DRAFT

Public Informational Meeting Regarding

Proposed New Town Hall

September 26, 2005

 

Those present:  Councilman Grattidge, Councilman Lippiello, Councilman Mitchell, Councilman Verola, Architect Paul Vosburgh, Financial Advisor Jeanine Caruso and Town Attorney Robert VanVranken.  Supervisor Acunto was excused.

 

The meeting began at 7:35 P.M.  Councilman Grattidge welcomed all those present.  He explained that in 1975 the town obtained the Knights of Pythias Hall and converted it into a meeting room and limited offices.  It was never designed to be a town hall.  In the 1980’s the Town Board looked at remodeling our current building but because of the small lot size and condition of the building a committee recommended a new site be found to build on.  In 2000, we were able to purchase 2.75 acres next to Gideon Hawley Park.  The Town Board has worked with 2 architects and various town committees and held over 17 public working sessions to design and refine our plans over the past 5 years.  A recent survey indicated that 68% of the residents support building a new Town Hall.  People have stated they want the new Town Hall to look like it belongs in the hamlet.  Our goal in building this project is to continue the Town’s no town tax policy.  The Town Board established a building reserve fund a number of years ago for the purpose of building a new town hall.  Through careful budgeting and frugal spending, the Town has been able to save and invest our unexpended funds for a number of years.  We have already saved and invested 2/3 of the money and will be able to bond the remaining portion of the project and pay for it out of our existing revenues without a Town tax or without a reduction in services provided to our residents.  Our optimum schedule would be to break ground in the spring and build it next year.

 

Councilman Verola introduced those making presentations.  She stated Architect Paul Vosburgh was chosen because of his vast knowledge of historic renovations and experience with municipalities.  Financial Advisor Jeanine Caruso is Vice President of Fiscal Advisors and Marketing.  She is a certified independent financial advisor.  She has an MBA in Financial Management.  She has assisted over 100 municipalities and school districts and public authorities with planning and financial financing of their capital projects.  Also present is Town Attorney Robert VanVranken.

 

Town Justice Larry Bascom spoke on behalf of the Town court system. Larry has been a town justice since 1986.  He stated the town court has grown considerably.  On the first Thursday of the month the Assistant District Attorney is here.  There is a great deal of activity going on with the court.  One Town Justice holds court in the main meeting room and the other Justice holds court in the Town Clerk’s Office while the Town Clerk is trying to deal with town residents needing assistance.  An important issue we have is court security.  Judge Bascom has applied for a grant for a security system that will detect metal.  We have people in court who become upset and erupt from time to time.  We do have a police officer on duty.  The bathrooms are in the back of the building and the judge’s back is to that area and he is unaware of what is going on when he is conducting court.   Judge Bascom stated that last week there was a case of a dangerous dog.  It involved a youth that was allegedly bitten 14 times.  It was inappropriate to bring a youth into open court.  There will be space in the new town hall for juveniles to be interviewed.  Soon tickets will be required to be processed electronically.  Office space at the new town hall will accommodate that. 

 

 

Architect Paul Vosburgh spoke regarding the process over the past year regarding the Town Hall project.

 

Why does Charlton need a new Town Hall?

·        Existing Town Hall is 113 years old

·        Lack of adequate parking

·        Lack of adequate public meeting space

·        Lack of office space for 11 town departments

·        Lack of vital records storage space

 

 

Community Image Survey Results (to determine what residents liked about Charlton):

Positive Characteristics:

·        Site

·        Shade trees and landscaping

·        Hidden parking lots with screening

·        Low, small, carved wooden signs

·        Shallow landscaped set-backs with porches and fences

 

·        Buildings

·        Residential appearance

·        Pedestrian scale

·        2-story buildings

·        Peaked roofs with clapboard siding (neutral color)

·        Visible entrances, shutters, divided light windows

 

 

Historic District Commission recommendations:

·        Scale

·        Representative of scale of other buildings in the community

 

·        Style

·        Simple, but elegant and not overly pretentious

 

·        Materials

·        Siding – Good quality cedar or hardi-plank clapboard siding

·        Shingles – Slate look or shake style shingles

·        Windows – Wood with true divided lights

·        Interior Finishes – Durable, easy to maintain, hardwood in lieu of carpet

·        Exterior Paving – Crushed stone embedded in oil

 

·        Landscaping

·        Historically appropriate, screened foundation

 

 

Site Plan Review Recommendations:

·        Setbacks – Front 112 feet, side 90 feet, rear 240 feet

·        Site Grading, Utilities (maintain existing drainage where we could and develop new ones where we couldn’t)

·        Landscaping/Green space (historically appropriate plant material)

·        Roadway/Parking (per Community Image Survey)

·        Sidewalks/Lighting (per Community Image Survey)

·        Stormwater Management (in compliance with MS 4)

·        Potential well contamination (have been addressed satisfactorily)

·        Dumpster Pad (will be screened)

·        Archaeology (Phase I and Phase II completed)

 

There is a plan for expansion on each side of the building without infringing on the side yard setbacks or any infrastructure in place.

 

 

Proposed Building Systems:

·        Structural

·        Deep foundations, full basement, conventional wood frame with reinforced masonry elevator shaft

·        Mechanical

·        High efficiency oil-fired furnaces with exterior condensing units

·        Sprinkler system for meeting room, 4” water services, conventional distribution, water saving fixtures

 

 

·        Electrical

·        Underground service, energy efficient lighting, fire alarm, security system, telephone and data cabling

 

 

Phase I and II archeological investigations:

·        Summary and recommendations:

·        Parcel reputed to be the lot on which the Charlton Union Cheese and Butter Factory was built in 1866

·        Phase I – 52 shovel tests across the site found remnants of the Charlton Union Cheese and Butter Factory

·        Archival data documented the factory was in business for two years, built in 1866 and removed to the Charlton House property in 1868 or 1872

·        Phase II efforts recovered 2,038 artifacts and 2,025 grams of brick

·        The Charlton Union Cheese and Butter Factory Site does not meet with NRHP eligibility criteria of significance

 

 

2005 Statement of Probable Cost:

·        Site Development

·        2.7 acres @ $113,532 per acre =               $  306,537.00

·        Building Construction

·        2 story (9,152 SF) & basement @ $248/SF=      $2,274,299.00

·        Furniture, furnishings and equipment                                       50,000.00

Subtotal            $2,630,836.00                       

                                                             Contingency @ 10%       263,084.00

                                    Probable Construction Cost                          $2,893,920.00

 

 

Construction Cost Factors:

·        Public Works Project

·        Prevailing wage rates/multiple prime contracts

·        Sitework

·        Stormwater Regulations

·        Pavement – Roads and parking

·        Sidewalks and lighting

Building

·        Elevator

·        Circulation space

·        Sprinkler system

·        Vault

 

 

2006 Statement of Probable Cost:

·        2005 Probable Construction Cost                             $2,893,920.00

·        8% year construction cost escalation             210,466.00

·          2006 Probable Construction Cost     $3,104,386.00           

·          Professional Fees and Expenses

·        A/E Fees                                        312,543.00

·        Clerk of the works                                  50,000.00

·        Miscellaneous Fees and Expenses                50,000.00

·        Archaeology Studies (Paid)                20,000.00

                                                                        Subtotal           $   432,543.00     

·        Total project cost                             $3,536,929.00

 

 

Jeanine Caruso gave her presentation for Fiscal Advisors & Marketing, Inc.  She stated she was hired by the town to look at the financial end to determine whether or not this was a project the town could afford.  She began with assumptions.

 

Town Hall Project Assumptions: 

·        Total project cost of $3,536,929.00

·      Town wished to limit the annual expense to approximately $150,000.00.  This is the current amount in the Town Budget for capital expenditures.

·      Town Hall will be 9,100 square feet plus a basement for a total square footage of approximately 13,000 square feet.

·        Town Hall construction is wood framed and most likely will be classified as a

              “Class C” building.  Under Local Finance Law, the maximum term of bonds is

              15 years.  To get to a “Class A” building, it would have to be made of brick or stone   

              and would be considered completely fireproof.

·       The existing Town Hall will remain operational so there will be no sale proceeds or                           

              expense reduction.

 

 

Financial Considerations:

·     The Town has $785,756 in a Capital Reserve Account to use toward the Town Hall       

             Project

·     The Town will use $945,172 in additional General Fund balance reserves currently    

             invested in Certificates of Deposit

·     The Town will use $432,543 in 2004, 2005 and 2006 operating budget funds to pay A/E,

            Owner’s Rep and miscellaneous fees ($192,962 paid to date)

·     The Town will use $100,000 of surplus Sales Tax Revenues and $20,000 from a NYS

            Grant

 

 

Illustration of Bonding Amount:

            Construction Project Costs                                       $3,104,386.00

            Professional Fees                                                               432,543.00

            Total Cost                                                                 $3,536,929.00

            Less Building Reserve                                                     785,756.00

            Less Amount payable from 2005,2006,2007                           432,543.00

            Less Sales Tax Surplus from County                              100,000.00

            Less Grant Money from NYS                                                   20,000.00

            Less Additional Town Reserves                             945,172.00

Amount to be Bonded                                                                        $1,255,000.00

 

 

Financial Plan:

·     Utilize Town reserves first

·     Issue BANs in 2006

·     Issue Bonds in 2007

 

 

Cost Impact to residents:

The Town is financially well prepared to complete this project.

·     No town tax

·     No loss in service

·     Town Hall will be constructed with a debt service of 1/3 of the total project cost

·     The debt service will be paid from the annual operating budgets

 

 

The floor was opened for questions.

 

Jay Price – Featherbed Lane – Asked what has been the inflationary costs of the last 15-20 years?

 

Paul Vosburgh – 2 ½ to 4%.

 

Walt Schmidt – Sacandaga Road – It is more like 5%.

 

Jay Price – The $900,000+ in reserve fund might better have been spent for a town hall 10 years ago to avoid inflationary costs as opposed to interest generated off that fund.  Concerning the notion of no town tax, already $150,000.00 has been collected in annual revenue that has not been used for budget expenditures.  Is that correct?

 

Councilman Grattidge stated that up until 2004, we had been placing approximately $100,000.00 a year in our reserve account for the project. 

 

Jay Price – (Could not understand.) That to me is continuing an ongoing tax even though you don't call it a tax.

 

Councilman Grattidge – It is revenue that we have received from various sources but they have not come directly from the taxpayers.  Our largest revenue is sales tax but we also get a portion of the mortgage tax and various others.

 

Jay Price – It was income revenue that was not expended as part of the annual budget.

 

Councilman Grattidge – Correct.

 

John Tasse – Sweetman Road – How variable can the county sales tax revenue to the town be?

Have you built in if there is a slight economic downturn and revenues aren’t what we think they are going to be?

 

Jeanine Caruso – Projections show a continuing positive trend in sales tax.  In Saratoga County, many new retail establishments are being built.  If retail sales were flat, the sales tax revenues would still increase and continue to be strong.

 

Maggie Schmidt – Sacandaga Road – Applauded the efforts of all town boards who have worked on this project. This building is not 100% handicapped accessible as the new town hall would be.  The ZBA has had problems meeting their normal Tuesday night each month.  If it is a holiday weekend and the Town Board has to meet on Tuesday night, the ZBA has to meet somewhere else.  If there is a primary election, they have to meet somewhere else.  If they have a public hearing that involves a lot of people, they have met at the school.  Occasionally they have met at the Schoolhouse on Maple Avenue.  The ZBA has no office space here.  Eventually they will need a computer and access to the Internet to research various projects.

 

Carol Kirk – Swaggertown Road -  Also applauded the efforts of the Town Board.  Carol is concerned about the fire department and the vote and two buildings each costing around $3,000,000.  She does not know how citizens in town will pay for this.  She would like to see both groups get together and have one center serving the whole community.

 

Councilman Grattidge – The original committee made recommendations for a larger piece of property for municipal purposes.  When the piece we purchased was available, we were limited to what the landowner was able to sell us.  He believes you are talking two completely different buildings similar to what we have now.  The fire department had difficulty finding an adequate piece of property.

 

Robert Cheesman – Maplewood Drive – Is concerned we will have record storage in the basement.  We are on a high water table. 

 

Paul Vosburgh – Water was found at 8 feet.  We will take are of seasonal ground water through careful waterproofing and a perimeter as well as an under slab drainage system that will pick up any water as it rises and carry it away from the basement area.  Alan said it is a climate-controlled vault dedicated to our record storage.  Laura Linder stated that the Records Advisory Board has been adamant that the records be cared for property.

Suzanne Voigt – Dawson Road – The furnace system will be fossil fuel based.  She would like to see some solar or something like that going into the building.

 

Paul Vosburgh – It is a fossil fuel based system.  The building will be extremely energy efficient.  We have structured the heating and cooling system so that only the portion of the building that is being used at the time will have an impact on the system.  It has been a matter of cost in not adding non-fossil fuel systems.

 

Suzanne Voigt – We desperately need a firehouse and a town hall.  It is like we are putting up “pie in the sky” in both projects.  The funds that we are using that aren’t “taxes” have come at a cost to us as infrastructure things could have been done over the years.  The Comprehensive Plan Survey indicates we have a huge desire in the town to see open space preserved including spending general fund money to do so.  We have people concerned about the preservation of environmental sensitive sites with approval of general funds.  We haven’t seen that because you have been hoarding it for this project.  She applauds a Capital Improvement Fund but would have liked to see some of that money going to major infrastructure.  She is concerned we are going to continue that practice.  There are increasing infrastructure demands due to development.  Where will that money come from if we are using everything to build a town hall?

 

Councilman Grattidge said we review the budget annually and set our priorities.  We budget for the proper use of your money.  We have been talking about this for a number of years to come up with a plan we can move forward on.  We are busting at the seams.  We will be reviewing the recommendations of the Comprehensive Plan.  Saratoga County is concerned with open space issues.  We are supporting the farmers with Agriculture Exemptions.  We have large lot zoning.  We are not extending our infrastructure to prepare for development.  We are being very cautious.

 

Laura Linder – Work with your fire department to get it done.  Laura encouraged more people to come out to Town Board Meetings and form the committees we need to have.  It is our government.  There is hardly anyone here at Town Board Meetings.

 

Jim Edgar – Jenkins Road – Is concerned about the decision to keep this building.  It is 100 years old.  It will probably be empty 28 days a month.  He believes that if we build a building 4 times bigger than this, we don’t need the current building as a community center.  The town will be accepting a tremendous amount of liability by keeping it open.  He suggested we get rid of it.

 

Councilman Grattidge – A lot of people want to see this building preserved and used properly.  We have an active seniors group that meets regularly at this building.  At this point we are planning on keeping it.  It is something we would have to review.

 

Jim Edgar – What is the budget to run this building now annually?

 

Councilman Grattidge stated it was around $20,000.00 to $30,000.00 for upkeep, maintenance, heat and light.

 

Councilman Lippiello – He hopes the need for a new town hall is obvious.  Officials have records at home.  Judge Bascom is concerned about security in this building.  We are tight on space.  It comes down to cost.  The building is not elaborate.  It isn’t huge at 13,000 square feet.  It is in an historic district and costs are associated with that to make it appropriate for the historic district.  We have saved about 2/3 of the cost.  People have been working toward this goal for 15 years.  Because it is a municipal building, it adds to the costs.  We hope the new building will meet our needs for 50 years in the future.  We hope to maintain no town tax.  We have been committed to that.  We ask your support.  The front of the brochure has the two propositions that we appear on the ballot in November. Both have to pass for us to go forward.  The longer we wait the more expensive it will become and it will become more difficult to build.

 

Terri Bordenave - Old Stage Road – In the event that one of the two propositions do not pass, what contingency plan do you have in place for moving forward?

 

Attorney Robert VanVranken stated that the Town Board made a decision to put both to a vote.  Neither requires that.  You would need approval for both.  Failure on either terminates the project as it is presently constituted.

 

Suzanne Voigt – If it isn’t required by vote, you could change and go ahead.

 

Councilman Grattidge state it would still be under a permissive referendum.  People indicated to us in the spring that they did want an opportunity to vote.  We were trying to catch the 2005 building season before the archaeological situation came up.  We felt then the best way would be to get the archaeological question answered and put it out for a vote.  We are not interested in a winter construction project.  We want to start in the spring of 2006 and finish in the spring

of 2007.

 

John Tasse asked why we are not sprinkling the entire structure.  Paul Vosburgh said the code does not require it.  All public assembly space that will seat in excess of 50 people is required to be sprinkled.  That would mean the main meeting room would be sprinkled.  The balance of the building does not have a sprinkler system because it would increase the cost by approximately $60,000.00.

 

Ed Snyder asked that if this doesn’t go through, how much money has been expended?  Jeanine stated it would be $192,000.00.

 

After everyone had the opportunity to speak, the meeting was adjourned at 8:30 P.M.

 

                                                                                    Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

                                                                                    Gail Hanchar

                                                                                    Town Clerk