Douglas Capital Planning Committee Authorizes $1 Million for Fire Station Electrical and HVAC Overhaul

DOUGLAS -- September 30, 2025, Douglas Capital Planning Committee unanimously authorized up to $1 million for long-delayed fire station electrical and HVAC repairs at its September 30 meeting. Committee chair Mike Moczynski led members through a multi-account funding structure in which $763,900 is supplemented to the existing fire station repairs and improvements article, which already holds $236,100, bringing total authorization to an even $1 million against a prior bid of approximately $960,000; Finance Director Jean Moreau will close out a separate $208,000 electrical upgrade account and apply it as a funding offset, reducing the free cash draw to roughly $532,000. Town Administrator Matt Belsito reported that engineering drawings from McGritchie Engineers arrived during the meeting itself after a six-month wait, and said he may split electrical and HVAC work into separate bid packages to avoid the general-contractor markup that drove the original bid over budget "by 20 to 25 percent." The committee also approved $60,000 to supplement the ambulance equipment article from ambulance receipts, $50,000 for a highway department hot box and compaction equipment, $27,500 to purchase the highway department's leased mobile office trailer, and $4,000 to top off a records storage HVAC appropriation, all heading to fall town meeting. Diana Landry, Business and Operations Manager for the school department, briefed the committee on the town's pending Massachusetts School Building Authority application for roof, window, and door replacement at the 1970s-era Primary School, noting the MSBA's 57.74 percent reimbursement rate for Douglas and an October 29 board vote that will determine whether the project advances.