PRIORITY DEPARTMENTS PROJECTS DEPARTMENT C.Lc
REQUESTED RECOMMENDS
A-1 School District Franklin St School Renovation $ 4,930,008 $ 4,930,008
The school district purchased 55 Franklin St last winter to house the City's high school alternative program and the
pre-school program. After conducting “minor” renovations the School Department was able to obtain a certificate of
occupancy for the current school year. After purchasing the building it was the plan to eventually bring it up to full
code compliance and upgrade the various building systems (HVAC, electrical, fire, communications, etc.). With
ESSER funding availability due to the pandemic has been applied for and awarded $5 million (plus) to replace the
HVAC systems, lighting and various other systems. The majority of that work will occur this spring and summer.
The original plan was to house the HS program on the 3rd floor and the preschool program on the 1st and 2nd
floors. However in developing the plans last summer the NFR noted there could not be preschoolers on the 2nd floor
without a separate means of emergency egress for the HS students. That generated a plan to build exterior egress
stairwells at either end of the school that the construction manager indicated would cost up to $1.5million.
There are a number of issues to be addressed besides the stairwells: Install a handicap ramp at the main entrance;
remove asbestos containing floor materials, upgrade bathrooms and make them suitable for preschoolers, address
ADA compliance issues; replace roofing; and, improve vehicular and pedestrian safety at drop-off and pick-up times.
The School Department would like to leverage the ESSER funds and conduct the majority of the above work this
summer, especially the emergency egress stairs, so the school can occupy the 2nd floor and move the remaining
pre-school age programs to Franklin St. A bond proposal in the amount of $4.9million is scheduled to be presented
to the Joint Special School Building Committee, for this work, on February 24th
A-1 City Clerk’s Election Equipment Replacement
Office $ 64,000 $ 64,000
The NH Ballot Law Commission is currently reviewing the approval of new ballot counting devices which will result in
an unfunded mandate for the replacement of the City's ten existing ballot counting machines. Two counting devices
are under review for approval. The current cost for the bundle replacements is estimated at $6,400 per machine,
$64,000 in total.
Division of Main Dunstable Rdi/
A-1 Public Works Buckmeadow Rd
(Engineering) improvements $ 800,000 $ 800,000
This project involves widening Buckmeadow Road at the approach to Main Dunstable Road to provide an eastbound
right turning traffic lane on Buckmeadow Road. Work shall include new and reset curb, new asphalt sidewalks,
replacement of drainage structures, and coordination with overhead utilities for relocation. Easements are required
from abutting land owners.
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