So my question is, is there some reason why we have such a big balance? I mean, we're almost at the end of the fiscal year. >> So let's your question is, is there a reason there's a a large ongoing balance in the EMS revolving fund? >> Exactly. >> Okay, Mr. Herbert. So those funds are um those funds are received from medical um ambulance runs uh which are paid for either private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. Um and I believe and Miss Peton, please help me out here if I get this wrong. Believe we also transfer an additional 700,000 um as part of this as well. Is that correct? That is correct. So that's usually done at the end of the year. That's what I had mentioned earlier in my presentation. >> So the end of the year if you take out seven from one point just say 1 million you have about 300,000 at the beginning of every year okay >> that is correct >> okay >> sir >> Jeremy partto 195 Prospect Street um in the presentation said that the the 10.3% % increase for the fire department was in part to hire additional positions to cover concurrent calls.
And then we have the high school and middle school roof replacements. Um, in the NBC meeting in April, um, the following roof sections are critical need replacement before next winter. So, that's the large gym and the library roof at WMS and the library roof and the classroom section near the language lab at the high school. And then the third capital project is the HVAC upgrade project. So, the NBC has a draft RFP from Casey and we're awaiting feedback. >> Can I have an provide an update uh about 15 minutes before >> Oh, okay. >> tonight's meeting. Um I did get feedback uh this evening um on the draft RFP for the HVAC upgrade. So, there were some edits provided um which I will include in the RFP and then work with um Julian Capidos, our purchasing agent to get that RFP out ASAP. So, thank you to the NBC for that feedback.
I think I disagree that that our employee our employees are in the because I think leadership CSA and CUTA are doing a good job of letting their membership know where we are with things. >> No, they know how each other felt. They don't know how the board feels. That's true. So, and I'm saying that the board the board it says that we will direct it. And so, all they all they get a chance to hear is how their team felt and how the other team responded to them. They have no idea whether they think whether the board is like hurrah or boo, you know, we don't want to do that. And I think that that I haven't seen that Like I said, I haven't seen this board. I don't know how how the board felt towards any bargaining issues. And with the exception of this, the only exception I could find in review viewing Chico Unified was that there was a a concerted effort to institute IB, interest based bargaining, right?
Just curious like currently how many of those concurrent calls are covered by mutual aid from neighboring departments and how would hiring those additional firefighters uh affect that? >> It's a really good questions. Do we have someone who can answer that? You can answer it, Mr. Herbert. >> Well, every more and more Oh, there's a chief. Chief, I'm sorry to make you get >> I did see I did think the chief was here >> the operational questions I leave >> you didn't even try to hide all the way in the back either >> sorry Chief Chief Roby um so right now we do just a little under 3,000 calls and for the past three years we're experiencing about 1100 calls which we happen concurrent. So, we are seeing at least two. We are seeing three, four. What do we do? Do we get mutual aid? Yes, it's delayed.
Great. >> Thank you. >> Okay. We did briefly discuss um you know our project kind of tracker system. We looked at it um and we thought that would be really helpful for us to review at each meeting. So it's going to become like a standing um um item on our agenda moving forward. Yeah. Okay. BHS boilers. So, we talked at length um about it. Um we have three boilers. The high school um boiler 3 is offline. Boiler 2 has had some repairs. Um different sections have sprung leafs, sprung leaks. Boiler one has been functioning fine until a couple weeks ago. There there are 22 sections for each boiler. Some pipes had to be cut due to leaking. So, we've lost five sections in eight days. And this is our la our best running boiler. So, we need to address this before the next heating cycle.
that h that was made that was made quite public and that's the I I mean I'm putting it to you Tom and and and Rebecca and I can you recall a time when you guys on the board reported out how the board wanted bargaining teams to bargain other than saying ID >> uh in closed session the district's bargainer person reports what's out there on the table and then asks for our direction on what to do about what is on the table, >> right? >> Yeah. >> Is it our is it our role to be um involved in what articles are open? >> No, that's No, that that that isn't because each site. Well, I mean, I guess we could we we could say we would like to see the the district uh bargain, you know, article three or whatever that I mean, we could do that, but I would say um >> what Eileen said is typically that's generally >> and what I would say that's typical in this district.
Um, we're finding our towns around us are like us. They're they're busy, too. So, we're not necessarily always guaranteed the next town's available. We're reaching out to more towns. Um, similar to the structure fire that we had the other night that happened so quickly, we that takes five more towns into us. So, you're really pushing further and further away. Okay. Thank you, Chief. Seeing no further discussion, all those in favor of the fire department budget, please raise your yellow, orange cards. Thank you. And opposed? that passes overwhelmingly. Health Department, Council on Aging, Recreation, Veteran Services, Prevention and Human Services, Public Library, and I'm sorry there I should not have called it recreation since there is no budget. All those in favor of the unchallenged items, please raise your cards. Thank you. Ed a post that passes overwhelmingly public buildings and property maintenance DPW administration highway snow and ice removal highway street lighting highway combined fuel cemetery parks and trees.
Um, we use the boilers daily right now, really primarily for the hot water, but not nearly as much as during the winter for the heat. Um, we do not believe that these are 20-year boilers. We believe um that the power flame burners may have been replaced with the last renovation project at BHS, but the boilers appear to be much older, and research indicates that they're likely from the late 1970s to mid 1980s. Um there are some pictures in the minutes um from 2005 that shows the boiler replacement was value engineered out of BHS renovation project. So we do need a contingency plan going into the next heating season. Um we're looking into AAA boiler rentals and we're getting quotes just in case. Representative came out and looked at our systems. He says it's pretty straightforward. Um he's waiting for a quote of the electrical engineering component.
I know that that's typical at all. I will say >> in every district I've worked. >> Yeah. >> Wasn't it typical in ours? I mean, at least at the bargaining table, we were told the board philosophically disagrees with X or the board feels this way. And we and what I'm saying is that uh oftentimes our team was told the board felt one way and then when people would when teachers would go because I can only speak for the teachers because I wasn't a member of TSA. When the teachers would go and say, "I hear you feel this way." And they're like, "What? What are you talking about? >> We didn't don't put words in our mouth." And it was like, "This is what we are." Lit I could show them bargaining minute notes just like Greg Forwood puts out where where the team was telling the the teachers the board feels this way.
All those in favor of the unchallenged items, please raise your cards. Thank you. And opposed. that passes overwhelmingly. School department Keith Tech Vocational School. All those in favor of the unchallenged items, please raise your cards. Thank you. And opposed. That passes overwhelmingly. Debt. All those in favor, please raise your cards. Thank you. And opposed. I figured somebody would object to debt. We all hate it. That passes unanimously. Capital projects. All those in favor, please raise your cards. Thank you. And opposed. that passes overwhelmingly. Employee retirement, workers compensation, unemployment compensation, group health insurance, other insurance, salary contingency, reserve fund. All those in favor of the unchallenged items, please raise your cards. Thank you. And opposed? I saw one overwhelming that passes overwhelmingly on the enterprise funds. Water enterprise sewer enterprise sewer or trash. Thank you. Trash collection, field management, cable access, storm water. All those in favor of the unchallenged items, please raise your cards.
Um, if we do rent boilers, it's going to be hundreds of thousands of dollars. The first selectman's office is aware. Um, we obviously cannot continue to lose sections and we're going to need to go through with the contingency plan. We do need more additional information regarding the risk management and timeline to do this work and a more formal presentation or presenting of this information is to come. Um I did I did forget to ask which I feel like was an obvious question I should have asked Monday night. Um what's the difference between how much would it cost for us to just come out and and buy them? Like is that an option instead of having contingency plan >> or buy one >> that so that is a great question. Um I think well first of all let me I'll answer that question but I also want to provide an update because we did get quotes today as well.
And I say, "What? What's wrong with I mean why are we not doing that? Um, I'm just going to have to reflect when there were problems. Um, the um I think my statement is if it isn't broken, don't fix it. What what the the process does right start saying, "Okay, we want to talk about X." And you go through the identification of, you know, all the different things you can do with X that you find your interests and you find the things you can agree on, things you can't agree on. And I don't I don't see how involve anybody else in that process. It has to everybody knows everybody at the table uh is always told we can't reach an agreement until we until we know the board will agree to this. >> Yes, sir. >> And that's where we get the direction. >> Yeah.
Thank you. And opposed. That passes overwhelmingly. Sewer Enterprise. Someone had a hold. Uh Jeremy Part 195 Prospect Street. Um for the uh sewer department uh was looking on the Massachusetts utility survey and noticing that uh our costs for Ashland are well above the median both compared to uh towns in our local region within 25 miles and also uh for other towns who have like a similar funding structure. I'm just curious uh why that is um and if there's anything we can do about it. >> It's somewhat skewing into the out of scope with a with a rates, but I I'll I'll give you some leeway. Mr. Mr. Herbert on the >> Sure. >> We can change spots anytime you'd like. >> Until tomorrow morning. >> Think about that. >> Until tomorrow morning. >> Um so that is that is a good question and a good observation.
A lot of lot of new updates today. Um, Wednesday's the day for facilities updates. Um, we did get quotes for the boiler rentals. Um, not all inclusive. There's some additional fees for um site supervision um and I think some um uh some some additional mechanical pieces. So, but the quote for the full heat he heating season about seven months was a little um a little over $176,000. Um I would say probably like seven months >> for the heating season. Exactly. >> The oil, right? >> Uh nope. Does not come with oil. Oil is not included. Fortunately, we do have oil in our budget. Um >> so that so that's so that's like a baseline, right? But really probably estimate more closer to 200 to 220 for everything all in. >> Um >> without the oil. >> without the oil. Um >> actually prepared for a lot worse.
>> So, I don't know how it went down. where you were. Um, that's I don't know that that doesn't sound like a good relationship and I don't necessarily think that we're in that situation here. >> I I don't disagree. And yet there's the conundrum of what our governance handbook says. >> I I I don't think I think there's a reason that that's in there. I think it's important that the public I think it's important that the public have an idea of what we what we value. >> But by giving direction or help you know helping with direction in the closed session you are directing negotiations. It's not it's not a public discussion, >> right? >> Because you are part of the district team. >> Uh I I would push back on that. >> Sure. Would you do that? >> I I I would say we what we do is that that the what I'm understanding, you All ideas are thrown out there and you know they whittle down and whittle down and whittle down and what comes to us is a finished product.
Um yes, our sewer rates are high. uh very high for the region and the MWRA universe, if you will. Um and that is because of two primary reasons. First of all, the costs associated with transporting our sewage to the treatment plant at Deer Island. Um we have to pay Framingham over a million dollars um just to transport our sewage and that's based on the rate of or how much flow goes through. Um and so that was we were actually paying I think um a much smaller amount until uh back in the early 2000s we decided to challenge that and unfortunately ended up on the wrong end. Um and so that's why we >> that's called bad legal counsel. >> That is true. >> That was not attorney me. Um >> well it was not current counsel. >> So the second cost is related to the treatment.
>> I was too actually. >> We were as well. We thought it'd be worse. >> Yeah. I that yeah >> so um and again yes the the frustrating thing about that is it is it is the largest most expensive band-aid that you can have right these are not our boilers this is just to get us through um the heating season to be able to um operate school um part of the the HVAC um upgrade project the initial component to it is to do a full assessment of our entire system so to say are can we replace those boilers with another steam boiler. Um we we likely could if we are deciding to then stick with the steam system. >> Um and and but then that's not a decision that has been made at this point. That's why we want this um HVAC upgrade project to take place and really kick off so that we can get that really full assessment and evaluation of what is the most energy efficient um system for this building.
Um that would be like likening me to I'm I'm a part of like um you know when when I when I choose to buy a car yes I've made I've made a vote because I've selected this but I wasn't a part of building that car or the culture or any of that. And so I I think we were elected to do more um has historically been been done and that's that's my opinion. So >> I think we have that opportunity in close session to have that conversation with with those um presidents of those associations when they come in and um or whoever comes in and >> and tells us what's going on. That's our That's our perfect opportunity to say, >> "Okay, so when have we had a president of association come and address us at the board?" Not once since I've been there. It's always our team reporting out to us and I would say you're getting one side of you're getting one side of the the conversation and yes, Greg Ford sends out his bargaining updates and and says this, but we don't seek we are not seeking out input from our unit.
Um and that is almost $3 million. um just itself. So in total I would say 60% of the budget goes to transporting and treating sewage. Um if I may just a couple of different potential things that we uh do and are looking at in order to reduce that cost. So first of all you'll hear the term inflow and infiltration. Um it is not a SWAT team tactic. It is um actually what happens when water from groundwater simple groundwater leaks into the sewage pipes and then what happens is we have to pay for that groundwater which is not sewage to use those Framingham pipes and be treated. So what we try to do is we try to find where those um infiltration points are and seal those up. That way you don't get groundwater in there. Um the other thing we're looking at um is potentially in the future looking at a direct connection with the MWR which would be a significant capital expense u but it would save potentially on those Framingham transport charges.
given we do have different heating components throughout different parts of the building. Some of it is steam, some of it has been converted to hot water. Um hot water heat. So um we really want to look at that component first. >> I think holistically I think I think yeah I mean I think what you're saying I mean it's antiquated so we could we could replace it with another antiquated >> right steam boiler which you know for sure is an option. >> Yes. Right. And to your point though, Joy, if and I don't know how much a a steam boiler would cost um in today's I I don't know, but maybe if it's comparable or less, right? Absolutely. Right. So $200,000. I don't know. >> Exactly. So I think that's um that is absolutely worth looking at and we will make sure when we come for a full comprehensive presentation on this um we will have those comparisons to look at.