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Date: 11/1/2023
LONGMEADOW — On Nov. 7, Longmeadow will conduct a Town Meeting in the gymnasium of Longmeadow High School, at 7 p.m. There are 30 articles on the warrant, although five are consent agenda articles for routine matters. In addition to several large expenditures, there are two bylaw amendments and a request to change the zoning of a property.
The property proposed for rezoning is at 916 Williams St., the former Church of Christ, Scientist building adjacent to the Longmeadow Shops. Two years ago, the Colvest Group came before Town Meeting with a proposal to rezone the property from Residential A-1 to Commercial so storefronts could be built to house retail businesses and restaurants. At this Town Meeting, Colvest Group is proposing a similar plan.
At a Planning Board meeting on Sept. 6, architect Chris Melard of Phase Zero Design described the plans for a “natural extension of the Longmeadow Shops.” The Colvest Group was willing to design the site as one long single-story structure, like the Shops, or as three individual buildings on the 84,000-square-foot property. Melard said the design would “keep the charm the town has.”
The vote to rezone is the first step of the process and is the sole focus of the article.
Financial articles
Article 2 asks for $31,128 from available funds to pay for Fire Department equipment and repairs. The auxiliary power generator for Ladder One recently failed and was unable to be repaired. Replacing the equipment cost 11,431, which is a sizable portion of the department’s vehicle maintenance budget.
The article also seeks to replace two of the department’s three thermal imaging cameras, which broke down this fall. Each camera costs $6,250, for a total of $12,500. The warrant describes these cameras as “critical” equipment that is used to find people in smoke-filled buildings or wooded areas where vision is impaired. One of these cameras is kept on board each fire truck.
The third expense in the article is $7,197 for a 5% match on a $151,148 grant to replace aging fire hoses and protective gear for firefighters. The warrant states that the budget is “tight,” and therefore, the department is requesting the additional funding.
Another piece of emergency equipment is being sought in article 3, which calls for $37,500 from the Ambulance Fund for a cardiac monitor on Medic 2. While the equipment was approved to be funded as part of the capital budget for fiscal year 2024, it was left off the spring warrant in error.
In Article 4, the Police Department is seeking $37,500 from available funds for seven mobile data terminals, the computers installed in police vehicles to link them to WestCOMM dispatch, as well as state and national databases. The existing hardware is outdated and worn, causing expensive repairs and time with cruisers taken out of service.
Two articles focus on pedestrian safety. Article 6 is a citizen’s petition to install a sidewalk along Emerson Road, between Riverview Avenue and Essex Court and flashing light at the crosswalk there. The article does not specify a funding amount or source.
Article 7 would transfer $45,250 from available funds for road safety measures. “Enlarged, double-sided crosswalk signs for 17 crosswalks in town would cost $34,000. Outfitting crossing guards with lighted, hand-held stop signs and lighted vests would cost $9,250 and $2,000, respectively.
Articles 8 and 9 address the public pools in town. Reynolds Pool at Bliss Park has been closed since 2020. Drainage is a major issue at the pool as it was found to be draining directly into Cooley Brook in violation of state regulations. Greenwood Park Pool is functioning after a liner was installed, however there is work required in that location, as well. A study of Reynolds Pool found that it needs a pool liner, and Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant improvements. Both pools require electrical work, drainage connections, refurbished sand filters, a replacement for the existing pool pump and a back-up pump in case the primary one must be shut down.
The town is seeking $1.17 million from available funds for the repair and upgrades at Reynolds Pool. For Greenwood Park Pool, $220,000 is being sought from available funds. These figures include a contingency that would cover unforeseen spikes in materials or labor.
The opening of both pools in the summer of 2024 is predicated on there being enough lifeguards to properly staff them. There has been a national lifeguard shortage for multiple years.
Article 10 requests $200,000 to be added to the traffic-streetlights account. Longmeadow purchases “net metering credits” from Eversource through Eversource that are generated by solar electric systems. The credit had been applied to the electric cost of the town’s streetlights. In 2020, the lights were converted to less-energy intensive LEDs. When the DPW calculated its budget needs for fiscal year 2024, it asked for funding to cover the LED streetlights without considering the amount of money needed to pay for the credits.
The $200,000 would “ensure we have adequate funds in the DPW account,” Town Manager Lyn Simmons told Reminder Publishing. The credits are being reallocated to other sources that add to the town’s electric bills. “We don’t anticipate this being a continuing issue,” Simmons said.
At the spring Town Meeting this year, $550,000 was approved for a jet truck for the sewer department. In the period between receiving quotes and the beginning of the fiscal year in July, when the purchase could be made, the cost increased by $80,000. Article 18 seeks that amount from the Sewer Retained Earnings account to fill the gap. The life expectancy of a jet truck is 10 years, while the current equipment is 14 years old with 60,000 miles on it.
Articles 19 and 20 would borrow $1.46 million and $8.53 million, respectively, for sewer and water main improvements. The work would be performed on Forest Glen Road and Longmeadow, Converse, Llewellyn and Laurel streets ahead of the $9 million project from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation that will reconfigure Longmeadow Street. Conducting the work before the 2025 project will prepare the infrastructure for the new roadway.
The water infrastructure is nearly 100 years old, and the sewer mains are “likely” to fail if not addressed, according to the warrant. The bond for the water mains will impact water rates in town, however, future interest on bond proceeds and excess revenue in Water Retained Earnings account may be used to offset the initial increase of between 6% and 8%.
Bylaws and administrative issues
Article 26 is a zoning bylaw change that would bring the town’s language in line with the state’s language regarding marijuana dispensaries. The state does not require dispensaries to be “not-for-profit,” therefore the article would remove that language from the town’s bylaw.
The final article on the warrant would allow the town to begin the first step in developing a municipal aggregation plan, which would let Longmeadow purchase electricity in bulk on behalf of customers. The town could then hire a consultant to create such a plan and draw up an electricity supply agreement, although Longmeadow would not be obligated to take these steps.