Quote from 1995 ATM Warrant's...

[David Escalante]

...FinCom letter:

“Over the past few years, one of the problems that the Building and Grounds Study Committee has been looking at was the perceived problem that the Town has not done a very good job with the maintenance of its physical plants.  Years of tight budgets have resulted in the constant deferral of critical repairs and maintenance to the Town’s buildings and its grounds. It is the belief of the Finance Committee that deferred maintenance is an expensive form of borrowing which must begin to be addressed.  At the Special Town Meeting last November, a Warrant Article was adopted establishing a Municipal Building Maintenance Board (MBMB). The new board was charged with the coordination and management of all maintenance and repairs for town buildings, including those of the School Department.” – Paul O’Connor, Chairman, James Healy, Vice Chairman

I was struck by the similarity to opinions expressed by this year's FinCom in various meetings this year.

So then you might say, "What exactly is MBMB's (now "Public Facilities") charge?  According to the town by-laws:

2.6.1 Public Facilities Department. There is hereby established a Department of Public Facilities under the
authority of the Town Manager, which shall be responsible for the care, maintenance, and repair services for each building
owned by the Town (including all functions previously under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Building Maintenance
Board.)  The Department shall also be responsible for overseeing the construction, reconstruction, alteration or enlargement
of all buildings owned by the Town or constructed on land owned, leased or operated by the Town, except for projects
deemed to be under the jurisdiction of the Permanent Public Building Committee as provided by below, for which the
Public Facilities Department will provide support.

As per usual, do not "reply to all" to this.  If the subject is of interest, we can discuss at a "FinCom Updates" or some other portion of a future meeting.  The more things change, the more they stay the same!
--
David