WINDHAM — Facilities maintenance, school capacity and public safety topped the Capital Improvement Plan subcommittee priority list.

The subcommittee members classified CIP projects from one to six. The most urgent projects received a one, and projects needing to be done in the next one to three years were classified as two. Those pushed out four to six years received a three.

Of the 10 projects under consideration for 2013, mobile communication for the police, breathing apparatus for the fire department, and Searles School and Chapel improvements each received the highest classification from all seven members of the subcommittee.

Police mobile communications equipment would cost $84,600 with the possibility of $23,308 being available from the impact fee account, leaving a balance of $61,292 requested.

Replacing the fire department breathing apparatus would cost $202,867.

Federal grant money may be available to offset 95 percent of the cost, leaving $10,143 funded by the town.

A similar request appeared on last year’s ballot with the stipulation that the article would be void if grant money was not received.

Voters accepted the article but the town didn’t receive the grant.

Subcommittee members agreed that the issued needed to be addressed with or without a similar stipulation.

“If it deserved a one last year I still would think it deserved a one,” said Bruce Breton, selectman representative to the subcommittee.

The $100,958 request for Searles improvements was seen as a good investment by the subcommittee. Member Neelima Gogumalla said the request fit in well with the recommendations of a recent energy audit. Chairman Rob Gustafson said it was important to keep up with maintenance.

“I like to make sure that we keep our capital assets in good repair so they don’t cost us more down the road,” Gustafson said.

A similar thought process followed on the $1 million request from the school district.

The money would be used for architectural and engineering fees to address capacity issues at the middle school level.

Member Carolyn Webber costs were likely to increase if the project is put off. Breton said there might be enough funding available to fit the project into the CIP plan.

“This might be the right time because we don’t have an exuberant amount of requests for money this year,” Breton said.

The subcommittee agreed that the CIP plan may include a lower amount for the schools if necessary.

A highway department request for $360,000 was seen as less immediate because it did not list specific roads that will be done.

Committee members were split on a $75,000 IT department request for system replacement.

“It struck me as not only something that needs to be done, but something that should have been done one or two years ago,” said member Ruth-Ellen Post.

Gogumalla, Webber and Stephanie Wimmer also gave the project a one.

Gustafson, Breton and member Jennifer Simmons felt the project could wait one to three years.

Breton cited a recent study stating that more pressing issues with the IT infrastructure need to be addressed.

“The report was very detailed on what should be done first,” Breton said.

Items rounding out the 2013 requests were $200,000 for an ambulance replacement, $300,000 for snow removal equipment, and $250,000 for athletic fields on Spruce Pond Road.

The subcommittee also briefly reviewed CIP requests for projects through 2018. After completing its work, the subcommittee will present the completed plan Oct. 17.

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Julie Hanson may be reached at Jhanson@newstote.com.