The Everett Common Council approved $914,400 worth of capital improvement plan expenditures in the upcoming budget year (fiscal 2014) through the use of free cash, as was requested by Mayor Carlo DeMaria in his annual capital improvement plan.
The use of free cash on one-time, capital purchases is consistent with current city policies of using one-time revenues on non-recurring expenses.
The list of capital expenditures for 2014 includes:
Informational Technology-Telephone system upgrades $25,000.00
Information Technology-Hardware/software upgrades $50,000.00
Fire Department-administrative command vehicle $40,000.00
City Services -F-350 pickup truck w/plows and sander $45,000
City Services-refuse truck (packer) $76,800
City Services – crosswalk enhancements $75,000.00
City Services-dump truck $112,000.00
City Services – F-550 with hot top box for asphalt $129,600.00
City Services-fleet eye vehicle inventory system $36,000.00
ISD-three (3) new inspection vehicles $100,000.00
Parks and Recreation-playground updates/maintenance $100,000.00
Public Property-building renovations at Recreation Center$50,000.00
Public Property-Norwood Street design $75,000.00
The use of $914,400 in free cash will still leave the city with an estimated $2.8 million in free cash for FY 2014.
As for the projects that were approved, the main questions from the council centered on what exactly will be done at the Recreation Center and what is involved in the Norwood Street Design project.
According to Chief of Staff Melissa Rodrigues, the Recreation Center project will include upgrades to the lobby and bathrooms at the Elm Street center.
As for the Norwood Street design, the goal is to create a plan for a new street scape in the Norwood Street business district to make that area more friendly for pedestrians and commercial properties.