Appendix C: Draft Survey in the Report on Public Infrastrcuture in Wester Massachusetts

Draft survey sent to stakeholders for this report.

Draft Survey

Dear Chief Executive Officer:

You are being asked to respond to a survey offered by the Office of the State Auditor’s Division of Local Mandates (DLM) in regards to the costs of maintaining and operating municipal infrastructure and facilities in the four counties of Western Massachusetts. The responses to this survey will be used as part of a Municipal Impact Report to be prepared by DLM focused on the specific challenges of Western Massachusetts. It is hoped that this report will inform ongoing discussions regarding equitable economic and demographic growth in the Commonwealth. Please note that the responses to this survey are public information.

Name of Municipality:

Respondent Name:

Respondent Title:

Email:

Phone:

Number of full-time employees employed by municipality (not including schools):

Estimated annual municipal operating budget (Please use amount for last complete fiscal year, exclusive of school spending):

1. Does your municipality have a capital plan?
   1. What is the time frame for this capital plan (e.g., 5 years, 10 years, etc.)?
   2. Does your municipality follow the priorities laid out in the capital plan?
   3. How much, as a percentage, does your municipality fund the capital plan in a given year?
   4. On a scale of 1 to 5, how would you rate the impact of revenue loss from the COVID-19 pandemic on your ability to follow your capital plan?

1 – Not at All	2 – Low	3 - Moderate	4 - High	5 - Severe

 

1. 5. On a scale of 1 to 5, how would you rate the impact of uncertainty over local aid from the state budget on your ability to follow your capital plan?

1 – Not at All	2 – Low	3 - Moderate	4 - High	5 - Severe

 

1. 6. We are looking for annual estimated capital plan costs of repair, renovation, or replacement. Please provide an amount ($) estimating your annual cost for infrastructure repair, renovation, or replacement for these categories:

Category	Repair	Renovation	Replacement
Administrative Buildings (e.g., town hall)
Libraries
Public Works Facilities
Public Safety Buildings
Communications Facilities
Broadband Infrastructure (e.g., wires, equipment, etc.)
Roadway infrastructure (e.g., roads, streetlights, sidewalks, etc.)
Electric infrastructure exclusive of internet services (if municipally provided, e.g., TV services, electricity)
Council on Aging Buildings
Other Buildings or Facilities (exclusive of school facilities)

 

2. For the following infrastructure categories, please provide a letter grade to rate your infrastructure (A, B, C, D, or F) and a brief explanation as to why you assigned that grade:

Category	Rating	Comments
Administrative Buildings (e.g., town hall)
Libraries
Public Works Facilities
Public Safety Buildings
Communications Facilities
Council on Aging Buildings
Other Buildings or Facilities

 

3a.  What is the ratio between Chapter 90 state funds and local funds appropriated for roadway repairs (e.g., 50% state funds, 50% local funds)?

b.    What is the annual estimated cost of repairing and rebuilding local roads?

c. What is the estimated gap between your annual spending on local roadway repairs/rebuild/replacement and the total needed spend for those repairs/rebuild/replacement? (e.g., You project $100,000 annually for the total cost of needed roadway work, but you can only spend $50,000 in a given year, so the gap is $50,000.)

d.    Please assign a letter rating to the condition of roadways in your municipality (A, B, C, D, or F), and a brief explanation as to why you assigned that grade.

e. Please provide an explanation why you assigned that letter grade.

4.    What is the ability of your municipality to afford these aforementioned infrastructure expenses on the local level? Please assign this ability a number from 1 to 10, with 1 being not at all and 10 meaning your municipality can meet all infrastructure expenses.

5.    Would a state agency similar to the Massachusetts School Building Authority, but focused on municipal infrastructure, be helpful for maintaining infrastructure in your municipality?

6.    What other state relief could be implemented that would most assist your municipality in infrastructure maintenance? (e.g., direct appropriation, capital bonding, grants, etc.)