HomeMy Public PortalAbout2020-09-08 AmbulanceLOMichael J. Driscoll
Town Manager
TOWN OF
WATERTOWN
Office of the Town Manager
Administration Building
149 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Phone: 617-972-6465
www.watertown-ma.gov
townmgr@watertown-ma.gov
To: Honorable Town Council
From: Michael J. Driscoll, Town Manager
Date: September 3, 2020
RE: Agenda Item — Proposed Loan Order
As you recall, I stated in the Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Message that it was my intention to bring
forward proposed loan orders for various capital equipment items contained in the Fiscal Year 2021
Capital Improvement Program.
The acquisition of these proposed items is consistent with one of the Town's priorities of not
deferring maintenance and/or recognition of costs of capital equipment, facilities and infrastructure to
future years.
As a follow-up, enclosed please find correspondences from Robert J. Quinn, Chief of Fire regarding
the need to move forward with the replacement of the 2016 GMC Ambulance soon given the ongoing
expensive maintenance and the turnaround time from ordering and the delivery of a new ambulance.
Therefore, given the above, I respectfully request the attached Proposed Loan Order be placed on the
September 8, 2020 Town Council Agenda as a First Reading.
Thank you for your consideration in this matter.
cc: Robert J. Quinn, Chief of Fire
Steven Magoon, Director of Community Development and Planning/Assistant Town Manager
Thomas J. Tracy, Town Auditor/Assistant Town Manager for Finance
Katherine Morrison, Assistant Town Treasurer/Collector
Raeleen F. Bandini, Purchasing Agent
HI CKL Y
MLLE
August 27, 2020
Michael J. Driscoll
Town Manager
Administration Building
149 Main Street
Watertown, Massachusetts 02472
28 State Street
Boston, MA 02109-1775
p: 617-345-9000 f: 617-345-9020
hinckleyallen.com
Jay Gonzalez
(617) 378-4256
jgonzalez@hinekleyallen.com
RE: Draft Loan Order — Ambulance Bonds
Dear Michael:
As requested, I suggest the following form of loan order to approve the borrowing of funds to
pay costs of purchasing a new ambulance for the Fire Department:
ORDERED: That the sum of $355,000 is appropriated to pay costs of purchasing a new
ambulance for the Fire Department, including all costs incidental and related thereto; that
to meet this appropriation, the Treasurer, with the approval of the Town Manager, is
authorized to borrow said amount under and pursuant to M.G.L. c.44, §7(1), or pursuant
to any other enabling authority, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor; and that
any premium received upon the sale of any bonds or notes approved by this order, less
any such premium applied to the payment of the costs of issuance of such bonds or notes,
may be applied to the payment of costs approved by this order in accordance with M.G.L.
c.44, §20, thereby reducing the amount authorized to be borrowed to pay such costs by a
like amount.
The order must be published at least five days prior to the holding of a public hearing with
respect to the order and its final passage and requires the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of
all members of the Town Council, as in the case of any other loan order for bonds.
Please call me if there are any questions about the suggested proceedings.
Sincerely,
,.1
Jay Gonzalez
cc: Thomas Tracy (via email)
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WATERTOWN FIRE DEPARTMENT
OFFICE OF CHIEF OF DEPARTMENT
Fire Department Headquarters, 99 Main Street
Watertown, Massachusetts 02472-4410
Tel. (617) 972-6512 • Fax (617) 972-6575
www.fire.watertown-ma.gov
ROBERT J. QUINN
Chief of Department
To: Town Manager Michael Driscoll
From: Chief Robert J. Quinn
Date: August 26, 2020
RE: Ambulance Replacement for 2016 GMC Ambulance
As you are aware, $355,000 is included in the FY 2021 Capital Improvement Program for the
replacement of the 2016 GMC Ambulance. I respectfully request that we move forward with this
replacement as soon as possible. We have been working with our vendor to create the
specifications for this new ambulance. The turnaround time from when we order the ambulance
until delivery is currently an 8 month wait. The vendor will not start the process until we have
signed the agreement and have a purchase order for them. The ambulance is quite a busy piece of
apparatus I would prefer not to have to keep maintaining this older ambulance longer than we need
to.
Thanks for your attention to this request. If there is anything further that you need, please let me
know.