The Finance Committee’s August 11 meeting featured a continuation of presentations by this summer’s intern cohort on finance-related improvements. After the intern presentations, the Finance Committee turned to a discussion of fire equipment costs.
Intern presentations
Note: These presentations were created by student interns who may not have had access to complete information or awareness of previous work done in the area. Read the August 15 article for more context on the intern program and presentations.
- Tanvi Sistu, a rising junior at Rutgers University, investigated the Great Road Corridor Plan—a study covering the potential advancements to the Great Road Corridor. Acton has submitted a grant application for the corridor in order to modernize outdated infrastructure, support housing development, and fill business vacancies. Sistu analyzed three post-pandemic studies that examined limited sewer capacity and outdated traffic classifications as major barriers to development. In any scenario, the project would be costly, with sewer expansion ranging from $80.0 million – $109.3 million. However, even conservative estimates report the corridor could accommodate 300 to 500 new multi-family housing units and the repair of critical infrastructure. The presentation ended with citizen approval of a need to modernize the Great Road Corridor.
- Anvi Khatri, a rising junior at UMass Lowell, explored how Artificial Intelligence can improve Acton’s Town efficiency. The project looked at two specific AI software solutions: Govwell and OpenGov, the former of which is already being used in Maynard to assist in review, flag errors, and provide a 24/7 chatbot for the town’s building and health departments. The town reported efficiency gains in many areas such as a 65% increase in daily capacity for field/community work. Customer service was also greatly helped, with the average response time decreasing to less than 60 seconds. The software cost is estimated at $3,500 – $45,000 per year, depending on the town in question. In conclusion, the implementation of AI is likely to have very good implications for town services.
- Shaun Costello from Skidmore College investigated potential monetary uses for the ~2,300 acres of vacant [Town-owned] land in Acton. The project focused on a three track strategy, first identifying around 358 acres as strong candidates for development with a realistic target of developing/leasing the acres, gaining ~$575,200 per year in tax revenue. The second would be to lease the suitable ~1,300 acres of poor-soil land to solar developers and projects at a target of $150,000 per year. The third track is to place ~280 unbuildable acres under permanent protection and conservation. The project concluded the total estimated 10-year cumulative revenue would amount to over $4.5 million.
- Liam Nelson, a rising junior at UMass Amherst, analyzed the current DPW proposal for the Department of Public Works (DPW), a $23 million dollar planning estimate for the new facility. Specifically, Nelson documented current conditions such as poor air quality, circulation and staff support. Referring to complaints about Acton’s present plan, Nelson compared Acton to towns like Boxborough, where an auto repair shop was successfully converted into a DPW facility, and Needham, which operated a split model across different locations, recommending a holistic analysis and review of such cases studies before Acton commits to the large figure cost.
- Catherine Holtz, a student at UMass Amherst, examined how the upcoming elementary school redistricting will impact housing, property values and student socialization in Acton and Boxborough. She identified data that single-family home sales had an 85% increase year-over-year, and changing school assignments could create localized pressure in certain areas. The presentation also covered the need to keep in mind the impact on students in building friendships across towns and the effect of strict boundaries on student mingling. She argued for a plan for district-wide connection days to mitigate this effect.
- And finally, Kadhir Vallatharasu, a rising junior at Acton-Boxborough Regional High school and former student at Luther Conant Elementary School, proposed a reexamination of the assumptions used to justify the closing of Conant school. The presentation first covered the effect on the housing market, where accelerating residential turnover could potentially drive enrollment growth beyond current expectations. The presentation also detailed a loss of school reputations, citing data that found Conant’s model to be attractive for an array of incoming families. Finally, he recommended closely tracking academic and social impacts of this change with a focus on MCAS scores and student behavior.
Fire apparatus costs
Following a well-deserved round of applause for the interns, the meeting turned to the issue of surging costs of municipal fire-related apparatuses. Fire engines previously quoted at $1 million are now frequently repriced up to $2.5 million. The committee noted the Select Board is reviewing the issue and may request the Committee sign a joint letter supporting an inquiry into the market consolidation that could be driving the higher prices.
Shivank Shroff is a lifelong Acton resident and student at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School. He enjoys being engaged with the community and reporting on local politics and projects.
