Following are the Minutes from a meeting of the
Building Committee for the
In attendance:
Ambulance Chief Gary Zirpolo
Fire Chief Ray Dick
Deputy Fire Chief Ron Caswell
Sewer Commissioner Jim Tuttle
From the Public David Boissonnault
From the Public Will Melcher
Selectman’s Rep. Bill Condra
The results of last years
Town Meeting were discussed. At the 2011 town meeting, the building committee
had submitted a construction plan that detailed a one million, two hundred
thousand dollar investment in the renovation of and construction of an addition
to the Wilton Fire Station. In the
original charter levied on the committee, the plan was to provide for a fire
station that would last fifty years and eventually serve a full time fire
department.
Plans and designs presented
to the town by bond and warrant included total renovation of the existing
station, the addition of five bays, a second story; three phase electrical
service, crew quarters, and an elevator to the second floor, ventilation and
drainage system and grade changes to the retaining wall behind the fire
station. Total investment was estimated to be $1,200,000.00 dollars. Voters
were not receptive to such a high dollar capital outlay. The warrants and bond
request failed to reach the 2/3d require for passage.
Much of the discussion at the
building committee meeting centered on two points. First, add an additional
$100,000.00 to the capital reserve account for 2011 and present the warrant,
bond request and plans a second time at the 2013 town meeting. Mr. Melcher
encourage the members to consider that the plans, warrants and bond request
were the result over ten years of effort on the part of the committee. Second,
revise the plans to reduce scope of work.
Redesign the plan to address immediate need and short term (20 to 30
years) as opposed to a long term (50 year) plan.
Chief Dick encouraged the
committee to consider having new plans drawn to remove the 2nd
floor, delete the elevator and three phases electric. Dennis Meyers the
original designer offered by separate correspondence, to modify the plans at an
additional cost of $8,000.00. Chief
Dick’s proposal includes an $8,000.00 warrant to revise the plans, add
$100,000.00 to the Capital reserve. The
strategy would be to pass a warrant for plans revision for 2012 and submit a
new project to the voters in 2013 for the reduced scope construction.
There was much discussion
about the current economic conditions, warrant for a revision stipend of
$8,000.00 and a substantial addition to the capital reserve account. Several of
those present felt that an addition to the capital reserve account might yield
enough to build the reduced scope station in 2013 without bonding. Selectman
Condra, Mr. Boissonnault and Mr. Melcher discussed the potential increases in
cost of construction. Delaying another year/s risk cost increases of between 8
and 12% annually. We could end up
building substantially less for substantially more.
Most were in agreement that
the investment of an additional $8,000.00 for plans revision is necessary in
order to proceed. Chief Dick will contact Hutter Construction (the contractor
of choice) and ask them to revisit the station and discuss potential changes.
The next meeting of the Building Committee will be
Agenda:
A discussion of results of
Chief Dick’s meeting with Hutter Const.
A decision
on what to present to the Budget Committee for 2012.