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APPROPRIATION COMMITTEE SPECIAL TOWN MEETING 2016 -5 SEPTEMBER 14, 2016 Assuming the current request to acquire 171 -173 Bedford Street is approved, followed by the initial plan- ning to adapt the site for a temporary fire station, then in the spring of 2017 funds would be requested to create construction documents for the temporary fire station. At the same time, funds would be requested to create schematic and design documents to build a new fire station. We expect that the construction documents for the temporary fire station and the design documents for the new fire station will establish reliable estimates for the construction costs of both projects that can be used in future funding requests. Some uncertainty enters into the schedule at this point, since the precise date of the MSBA vote on Has- tings Elementary is not yet known. The timing of the MSBA vote will start with the Town's delivery of a Project Scope and Budget (PS &B) Proposal for Hastings Elementary to the MSBA in the summer of 2017. The PS &B Proposal is pursuant to the Feasibility Study funded under Article 3 of Special Town Meeting 2016 -1 in February. Following the MSBA's review and approval process, the Town will be asked to formally accept a PS &B Agreement. The Town's acceptance will initiate a 120 -day window during which Town Meeting must meet and vote in favor of funding the Hastings Elementary project. Ideally, this would occur at a Special Town Meeting in the fall of 2017, at which time the Town would seek appropriations for the construction of Hastings Elementary, as well as all the remaining expenses related to the temporary fire station and the new fire station. Assuming that the Town Meeting approves funding that is contingent on a successful debt exclusion ref- erendum, the Town will then have 45 days to hold a referendum. It is anticipated that the Selectmen will vote to put a question on the ballot to exclude the costs of the Hastings Elementary project from the limits of Proposition 21/2, along with similar questions for all or some of the costs related to the acquisition of 171 -173 Bedford Street, the temporary fire station, and the new fire station. Analysis and Conclusion Town staff previously estimated the cost to design and construct a new fire station at $19.8 million. That estimate included $930,000 for the costs of adapting a site for use as a swing space for the fire station. The estimated cost of the new fire station now consists of the following: Acquisition of 171 -173 Bedford Street $4,443,000 Temporary Fire Station & New Fire Station (estimate) $19,800,000 Total $24,243,000 Lacking a suitable alternative site for a new main fire station, it appears that the only way to upgrade the fire station requires the use of a swing space site. Although this project will add to the already substantial amount of capital expenditures the Town is undertaking for the expansion of school facilities and upgrad- ing Town infrastructure, the Committee believes that the Town cannot continue to function indefinitely with a deficient fire station, and that these costs are reasonable. The Committee recommends approval of this request (7 -0). 2016 -5.3 Supplemental Appropriation for Middle Schools — Additions and Remodeling Funds Requested Funding Source Committee Recommendation None N/A IP The Committee anticipates that this request will be indefinitely postponed. 6