AFINANCIAL BUSIENSS REQUEST
(FBR)
Subject:
title
MOTION to update the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Projects List and allocations as follows:
(1). Add the $300,000 Sandy Hollow Road Guardrail Replacement Project.
(2). Transfer $35,000 from the Gales Ferry Sidewalk Project (remove spreadsheet line 45) to the Gales Ferry Corridor Study (spreadsheet line 25) for an updated total allocation of $50,000.
end
Background:
From: Fred Allyn, III <mayor@ledyardct.org <mailto:mayor@ledyardct.org>>
Sent: Monday, March 04, 2024 10:58 AM
To: Roxanne Maher <council@ledyardct.org <mailto:council@ledyardct.org>>
Subject: Sandy Hollow guardrail quote attached
Attached is the updated Sandy Hollow Road guardrail project for the Finance Committee’s March 6, 2024 as part of the ARPA discussions. The plan is that, pending approval, $300K would come from ARPA and the balance from existing “TAR Maintenance” grant line. The reduced costs reflect PW doing the rip out of existing and providing traffic control as well as a reduction of 575 LF of rail (see attached) .
Best,
Fred
Finance Cmt Meeting 2/21/2024
• Sandy Hollow Guiderail Replacement Project $390,000 - Mayor Allyn stated because the guiderail was 7,000 feet that he asked Public Works Director/Town Engineer Steve Masalin to identify the critical components of the 1.5-mile stretch of road. He stated although Sandy Hollow Road has not been designated as a Scenic Road, that it was quite scenic. Therefore, he stated that he would suggest that they install the Rusted Metal Guiderails that would blend into the natural rural setting.
Councilor Ryan stated although the Sandy Hollow Guiderail Replacement Project was included in the initial ARPA Projects List that it was currently not on the List. Mayor Allyn stated the replacement of these guiderails have been requested in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for several years, however, he stated due to budget constraints that the project was annually taken out of the Plan.
Councilor Saccone noted when they began talking about the Sandy Hollow Guiderail Replacement Project several years ago the cost was about $225,000. However, he stated over the years that the costs have continued to increase, noting that the project was now going to cost $165,000 more than it would have if they replaced the guiderails years ago.
Councilor Buhle questioned the cost for the regular guiderails. Mayor Allyn noted the following cost estimates:
• $1.1 million - Wood Guiderails, similar to the type that were on the Merit Parkway.
• $312,000 - Galvanized Guiderails
• $390,000 - Rusted Metal Guiderails that would blend into the natural rural setting.
Mayor Allyn, stated that he would ask Public Works Director/Town Engineer Steve Masalin to obtain quotes from the State Bid Contract List.
Councilor Ryan stated they had an Uncommitted ARPA Balance in the amount of $225,962.49. Therefore, he stated if they wanted to move forward with the replacement of the Sandy Hollow Guiderails this year that they would need to include the project in the Fiscal Year 2024/2025 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Budget with $225,962.49 coming from ARPA and the balance in the amount of $164,037 coming from the tax levy. He stated another option would be to replace as much of the guiderail as they could with the $225,962 ARPA Funding.
Councilor Buhle questioned the reason Groton Utilities has not been willing to help pay for the replacement of the guiderails, noting that it would make sense that they would want to keep vehicles that may go off the road from going into the reservoir property, noting that this project had been included on the town’s Capital Improvement Plan for many years. Mayor Allyn stated he has talked with Groton Utilities about co-sharing the cost to replace the guiderails and he stated that Groton Utilities’ response was an absolute “No”.
Councilor Saccone addressed the need to replace the dilapidated Guiderails on Sandy Hollow Road. He commented on the safety/protection for motorists stating that it would not take much to push through the current guiderails. He stated spending the money to replace the guiderails on Sandy Hollow Road would go a long way toward protecting their residents.
• Gales Ferry Route 12 Corridor Study $15,000 - Mayor Allyn explained that they have learned that $15,000 was not adequate, noting that $50,000 was going to be needed to obtain a suitable Study that the town could use to later apply for Grants to facilitate improvements in that area.
Director of Planning & Development Juliet Hodge explained because of the data needed, the cost to conduct the Route 12 Corridor Study was going to cost $50,000. She stated there was a lot happening in Gales Ferry, with a lot more on the way, therefore, this Study was going to be crucial. She noted the $35,000 ARPA funding that was included on the Projects List for the sidewalks in Gales Ferry could be reallocated to be used toward the Gales Ferry Route 12 Corridor Study, noting by adding the $35,000 to the $15,000 already assigned for the Study that they would have the $50,000 needed to produce the type of Study needed.
The Town has been slated to receive approximately $4,327,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act.
• Local governments would receive funding in two tranches (2nd tranche May/June 2022)
• Funds must be “obligated” by the end of calendar year 2024, “liquidated” by end of calendar year 2026.
Although the federal guidelines did not require approval by the taxpayers for the use of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funding that the Finance Committee decided to include projects that were not time-sensitive in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) that would be presented and voted on by the taxpayers as part of the May 17, 2022 Budget Referendum
To ensure that each project and all suggestions were given their due diligence that over the past year the Finance Committee developed a rubric to evaluate/rate each project, held an Information Forum on February 15, 2022 to receive and comments and suggestions on the proposed ARPA Projects, and received input from town departments and residents through conversations, and other sources such as social media
v Final rule defines five (5) broad eligible categories:
• Responding to the public health emergency and the negative economic impacts of COVID-19
• Replacement of lost revenue
• Provide premium pay
• Water and sewer infrastructure
• Broadband infrastructure
v Responding to the public health emergency and the negative economic impacts of COVID-19 (subcategories)
• public health
• assistance to households
• assistance to small businesses
• assistance to nonprofits
• aid to impacted industries
• public sector capacity
v Why not just “give the money back”?
• Funds cannot be used to reduce taxes
• Each resident would receive $288
• Current plan supports all of the above categories, invests in the community, and generates a return on the investment.
During the ARPA Projects evaluation process the Town Council approved to allocate ARPA Funding for some projects or expenses that were safety issues or time sensitive issues that could not wait until the May Budget Referendum. He presented the List of ARPA Projects the Town Council approved funding for as follows:
|
Project |
Location |
Estimated Cost |
Funds Committed |
Date Approved |
|
Sewer line extension Phase I |
Ledyard Center to LHS |
1,200,000 |
Yes |
4/27/2022 |
|
Skid mounted sewer pumps |
Ledyard WPCA |
175,000 |
Yes |
4/27/2022 |
|
Add funds to Housing Rehab Grant |
Town wide |
100,000 |
Yes |
12/8/2021 |
|
Town Hall A/C Replacement |
741 Colonel Ledyard Hwy |
80,000 |
Yes |
4/13/2022 |
|
Town Green Improvements |
Ledyard Center |
75,000 |
Yes |
2/9/2022 |
|
Concrete floor |
Pole Barn, lower Town Green |
55,000 |
Yes |
12/8/2021 |
|
LLHD |
Town wide |
43,270 |
Yes |
1/26/2022 |
|
Thames Valley Council for Community Action |
Town wide |
15,000 |
Yes |
12/8/2021 |
|
Replace brackets on lamp poles |
Ledyard Center |
2,520 |
Yes |
4/27/2022 |
|
Balance of funds for OwlPro meeting camera |
Town wide |
831 |
Yes |
12/8/2021 |
The following initiatives were presented and included as part of the Annual Fiscal Year 2022/2023 Budget process for the use of the ARPA Funding:
|
Project |
Location |
Estimated Cost |
|
Court of Probate |
Town wide |
TBD |
|
Sewer line extension Phase III |
Ledyard Center |
950,000 |
|
Ledyard Center sewer line extension Phase II |
Ledyard Center |
612,500 |
|
Sandy Hollow Guardrails |
Sandy Hollow Road |
225,000 |
|
Funding for youth mental health clinicians |
Town wide |
190,000 |
|
Ledyard Up/Down Sawmill |
Ledyard |
125,000 |
|
Replace 2 dispatch stations in Emergency Ops Center |
Town wide |
75,000 |
|
Playscape replacement |
13 Winthrop, Gales Ferry |
65,000 |
|
Erickson Park enhancements |
Gales Ferry |
55,000 |
|
Athletic Field Fence |
Education |
55,000 |
|
Police radio replacement |
Town wide |
46,125 |
|
Nathan Lester House repairs |
Ledyard |
40,000 |
|
LED Sign Panel, Gales Ferry |
Gales Ferry |
35,000 |
|
Sidewalk infill |
Ledyard Center |
35,000 |
|
Sidewalks |
Gales Ferry |
35,000 |
|
Project |
Location |
Estimated Cost |
|
LED Sign Panel, Ledyard Center |
Ledyard Center |
35,000 |
|
Lead Abatement project |
Nathan Lester House |
30,000 |
|
SCCOG recovery planner |
Town wide |
28,399 |
|
SE Cultural Coalition |
Town wide |
28,399 |
|
Replace food pantry roof |
Ledyard Town Green |
25,000 |
|
Southeastern Council on Alcoholism and Drug Addiction |
Town wide |
25,000 |
|
Replace 6 doors in Town Hall |
741 Colonel Ledyard Hwy |
23,000 |
|
Electric Vehicle charging stations |
Gales Ferry |
20,000 |
|
Re-vinyl side food pantry |
Ledyard Town Green |
17,500 |
|
Gales Ferry Corridor Study |
Gales Ferry |
15,000 |
|
Solar charging station |
Town Green, Bill Library GF Lib |
12,000 |
|
Add ClearGov modules |
Town wide |
10,500 |
|
Homeless Hospitality Center of New London |
Town wide |
10,000 |
|
Parks and Rec Summer Scholarships |
Town wide |
10,000 |
|
Replace Firehouse software |
Ledyard / Gales Ferry Fire Stations |
8,000 |
|
Solar powered crosswalk signs |
Ledyard Center |
7,500 |
|
Town promotional video |
Town wide |
6,000 |
|
Install wi-fi in pantry |
Pantry, Town Green |
2,500 |
Since the townspeople’s May 17, 2022 approval of the $63,484,221 Fiscal Year 2022/2023 Budget Accounts have been setup for all of the approved ARPA Projects and staff has been assigned to manage and oversee each of the Projects. Due to inflation rates the costs of the projects have increased significantly since the town began the process last October-November, 2021. Therefore, the town has been working to monitor costs to determine which projects to proceed with and whether they should hold off on other projects.