Lets WAIT FOR COLLAPSE, or avoid it with a NEW TAJ MAHALL!
The Selectmen prevented any discussion on the Town Hall alteration and addition Vs. New construction debate. In spite of the agenda item noting, "Town Hall Repairs Finance Plan" and not the New building proposal, they proceeded to then discuss the New Building Finance plan. The Attorney General has very restrictive agenda descriptions, and therefore what can reasonably be discussible under it! The selectmen and their ever present attorney, the manager, felt they could avoid any discussion problem issue per the agenda wording! And continued!
To them, there are no options but the architects oversize addition and alteration plan. Let’s not forget that they managed to produce a plan with 4000 sq. feet of additional unnecessary space for the addition, which elevated the cost to nearly their estimate for the new construction. If one is offered a new car, or an equal year used car at the same price, what would the choice be? We certainly understand human nature, but when one Selectman is quoted as saying "It’s not a building you can renovate, ..." one must take a stand, especially when the dollar difference is some $3 million! There is also the fact that the architect provided an alteration and addition plan as feasible! And several locals, construction field professionals refute his statement as well. Moreover many old public buildings with similar problems have been renovated, The Igo, Ahearne, Roby Hill, Lewis, and even the 100 odd year old State Hospital Buildings, have all been renovated!.
And why has NO maintenance been accomplished on this building by the Manager, who by the Charter is solely responsible for this activity. He appears more concerned with helping it deteriorate or collapse, than the maintaining! We own back-hoes and trucks; personnel familiar with drainage piping. Why hasn’t the drainage been fixed. Why does the manager remind everyone, that if it rains, they can observe water coming down in the secretaries office next door! If your house roof leaked, you would get it repaired!, and not wait for a new replacement. Work is needed, repair, and/or alteration at a reasonable cost; not a new building at $3 million more!
Steve C
10:07 am on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
I would like to see the written assessment that they must have supporting their claims that the building is beyond repair. Who has provided the inspection of the property and made such a claim? Has an independent party been brought in to evaluate the current town hall condition? Where does the building commissioner stand on this? If the roof is leaking, is this not a building code violation of health and safety, a repair should be mandatory. Lets see this capital assessment report and see for ourselves what the cost of repair vs new construction would be.
Dick Heydecker
11:14 am on Wednesday, October 10, 2012
The written assessment is the cover sheet to the funding report on this project. It was written by TH people (Paicos?). It is the apocalypse! no specific back-up data. I have copies of the State testing reports which basically say if undisturbed there is no hazard. Everything else is pushing the envelope without any basis. I have not seen any data from the commisioner. He still operates out of his office as he has for a decade, even with the test reports in his possession. He has not demanded a relo- cation. He is a long term friend, and certainly would have mentioned this, evenn off the record. Cost of repair has been presented and is faulty but it is somewhere between $2 and $3.5 million without any internal changes. The leaky roof is a maintenance issue, solely per the Manager Charter, the sole responsibility of the Manager! Steve, give me a call, i think it would be beneficial to both 508 543-9412