for the first 18 years of my life, so I hope I'm wrong there, because I obviously would be good. The second thing is, if you go to that list, the Chevalier looks a little light. I don't know how many windows, 25,000, it seems like, given the scale.
[Theresa Dupont]: It's only eight windows.
[Doug Carr]: Oh, OK. That's not so bad. Maybe it's OK then. OK. The other one. is that the Brooks Estate will not be submitting any grants this time this year. What? Wow.
[Theresa Dupont]: What?
[Doug Carr]: Shocking.
[Theresa Dupont]: Wow. My God, what a reaction.
[Doug Carr]: The reason is we have a new president now, and by the way, you're all welcome to come to the picnic on Saturday. It's a free picnic at the estate, our 20th or something like that. It's Tom Lincoln's last public event, and we have a new president. The caretakers are leaving. There's a lot going on right now. Really? There's just so many things happening. We need to finish the products we have on our plate, not start new ones just for this one year. We'll be back with a vengeance next year, I promise you all.
[Joan Cyr]: When are the caretakers leaving?
[Doug Carr]: Well, one is already left as of July 1st. There are two. We're trying to figure that out now. There's a lot of moving parts there. They've been there for six years and the world has changed in that time. There's a lot going on. You're hiring more money for others, obviously, and you only have 1.8, so there's hundreds of thousands of dollars that are available now. for a product.
[Theresa Dupont]: Thank you for your sacrifice.
[Doug Carr]: You guys have been more than generous with the Brooks Estate for the last five years to the tune of 800 plus thousand dollars. I'm excited to see what else is. There's going to be other ones on the table plus a lot of those numbers, Teresa, you said are estimates anyway. We're going to have to make some tough decisions as always. Looking forward. All right.
[Ari Fishman]: This was a question. Do I remember there was a project about building a daycare into a church? Is that one of the three churches we've talked about? Yes, that's Shiloh.
[Roberta Cameron]: That's the one that may need more funding for their elevator project, and the elevator facilitates the daycare. Fantastic. Thank you. Yeah, no, this is good. So, since the application period is open right now, if there are any. Committee members who have ideas about. People or groups organizations that you think could potentially have projects or locations that could potentially be improved. Talk to Teresa about it and or. Talk to other organizations and see whether they, they might want to consider applying. There's it's what is the deadline for the eligibility determination 31st 31st of July. So, Doug.
[Doug Carr]: Yeah, I forgot one last thing. At the historic commission meeting last night, a woman from the UU church came and talked to us about the project. It seems like it's a good project, but it seems like they didn't have a preservation architect on board, and they were just looking at contractor quotes, and it didn't feel like it was enough meat on the bone, so to speak. Teresa, I would urge you to have them define that scope as best they can, but I think they're going to need to ultimately hire someone to do some drawings and details to make sure that it's truly a restoration project historic standards that we've established. It's not a repair, it's definitely restoration, but they just need documentation that supports that a little bit more than I think they're currently planning.
[Roberta Cameron]: And that was just like last year when we funded the wall restoration for the cemetery in Medford Square and Salem Street. They originally just wanted money to restore the wall and we said, why don't you come back and CPA will fund us the architectural plans to make sure that we do it correctly and then come back. So actually that might be a potential project that comes back this year as well. to construct that work. For any historic building, that's always good advice or for any open space project, it's always good advice to ask for planning money first and then come back next year for implementation money.
[Reggie Graham]: I think that's an excellent point because even the young lady who came to us in the beginning, in regards to the, you know what I'm talking about, whatever. I mean, there wasn't an awful lot of information that she had as far as, you know, she went through a couple of contracts and so on and so forth. I mean, you know, people should really have a solid plan that when they present it to us, we don't have to answer a thousand questions. You know, I mean, they should have a pretty good idea of what the scope of their project is and so on and so forth. I don't know, you know, I mean, it costs me the money to have a professional do it, but if a professional does it, then we'll have a pretty good idea as to whether or not the funding is adequate, you know, for what they're looking for and whether or not we want to really do it.
[Roberta Cameron]: And we've, in our experience, um, projects have been completed that started with a plan and some of the projects that didn't start with a plan ended up stalling out and being canceled eventually. So, um, that's why it's a good way to, um, to feed it into the pipeline. I had another. Pipeline ID. Oh about so couple years ago. We funded a feasibility study or to figure out where to put the coven. 19 grow. Yes, I don't know.
[Theresa Dupont]: We've identified a potential location for that. They're in the midst of finalizing what the location would be and then they'll start going into community feedback for design. Okay, but it's riverbend park looks to be. Sorry, my Riverbend Park looks to be the park that it will go in. Whether or not with Clipper, they kind of want to wait for ClipperShip to kind of get done, because I think they're eyeing a spot that's over by where ClipperShip will be. But that's in the works.
[Roberta Cameron]: Another pie-in-the-sky idea that comes to me is a feasibility study to locate another community garden. Or to just pick up spot and put another community garden. Somewhere I know 7 or 5 years ago, I remember sitting in a public meeting where people came out with pitchforks and that's probably why we haven't seen more proposals for community garden since then. But. There are new people in the community and maybe we could find a new consensus about adding community gardens to parks.
[Ada Gunning]: Um, finally figured out how to raise my hand on zoom. So question, can you guys clarify bike lanes? Like, does that fall under. Cp, I mean, because I know clipper ship is the project you guys funded, but I feel like just regular bike lanes. You don't can you.
[Roberta Cameron]: If it's off completely outside of the road right-of-way, we can fund that as a recreation. But sidewalks and bike lanes that are part of the road right-of-way, those are not eligible projects.
[Ada Gunning]: And are there any other projects like clipper ships that are in discussion, or is that kind of the only one of its kind that is happening at the moment?
[Theresa Dupont]: very preliminary discussions about what to do with the whole Main Street Route 16 by the police station that area. There is discussion. I believe that's a mascot project. Unfortunately, here in the city, we can ask them nicely to do things, but it's their project.
[Roberta Cameron]: The Mystic River Watershed Association is currently planning for a path actually, this was in our very first funding around a CPA project that the city council actually turned down, but they got funding from another source and right now are preparing a plan for a path along the Mystic Lakes. So you could comment on that plan right now. It's not City of Medford, but that will also add something like a commission.
[Theresa Dupont]: Sorry. The bicycle commission, there is a bicycle commission here in the city. I believe they meet on the fourth Thursday or fourth Wednesday of every month.
[Ada Gunning]: I was just in touch with them. What I heard is that they can make recommendations, but they can't comment, but they can't propose.
[Theresa Dupont]: They're an advocacy group, not necessarily an authority, which I know they struggle with that. Yeah, yeah.
[Ada Gunning]: Okay, my other question is just on your document here, the yeses and noes. What do the noes mean?
[Theresa Dupont]: For where it says eligible? Oh, I'm not seeing the top one.
[Ada Gunning]: City-owned property. Oh, city-owned property, sorry, completely.
[Theresa Dupont]: Sorry, yeah, there's two. There's one where I wrote out yes, and then there's just whys. So yes, it's on city-owned property.
[Ada Gunning]: Okay, well, thank you.
[Joan Cyr]: Teresa, how goes the signs on the parks? The signs on the parks? Where's Carr Park? Where's McDally Park?
[Theresa Dupont]: Where's that? I think BDS has been very gracious in all the ideas they bring to them. Yes, I think that as they're doing total park renovations like they're doing with car park right now that is something that they're going to be looking into, but it's it's. I wouldn't say it's a priority, but I, I agree with you. It's not.
[Ada Gunning]: Did you have another question that.
[Roberta Cameron]: Any other comments, ideas, suggestions about potential applicants for this year?
[Joan Cyr]: I didn't do the math here. What are our EDS estimates up against what we potentially expect to have for funding this year?
[Theresa Dupont]: So actually, if you scroll down on that sheet, there are a couple. Oh, look at that, the whole other section. So right now the asks are about 1.8, which again, some of them are estimates. Some of them may be split into multiple phases, like that 800,000 for the bathrooms. That's how much I think it's going to cost in total, whether it's two years, one year, what have you. But 1.8 right now is the estimated. Actually, once we add in Shiloh, let's just make that a cool 2 million. Our budget is uh you can see i'm sorry again it's so tiny for for folks who are reading the print version in the room right now fiscal 25 we have 1.96 available to us there is uh if you keep scrolling down 82 000 left over in our extra coffers right now so that's why you're seeing that actually is that
[Joan Cyr]: That's undesignated fund, it says. Yeah.
[Theresa Dupont]: So that's the leftovers. It does not. It does not. Add another $75,000. Okay.
[Roberta Cameron]: Well, the $75,000 is still committed to them. They could turn around and say, okay, forget the HVAC. We actually do want to go forward with the windows.
[Theresa Dupont]: But at this point, would we still fund a study if all we know is we need to put in this type of a window?
[Roberta Cameron]: Even if they picked 1 building, and I don't think it would cost 25,000 dollars. I think, like, just the architect to. Prepare the five hours worth of work. Yeah, and I don't know if it's five hours worth of work like the there's the the identifying all of the windows to put in place and then making sure that the windows are actually operable. Whatever it is, it's needed. Maybe a $10,000 study would be needed to like. Figure out what to do with the windows and guessing so if they wanted to do that. Then we put the rest of the money back and then they could come back and apply for actual restoration windows. And so I'm not going to put the 75 back into our undesignated until they send us a memo. And this is actually the process. They need to send us a memo saying project is canceled. Please put it back. I'm going to guess that the $800,000 for the city hall bathrooms, unless the city fronts money to do some, I mean, they can't bid an $800,000 project without having construction drawings. So that's going to have to be a two-year. So that might be $200,000 project. And then $800,000. Yeah, that's what's going to happen for the city hall.
[Theresa Dupont]: But if anybody comes across projects, programs that you think would be eligible for CPA, feel free to email, text me, call me, and then we'll go from there. Unless anybody had any other ideas right now. Putting everybody on the spot. You didn't know you had homework.
[Roberta Cameron]: So, yeah, if you think of anything, send it on over. I'm going to reach out to Stuart and talk to him about the high school you study.
[Theresa Dupont]: Okay. I'll reach out. I think Peter's. I'm very well deserved vacation right now, but. And see if you can give me some more insight into what the plan is. Yeah.
[Roberta Cameron]: So I want to be we're already at 8 o'clock, so we can quickly move through the rest of the agenda in a couple of minutes. So minutes from the June 11 meeting. They were in the packet.
[Reggie Graham]: Would anyone like to make a motion that we accept the minutes as presented from the June 11 meeting?
[Roberta Cameron]: Second. All right, and I will call the roll. I'll start with screen. Joan? Yes. Ada? Yes.
[Theresa Dupont]: All right, yes, feeling yes, Doug. You did. Red myself, yes. And 6 yeah, 1 absent 1 absent.
[Roberta Cameron]: All right, then the next is other business other business.
[Theresa Dupont]: Really quick, I'll send an email out to, but they have final, they being the mayor's office has finalized the ribbon cuttings for Gillis. As well as for phase 1 for car park. Thursday, next Thursday, I'll send this out again, Thursday the 18th at four o'clock, Gillis, ribbon cutting. What's actually really fun is they're doing a one inning game of city staff and elected officials versus the kids. So if anybody here wants to play some baseball, I believe they're looking to fill out the roster. I believe mayor is pitching, which is the only thing I could do. It is at four o'clock on Thursday, four o'clock in the afternoon. On Monday, the 22nd, so the following Monday, not this coming, but the 22nd, also at 4 o'clock, will be the Carr Park Phase 1 opening. That will be a little ceremony, and then culminates in a pickleball demonstration, followed very closely by a pickleball tournament, of which we are all also invited to participate in. Reg, will we see you there? So again, we're all invited to that. I'll send that out.
[Roberta Cameron]: And a reminder again of the Brooks State this Saturday.
[Theresa Dupont]: Brooks State Picnic. They've asked if you can, and if you feel like it, bring like a salad or desserts, anything I think that doesn't need to be heated or cooled. But yes, it's from 12 to 3. There'll be some festivities, some games, music. I'm going to try to be there around two. I had a prior engagement, but I'm going to try to be there at two.
[Joan Cyr]: Unfortunately. When's a long cross?
[Theresa Dupont]: When's a long cross? I'm going to have to send out new dates for now that we have Otto joining us. And I also didn't put down past committee members, which was not purposeful. I didn't mean to slight anybody, but I'll send out new dates for that.
[Roberta Cameron]: Yeah, the July dates didn't work for enough people. So, yeah, I think that.
[Theresa Dupont]: That's all I had in other business.
[Roberta Cameron]: Okay, so I think that we needed to cover this evening.
[Joan Cyr]: Motion to adjourn.
[SPEAKER_04]: Okay. All right. All right. Yes. All right. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.
[Joan Cyr]: They still are red.
[Reggie Graham]: Yes.
[Roberta Cameron]: And myself Yes. Thank you everyone.