Have Changes Been Made Because We Raised the Issue?

 Last Monday, January 29th, 2018 at 4 PM there was a St. Germain Special Town Board meeting in the board room of the Community Center. In a nutshell, the meeting was to listen too another presentation from Funktion Design about the proposal for a new community center and town offices. Prior to this meeting, on January 17th to be exact, and after the last meeting I published a blog and in it raised some issues and concerns via the blog format which was posted on Facebook and other outlets. The issues I raised, some of which have been addressed and now changes have been made, leads me to believe that someone within the town board is reading this blog and raising these concerns with the design company, and Funktion Design has addressed some of them and made changes, or..........is this just a coincidence?

Below is what issues I raised and my interpretation of what was stated last Monday reflecting the changes.   

Here is what I said in my previous blog regarding fire safety and other matters within the building.

"I listened in amazement the other night as Funktion explained that they would propose two separate buildings connected with a common firewall. One side would be the community center and the other side would be the town offices.  The reason for this design is to avoid installation of a sprinkler system, which is required per code depending on the size of the building. When I question this I was informed that there are very little combustible construction materials and there is no need. What was demonstrated by the answers to me, was the lack of understanding of why a sprinkler system is required. People in a fire situation die mostly due to smoke inhalation, not burning to death. It is not about saving the building, it is about saving lives." 

In last Monday's meeting it was stated that there would now be a sprinkler system installed with an underground reservoir to contain water needed to feed the system.

"The other thing that was interesting was an area of about 800 square feet for a kitchen. Now that's a pretty big kitchen.  The size of a one bedroom apartment for comparison. I asked if the reason for so much square footage was to allow for a walk in cooler and a walk in freezer, and the answer was no, if that was a requirement they would be outside as an addition to the building. If you want to see a walk in cooler inside of a kitchen, go over to the Subway. It is right behind the register. Tom Christiansen, the Town Chairman, told me in that public meeting that this size was to possibly have the kitchen large enough to provide a full commercial kitchen, should the community center be made into a convention center in the future." 

In last Monday's meeting the designs have been changed to include a walk in cooler and a walk in freezer, fully within the kitchen area, should the town decide to install these. 

"It appeared to me that Funktion Design has no idea of how a restaurant kitchen is constructed because these types of kitchens are designed for food preparation and work flow. As a former restaurant owner who built his restaurant from the ground up, I fully know all of the requirements and design requirements. I am sure that Funktion Design and the current board does not have a clue as to what NSF requirements are, and how they dictate what equipment goes into a kitchen. This is currently evident because of all of the NON NSF equipment there is in the present kitchen." 

It seems that the kitchen floor plan has been changed also. It is hard to see from the plans distributed, but it appears that the kitchen cooking equipment is planned to be in the center of the room with a suspended hood. This is a very bad idea for the following reasons. 1. If there is a grease fire, the button to activate the ANSUL system would be on a far wall. To activate it to dispense the chemical fire retardant a person may be required to walk past a burning fire to get to the button. The kitchen line up should be on an outside wall. 2. If there was a fire, with a center line up and limits exit capability, people could be trapped behind the fire with no way to escape. 

"There are unseen costs that are not being addresses that are on going. Costs such as a service to clean the filters in the overhead hood. They talked about make up air when installing a hood into a kitchen, but did not seem to know that the right hood has a make up air system already in it. Another ongoing cost is the by annual inspection and certification of the ANSUL system contained within the hood. This is also a fire suppression system, where if there is a grease fire, the operator can push a button and the entire surface area under the hood will be covered with a fire retardant foam." 

None of this issue was discussed at this meeting. 

"There was talk of possible fryers under that hood, but no talk of who was going to change the grease in it. Would you like to eat food from a fryer that had the grease sitting in it for months from a previous user." 

The overall design of the building is still lacking. John Vojta stated there needs to be a roll up door in the back of the "GYM" because they need to get lifts inside for maintenance. Then next to that they need an escape door. My opinion is this is not necessary due to the fact that there are double glass doors, similar to what you see in a car dealership to get cars into the showroom, that would accomplish the following. However, the room is planned to hold 384 occupants with only ONE exit directly to the outside via a vestibule. The other exit goes through the town offices side of the hallway, then to the outside. But both of these exits are in the front of the space and NO exit on the back side. 

1. With a room capacity of over 300, in an emergency evacuation people need to get out fast. It is much easier to get out of a six foot wide door instead of a 3 foot wide door. 

2. Exit doors can be made in many height configurations, i.e. 6'8, 7' and 8'. That would accommodate any size lift. 

"There was NO talk of the continued janitorial maintenance that would be required. With the proposal of movable room dividers, if a club, or temporary renter or user, needed a smaller room WHO was going to go to the center and do the room set up? Doesn't our current public works department have enough already on their plate?  There are many, many still unanswered questions that need to be addressed, but the expertise seems to be lacking in the current board members wheelhouse. They are completely relying on whatever Funktion Design tells them." 

"I want what the town actually needs. What I will say next might cost me votes, but it needs to be said. I cannot understand why I, and other tax payers, should pay additional square footage for a  space in a new building for a club.  In other words why do we need to have a room solely for the use of one club or another."  

The building design is allowing a private club to have room space in excess of a little over 1000 square feet. That is 1/15th of the entire building, solely for the use of the Prime Timers. Lets put that into a dollar amount. The building size is now about 15,000 square feet. The building projected costs is a little over 3.9 million dollars. That means that taxpayers will be giving to the Prime Timers $260,000.00 of your tax dollars for a room virtually for their exclusive use. When I questioned this it was stated from the chair that other groups could use that room if needed. However, we all know from the room that they have, that it is virtually off limits on a regular basis. Lois Ruttiger, who administers the building stated they need that room to keep their stuff in. I simply ask WHY? Like all other groups who use the community center, bring your stuff in, have your meeting, and get it out. All other clubs do this, why are the Prime Timers special. It should be a community room simply said.  Tom Christensen stated that other groups did not express any desire to have similar needs. That's because they make use of that is available, they bring their "stuff" in and when they leave they take it with them. Keep in mind that the Prime Timers also have a building behind the groomer barn on Town Property that should be used for their storage needs.

"Why do we need to provide a club private storage space for their things. I also do not believe that "clubs" should be allowed to bring in things like refrigerators or freezers to the kitchen for their own use, and again non NSF equipment.  No one asked me if I was willing to pay, with my taxes, for square footage for the sole use of a club.  My personal opinion is that if there is a common room, people should come in and use it, and take their stuff out of it when they're done.  The town, nor its taxpayers,  have any obligation to provide a private club storage space at the cost of the taxpayers." 

I hope I am accurate when I say this. Tom Christensen stated that with a 12 year levy, it would add $38 dollars to a residents tax bill for every $100K value to their property. So a $300K homeowner  would be paying an additional $112.00 per year for the next twelve year in additional taxes. For some that is not a lot. For others on fixed incomes it might make an impact on their livelihood. 

"Well folks this is your opportunity to let the town board know what you the tax payers want from the town to enact. I can assure you that if elected I will listen to the people. I have no hidden agenda here. I am running for office because I am not happy about the way things are being done now. I know I have the qualifications to fill the gaps and bring knowledge and expertise to the current board. I am a Certified Project Manager, Certified Telecommunications Engineer, Member of the National Fire Protection Association,  Master's Degree in Management, Degree in Labor Law, Degree in Applied Behavioral Science and a Degree in Computer Science. I have also taken advanced classes at both Harvard and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).  I am also the President of a non profit known as Soldiers on Sleds. So come on out on April 3rd and cast you vote for Jack Bourgeois and help decide the future of this town.  Put some expertise back on the board: Vote for Jack. "