WESTFIELD – The City Council Thursday night voted to approve the first reading of the $17 million bond order for maintenance of city buildings and energy efficiency work, but several councilors said that questions need to be answered prior to the second reading and final passage of the order.
The vote to approve the first reading Thursday was 12-1, but the number of councilors voting in opposition may increase.
Ward 2 Councilor James E, Brown Jr., chairman of the Legislative & Ordinance Committee, which brought the bond issue out of committee, said that the bond order was the subject of a March 8 joint meeting with the Finance Committee and the consultants hired for two city projects.
The 90 minute presentation by Dan Pallotta of P3, the project manager for the $12 million Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) Green Energy program; Roland Butzke of Siemens, which the city hired to increase energy efficiency and reduce the municipal energy footprint; and Rebecca Sherer of Tight & Bond, the city’s engineering consultant for the MSBA Green Energy grant program, linked the $12 million Green Energy project with the work to be completed through the proposed $17 million bond.
The MSBA grant, which reimburses the city at a 62 percent rate, includes the installation of 13 boilers in five school buildings, ventilation systems, as well as replacement of windows and two sections of the Westfield Vocational-Technical High School.
Siemens has recommended switching most of the boilers from steam systems to hot water systems because the energy required to heat water to 140 degrees is much lower than the energy required to convert water to steam.
That conversion will required additional work, such as replacing pipe lines and installing ventilation systems with individual climate control systems for each classroom, work that is not covered by the MSBA grant program.
Funding included in the proposed $17 million would also be used for energy efficiency projects at other municipal buildings, including the Police Department, the Fire Department including the Western Avenue and Southampton Road substations and the Department of Public Works garage on South Broad Street.
Brown said that Siemens provided a “break out” of the scope of work which will be performed through the $17 million bond, which in addition to the city school buildings includes improvements and repairs to the police and fire headquarters, two fire substations and the Public Works garage on South Broad Street.
At-large Councilor John J. Beltrandi III said that consultants’ presentation was informative, but that there were requests for additional information that has yet to be provided to the council members.
“They did a good presentation, but there were other items (of information) requested from Siemens related to the installation of some of this equipment and warranties on components,” Beltrandi said. “I’d still like to see that.”
Ward 4 Councilor Mary O’Connell said that council members received the break-out data Thursday afternoon.
“It would have been helpful to get it sooner,” she said. “I did commit to vote for the first reading if we got this information.
O’Connell said that the council members need additional information, including debt projections, before they make a final decision of the bond order.
At-large Councilor David A. Flaherty, who cast the sole vote against the first reading of the bond, said while he “does not have a problem with the work that needs to be done, like replacing leaky pipes, we did ask for information that we have not received.
“We don’t have a plan to pay for this,” he said.
Flaherty said the city has other financial obligations of between $15 and $20 million either pending or appropriated.
“We’re adding almost $2 million a year to our debt payments,” he said. “I don’t know how we will pay for that if we don’t get an up-tick in state aid and nobody wants an increase in local (property) taxes. We have to be realistic. Voting for this without a plan is not something we should do.”
