The Easton EMS Construction Project

Below is a summary (I'm sure I got details wrong; please correct me), along with a transcript and video of my comments on the Emergency Medical Services project, which I delivered to the Board of Selectman on 4/11/24.

Click this link for the 3-minute video:
https://vimeo.com/939693318?sh...

Selectman D'Addario has recently smeared citizens like myself who have asked questions about the way the Selectmen are going about this project as opposing it. That is not true. Ask yourself if I sound like an "obstructionist." I assure you, I am not.

SELECTMAN, PLEASE DISTORTING WHAT WE SAY.

CITIZENS HAVE NO POWER TO HOLD UP THIS PROJECT.
ALL WE ARE DOING IS MAKING SUGGESTIONS.
YOU ARE GOING TO DO WHAT YOU WANT.

WHAT IS HOLDING UP THIS PROJECT RIGHT NOW IS THAT THE TOWN IS WAITING FOR THE 400,000 STATE GRANT TO COME THROUGH TO START THE UPGRADE OF THE SEPTIC SYSTEM.

Background: (not spoken at the Selectman Meeting) Easton residents, the Gordans, made a big donation to help fund the construction/rehabilitation of a new EMS building.

The Town of Easton owns the current EMS Building and its land; unlike the Fire Department, which is privately owned.
Since the EMS has not raised the total amount needed to rehabilitate the old building, it needs money from the town to complete the rehabilitation of its existing structure and buy an adjacent lot to have enough land to repair its failing septic system.

EMS has about $750,000 of their money. Based on a concept (no architectural plans exist yet), the estimated cost is around four million. The Selectmen want to apply roughly two million dollars of COVID money granted to the town to spend on qualifying town projects on a new EMS building. Redding, for example, has proposed using their COVID money to expand the football field at Barlow. The catch on the federal money is that it must be contracted to be spent by Dec. 2024.

The town is waiting for approval of a state grant of around 400,000 to start Phase 1, which is to repair and expand the existing building’s failing septic system by buying the adjacent lot and redoing the system.

The seller has tested the adjoining lot once for contamination, and the town will test it again, given that the Easton Village Store next to it has soil contamination problems.

Transcript of Easton Board of Selectman Meeting 4/11/2024
The language below in parenthesis ( ) was added for clarification.
Dana Benson 1st Public Comment 00:00:05:20 - 00:00:08:19
Hi. Dana Benson, Pond Rd, Easton. You can hear me, right? Everything is good?:

Selectmen Bindelglass, D’Addario, and Sogofsky:
Yes, we can. Yes, sir.

Dana Benson: Okay, cool. So... first off, I want to thank the Gordons for their generous donation, which makes an EMS building more possible. I want to thank the Selectman and Doctor Bindelglass for pushing this forward. I want to thank John Foley, Wendy Bowditch, Chief Arnold, Justin Giorlando, and all the others (on the EMS Building Committee) who have worked so hard for two years, getting us what we needed to make an EMS building possible and including the Lisi’s (owners of lot adjacent to EMS Building) who are agreeing to support the effort by selling us some land. They didn't have to do that.

We all want the best community EMS building as fast as possible. I fully support Easton EMS and the Town of Easton paying for a new EMS building. But as they say, the devil is often in the details, and as a guy who spent two years renovating his family house, I can tell you I learned a lot about construction. There are a lot of devils in the details when it comes to construction.

I agree with everything June Logie said (earlier), I agree with everything John Foley (Head of the EMS Building Committee) had to say. Nobody is disputing the hard work done and (nobody is disputing) the selection of the site, (or the idea) you know, to renovate the existing site. That's not what we're talking about.

I also agree with Steve Montgomery, who wrote you guys a letter. (regarding some ... irregularities, in the type of contract, (what) was in the cost, etcetera. But that's I'm not here to quibble about that.

The issue is not the hard work that (has been done).The question here isn't the need -We all support it. The question is not whether it's an appropriate site. I would just urge the Selectmen to consider spending the federal Covid money on a different project to take the pressure of the 12/24 deadline associated with spending the federal COVID money off the town so that ...the architect who built our fire station can create a plan; the architect that was chosen, I mean, the architect who built our fire station. said there's not enough time in nine months to come up with a plan and we found an (another) architect who says he can.

You know, my thought is you know, I think it would be better if we could have a plan in place...if we had (less) pressure. And I'm not talking about putting this off, I mean, I’m not obstructing this.I'm not talking about obstructing this at all.

(What) I'm talking about (is), as a guy who's been through construction, (as) I'm sure we all have, I'm not special, (I’m not the only person who has been through construction), you don't want to rush into it.

So I think it would be better if we could take our time, develop a (architectural plan), and bring it to the Board of Finance (and) the Building Committee. And, you know, (a plan) the people could approve.., you know, (and) potentially (use) the federal money, (it), could be applied to a roof at Keller (School), or EMS or fire department equipment, (another town project that is easier to bid and complete by year-end.)

00:02:53:29 - 00:02:56:05 David Bindelglass said: Can you wrap up, please?

Dana Benson
Yeah. (I suggest) the money that had already been reserved (for) capital spending (a Keller School or the Fire Department or the EMS) could be reversed out (if the Federal Covid money was applied to another town priority), to a new account (dedicated to) strictly for funding a new (rehabilitated) EMS building in 2025.

Once again, thank you, everyone, for your hard work, and I want a new EMS building... I'm just wondering if this is the best way to (do it), and rush into it (because of the deadline to spend the Federal money by year-end)... Thank you.