Six candidates vying for one of four available at-large city councilor seats in the Nov. 4 Municipal Election were asked about how the city can manage its way through escalating and competing demands on its tax base.
That given the “gorilla-in-the-room” need for a $206 million upgrade to the wastewater treatment plant on Essex Avenue, the city’s multimillion dollar unfunded pension liability and demands for work on private roads and a solution to the city’s outdated fire station against the backdrop of potential cuts in federal and state money.
The candidates also fielded questions Thursday evening about rebuilding civil engagement, housing, and economic development and took audience questions in a debate livestreamed by 1623 Studios from the Lanesville Community Center and moderated by Valerie Nelson, a former city councilor.
Seeking one of four available at-large seats are:
Tony Gross, a retired fisherman, former facilities manager at the wastewater treatment plant, and former School Committee member who now serves as City Council president.
Jason Grow, a professional photographer who is chair of the council’s Planning and Development Standing Committee and a former Ward 1 councilor.
Hannah Kimberley, a teacher and the president of the League of Women Voters of Cape Ann.
Shawn McQueeney, a bartender and restaurant manager.
Patti-Ann Page, a waterfront advocate who has served on the Waterways Board, Fisheries Commission and the Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association.
Barnaby Prendergast, a Gloucester Clean City Commission member and handyman.
When it came to their ideas on how the city can manage escalating and competing demands for tax dollars, Page said the city’s “Capital Improvements Advisory Board could be utilized to coordinate with department heads on the city and school side on long-term planning and emergency needs to set priorities of projects. Where will the money come from? The only revenue source of a municipality is the tax base.”
Grant funding can only subsidizes a specific project, she said.
The principal cost of the wastewater treatment is estimated to be $200 million and the payback with interest is $300 million, Page said. She noted the facility serves a population of less than 50,000, so in the scope of state and federal funding, this is a low priority.
“It is unlikely Gloucester will receive significant amounts of grant funding. The public needs to have some data-driven financial projections on these costs. I don’t know who might be responsible for that, but I think it’s time that we start laying out some real-life scenarios,” Page said.
Prendergast said the city’s recently completed Comprehensive Plan addresses to some extent long-term planning.
“So, yeah, we have some coordination and lack of information perhaps, but I think that is really the administration’s job and they, as far as I can tell, are doing it, and doing it quite competently currently. It’s just the usual thing of getting the information out to people. Yes, the numbers are huge and quite scary. We know what the $30 million that we spent on the East (Veterans) School cost us per year on our tax bills. We know what the increase that the sewerage improvements cost us on our tax bills so we can make an educated guess of what that $200 million is going to hit us at on an average basis. We are very close to our budget limits. There is not a lot of slack in terms of reallocating funds.”
He said at some stage, city officials might have to say to people “we need a step increase in our taxes; because we are not making enough. We haven’t had enough new growth to cover a lot of these expenses.”
Grow said the fact is 95% of the city budget is already calculated into contracts, services and debt service, giving councilors little latitude in the budget process.
“So there is not a lot of flak to play with,” he said. “The fact that we’ve got these projects that come up like the wastewater treatment plant is that Gloucester loves to play kick the can. We have tremendous history of ignoring the responsibility of getting projects done, waiting for another day, waiting for another generation … We are constantly catching up and every time we delay projects, it cost more.”
Grow agreed with Prendergast that the wastewater plant upgrade “is going to come at the expense of rate increases and it should come at some point at the expense possibly of a Prop. 2 1/2 override or a debt exclusion override because there is no other way to pay for this.”
Kimberley recognized Gloucester faces serious financial pressures with aging infrastructure, competing capital needs and limited resources.
“I’m not on the City Council, but I understand that these issues demand careful planning, transparency and honest communication with residents about what Jason was talking about, what the city can and cannot afford,” Kimberley said.
She said the best first step is to look at the full picture rather treating projects one at a time.
“Gloucester needs a clear, prioritized critical plan that lays out what’s essential for public health and safety like water, sewer and the wastewater treatment plant, and what can be phased over time,” Kimberley said.
McQueeney spoke about a potential municipal energy program in Gloucester, wondering if this would open up the opportunity for more alternative energy in schools and larger buildings.
“A municipal electric and potentially solar, why not, energy department would provide more reliable jobs for members of the community while generating clean energy for the city,” he said.
McQueeney said the public has a right to know how the city is spending its tax dollars “and should help to decide how we navigate through the foreseeable and unforeseeable projects that arise.”
Gross took one possible large expensive project off the table by saying there are no plans for consolidating the Beeman Memorial and Plum Cove elementary schools as far as he knows.
“We must plan and not react,” he said. “Now, the Comprehensive Plan lays out the unanimously voted by the Capital Improvements Advisory Board’s guidelines and procedures for 10-year planning, and we need to make certain as councilors that the administration follows through and implements this 10-year planning. And it needs to be clear and transparent for all to be able to understand.”
For residents who have not already done so, the last day to register to vote in the upcoming Nov. 4 Municipal Election is Friday, Oct. 24. The city clerk’s office will remain open from 12:30-5 p.m. for voter registration/changes only. Residents may also register to vote or make changes to voter registration online at https://www.sec.state.ma.us/OVR. Deadline for online voter registration is 11:59 p.m. Friday. Voter registration status can be checked at https://www.sec.state.ma.us/VoterRegistrationSearch/MyVoterRegStatus.aspx.
Residents who will not by in the city Nov. 4 may vote by absentee ballot before noon Nov. 3.
The deadline to request a vote by mail or an absentee by mail ballot is Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 5 p.m. The city clerk’s office will remain open 4-5 p.m. Oct. 28 to receive applications only. Voters can also request to vote by mail ballot online at https://www.sec.state.ma.us/mailinrequestweb/mailinballot.aspx. Vote by mail ballot applications can be tracked here: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/WhereDoIVoteMA/TrackMyBallot.
Ethan Forman may be contacted at 978-675-2714, or at eforman@northofboston.com.