I certainly hope the mechanical engine and electrical switching is in better condition than the housing.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
The Middle School Emergency Generator
I certainly hope the mechanical engine and electrical switching is in better condition than the housing.
The Middle School
The Middle School completed in 1998 has serious roofing problems. It is a metal roof which usually last 50 years. I have only walked around and have made no tests. The water is overrunning the gutters and washing away soil on the ground. The water is supposed to fall into the gutters down the many pipes empty into the retaining pond and gradually leach into the soil. The problem could be a faulty design in which case the architects and contractors should have been held liable during the guarantee period. If it is a design flaw we certainly don’t want our new buildings with the same flaw. Is it a lack of maintenance? Clogged gutters perhaps. Regardless this large flow of ground water is impacting the fields below and probably should be piped downstream of the complete school site. The water going over the edge of the roof is freezing and carrying away parts of the soffit. Contributing to mechanical damage. When money is tight it seems maintenance not janitorial is the first to suffer.
Ashly School
Spalling is the deterioration of a brick's surface brought on by moisture. Brick is porous and when the water it absorbs expands due to freezing temperatures, it causes the brick to break apart, or spall. Spalling can happen in their basement, but it's most common in chimneys.
And here's the really bad news: spalled brick is almost impossible to repair. Damaged bricks have to be cut out and replaced. It's an expensive, slow and tedious process. But there are a few things you can do to help prevent spalling:
A masonry sealant can help prevent the problem as long as it allows the brick to breathe.
Keep moisture away from brick foundations by providing proper drainage away from the house.
And if spalling is confined to just a few bricks, leave them alone. They won't compromise the stability of a wall or a chimney.
If spalling is severe, consult a professional. It's necessary for the safety of your home. But be prepared to watch your checkbook balance crumble, along with the brick.
We Recommend...
How to Repair a Brick Ledge
Secure loose bricks and crumbling
The Fausey School
These are Home type Air conditioners in a comercial setting. Normaly they would be removed for the winter. Here they are wasting heat all winter long and the spring. And since they are installed at waist level in a playard the children have crushed the soft aluminum fins making them useless. This is a security problem as many thieves force the AC down, step on it and gain entry. If these have freon as a refrigerant the release of same to the atmosphere is forbidden and punishable by stiff fines
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
12 July 2010
TOWN COUNCIL MEETING---JULY 12, 2010
I must compliment the Council on the extensive deliberation given the 2011 fiscal budget. From the deliberation I observed you made cuts in the budget that reflected the mode and the economic conditions of the community. I compliment to the mayor for not vetoing these cuts. I further complement the Mayor for the renovations to the Public John on the first floor of the MOB. However, what stood out in the budget was the labor factor where increases in pay were 2% for general employees and 5% for department heads. I am not an expert in wage negotiations, but I somehow feel that in today’s economic climate it is obvious that these increases in pay do not reflect the current health of the economy. With so many people out of work, and West Springfield is no exception, wage increases during hard times causes us to reflect. Reflect on all being part of the community that shares increases in wages during good times and giving up increases in pay during hard times. West Springfield is one community and not two communities. Further I continue criticism of the Mayor for evicting the Lower Pioneer Valley Planning Commission and forgoing $60000+ annual income and expanding Town government in that space..
I would like to make some suggestions that may seem radical but they are not. I believe what I am about to suggest is a practical approach to what is turning out to be A TALE OF TWO CITIES…..The Unions who represent town employees believe it should be business as usual every year while the rest of the Town ride the economic roller coaster. Respecting the present full time personnel, we could be looking to do more with part time workers when the present full timers retire.
(1) We should make more use of Police and Fire Auxiliaries. West Springfield is not so big that we have fires every day and police duties that require a squad of permanent police personnel.
(2) We should make more use of private contractors who will perform the same functions, as do our full time personnel.
(3) As full time personnel retire or leave we should consider more use of part time help.
(4) With the exception of key department personnel a hiring freeze should be considered.
(5) Contracts with unions should not exceed 1 year.
(6) Raises for employees should be geared to the economics of the day rather then an escalation formula years agreed to years in advance of our economy.
Sounds radical? Not so. Look at many of the colleges and industries in the area. Other then replacing key full time teachers many colleges and industries are maintaining department heads and hiring more and more part time instructors. The savings comes in the form of lower cost per class and delivering no fringe benefits. We have a responsibility to maintaining all our present staff; however, when they leave for other positions or retire emphasis could be on more outsourcing and part time replacements.
West Springfield municipal services are a business; lets run it like a business.
Maintaining the status quo is not a business option.
Victor E. Thomas, 67 Riverview Ave., WS
I must compliment the Council on the extensive deliberation given the 2011 fiscal budget. From the deliberation I observed you made cuts in the budget that reflected the mode and the economic conditions of the community. I compliment to the mayor for not vetoing these cuts. I further complement the Mayor for the renovations to the Public John on the first floor of the MOB. However, what stood out in the budget was the labor factor where increases in pay were 2% for general employees and 5% for department heads. I am not an expert in wage negotiations, but I somehow feel that in today’s economic climate it is obvious that these increases in pay do not reflect the current health of the economy. With so many people out of work, and West Springfield is no exception, wage increases during hard times causes us to reflect. Reflect on all being part of the community that shares increases in wages during good times and giving up increases in pay during hard times. West Springfield is one community and not two communities. Further I continue criticism of the Mayor for evicting the Lower Pioneer Valley Planning Commission and forgoing $60000+ annual income and expanding Town government in that space..
I would like to make some suggestions that may seem radical but they are not. I believe what I am about to suggest is a practical approach to what is turning out to be A TALE OF TWO CITIES…..The Unions who represent town employees believe it should be business as usual every year while the rest of the Town ride the economic roller coaster. Respecting the present full time personnel, we could be looking to do more with part time workers when the present full timers retire.
(1) We should make more use of Police and Fire Auxiliaries. West Springfield is not so big that we have fires every day and police duties that require a squad of permanent police personnel.
(2) We should make more use of private contractors who will perform the same functions, as do our full time personnel.
(3) As full time personnel retire or leave we should consider more use of part time help.
(4) With the exception of key department personnel a hiring freeze should be considered.
(5) Contracts with unions should not exceed 1 year.
(6) Raises for employees should be geared to the economics of the day rather then an escalation formula years agreed to years in advance of our economy.
Sounds radical? Not so. Look at many of the colleges and industries in the area. Other then replacing key full time teachers many colleges and industries are maintaining department heads and hiring more and more part time instructors. The savings comes in the form of lower cost per class and delivering no fringe benefits. We have a responsibility to maintaining all our present staff; however, when they leave for other positions or retire emphasis could be on more outsourcing and part time replacements.
West Springfield municipal services are a business; lets run it like a business.
Maintaining the status quo is not a business option.
Victor E. Thomas, 67 Riverview Ave., WS
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
TOWN COUNCIL MEETING -----JAN. 4, 2010
This past month I watched the Town Council meeting on channel 15. I was especially interested in the pleas of the advocates for a lower share of home taxes and the counter advocates for lower Commercial-Industrial share. Both argued to have the greater share of the tax burden shifted to the other segment. It was unfortunate that both were disappointed; taxes rose on both segments. The Town Council used the majority of the meeting arguing about the TAX SHIFT with motion after motion shifting the burden back and forth between the two segments; ultimately it ended in a near tie. NO ONE WAS HAPPY..
Now how do we make both segments happy? This is a real question that defies a simple solution acceptable to the Town’s Administration. The answer is simply REDUCE SPENDING. The result will not necessarily shift the proportional tax load between the commercial and residential segments of our economy, but it will reduce the taxes for ALL.
On the surface this appears to be a simple solution; however, implementation is a bit more complex. We have a strong mayor form of government that somehow the Town Council has little to no influence in controlling the actions of the Mayor. Examples are numerous---use of private contractors in place of the DPW, eviction of the Lower Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, the expected expansion of Town Government to fill that vacant space, a sidewalk around the common on Elm St. where snow can be stored following a storm, elimination of parking spaces on Center St. and Elm St., reorganizing Town Government by creating Division Heads (this takes the load off the Mayor so department heads do not report to him directly), There is an attitude in administration that replacing building is preferable to providing good maintenance to these buildings, and so it goes----one extravagant move following another.
It is incumbent upon the Town Council to effectively address these issues so the Taxpayer would not have to face a 7+% increase in budget each year plus a growing bond indebtedness. If the Town Council cannot (or will not) exercise controls necessary to keep spending and bonding under control it may be time to think about a charter change or better still----RETURN TO TOWN MEETING.
Victor Thomas, 67 Riverview Ave., W. Springfield,
This past month I watched the Town Council meeting on channel 15. I was especially interested in the pleas of the advocates for a lower share of home taxes and the counter advocates for lower Commercial-Industrial share. Both argued to have the greater share of the tax burden shifted to the other segment. It was unfortunate that both were disappointed; taxes rose on both segments. The Town Council used the majority of the meeting arguing about the TAX SHIFT with motion after motion shifting the burden back and forth between the two segments; ultimately it ended in a near tie. NO ONE WAS HAPPY..
Now how do we make both segments happy? This is a real question that defies a simple solution acceptable to the Town’s Administration. The answer is simply REDUCE SPENDING. The result will not necessarily shift the proportional tax load between the commercial and residential segments of our economy, but it will reduce the taxes for ALL.
On the surface this appears to be a simple solution; however, implementation is a bit more complex. We have a strong mayor form of government that somehow the Town Council has little to no influence in controlling the actions of the Mayor. Examples are numerous---use of private contractors in place of the DPW, eviction of the Lower Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, the expected expansion of Town Government to fill that vacant space, a sidewalk around the common on Elm St. where snow can be stored following a storm, elimination of parking spaces on Center St. and Elm St., reorganizing Town Government by creating Division Heads (this takes the load off the Mayor so department heads do not report to him directly), There is an attitude in administration that replacing building is preferable to providing good maintenance to these buildings, and so it goes----one extravagant move following another.
It is incumbent upon the Town Council to effectively address these issues so the Taxpayer would not have to face a 7+% increase in budget each year plus a growing bond indebtedness. If the Town Council cannot (or will not) exercise controls necessary to keep spending and bonding under control it may be time to think about a charter change or better still----RETURN TO TOWN MEETING.
Victor Thomas, 67 Riverview Ave., W. Springfield,
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