Of Marion Facilities Manager Shaun Cormier’s three requests for FY23 funding to the Capital Improvement Planning Committee on December 1, $124,000 for a Town House sprinkler system is the largest and the one that will unlock the door to completion of all inside renovation work.
The project would include architectural engineering design bid documents for a wet-dry fire-suppression system for all four levels of the building and first-floor ADA compliance.
Construction cost, said Cormier, would exceed $1,000,000.
The $124,000 estimate for the capital project was based on information received from T2 Engineering.
“(The estimate) feels kind of heavy for the previous work they’ve done and the knowledge they have,” said Cormier, who nonetheless stressed the point that Marion can go no further with the Town House until these issues are resolved.
Select Board member John Waterman said, “We need to have some competition.”
“We’ll do sealed bids for this one,” said Town Administrator Jay McGrail, concurring that ADA compliance is a necessary next step. “We made a significant investment in the Town House, we’ve invested public and private money.”
“We’re proud of this building and we want to save it. There’s nothing there now, there’s no fire suppression there now.”
CIPC Chairman Paul Naiman asked if Community Preservation Act funds could become involved. McGrail said no. While grant funds are a possibility for ADA compliance where it concerns construction inasmuch as the project can be tied to historical restoration, design cannot come from those CPA funds.
McGrail estimated that ideally the construction would cost $1,500,000 and could be phased in over time.
“The problem is always asbestos. Every time we try to do any phasing, Shaun hits me with the reality of asbestos,” said McGrail. “We’re going to try to do what we can.”
Alluding to some mixture of CPA funding and free cash, Cormier said, “The remainder of the renovation work will never raise tax dollars, it’ll all be done with free cash.”
No other construction can be done without doing this work, according to Cormier.
“If this is what’s left to be funded to get the whole first floor ADA compliant, air conditioned, cooled … if $1,500,000 to get all this done and the rest in house, that’s a success,” said McGrail.
The other two requests will fund renovations to the Cushing Community Center and the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Cormier requested $43,000 to fund the replacement of the vent hood and install a smaller hood using an Ansul brand, built-in fire-extinguishing system over the cooking area at the Community Center. The project includes vent ductwork and make-up air and will achieve fire-code compliance.
The roof at the Wastewater Treatment Plant is 17-18 years old, and according to Cormier has been failing over the past year, along with the skylights.
A $24,000 request has been made to replace both the asphalt roof and skylights including labor and materials, but there was debate among CIPC members whether the skylights are necessary. The concrete-block structure has no other source of outside light.
CIPC member Casimiro Barros asked if the skylights are for convenience, ambience or are they necessary to conduct work.
“Is it critical? Probably not,” conceded Cormier, estimating the asphalt roof costs approximately $17,000 to replace by itself.
McGrail said he would ask DPW Director Nathaniel Munafo about the skylights. “There’s nothing fancy about that building,” said McGrail.
Barros and Cormier agreed that if the skylights are replaced, they need to be taken care of prior to the roof replacement.
The CIPC agreed to strike the skylights from the request.
In the Facilities Department’s 10-year plan, Cormier moved storm-drainage repair at the Music Hall from FY23 to FY25. The CIPC debated which year the placeholder should fall for construction at the Town House to make the building ADA compliant.
There are $120,000 placeholders for a new roof for the Cushing Community Center (FY24) and reconfiguration of space in the town hall Annex building (FY25.)
Beyond that, two projects loom at the building used primarily by the Council on Aging: a new main-area floor and new windows for FY25 and potentially a gender-neutral bathroom.
While window replacement was originally sought by COA Director Karen Gregory, McGrail’s belief is that Cormier can make those upgrades an in-house project.
The gender-neutral bathroom was substantially discussed because on one hand, the reason Gregory is pushing for it is compelling as it involves seniors, most-notably couples who offer their spouses assistance. Under the present situation, they cannot do so.
The complication is with the building itself. Because of the existing layout, situating such an addition could be very costly to the tune of $100,000, a number Waterman considers prohibitive.
On October 20, Chief of Police Richard Nighelli went before the CIPC to request $170,706 in funding for a new digital communications system to replace the analog system that has been in place many years.
The prices associated with the project are set by statewide contracts according to Nighelli who anticipates a fall completion of the project pending timely delivery of the new equipment.
“Several years ago, we started to lose coverage and quality when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) required to switch from wide band to narrow band for analog. Because of that requirement we began to purchase digital capable radios as we looked to the future for a digital conversion,” Nighelli explained in an email to The Wanderer.
McGrail said, while he’s comfortable with the amount requested, he told the CIPC that he doesn’t understand why the switch to digital is critical to the operation. CIPC member Steve Nojeim asked if the cost might be spread out; McGrail said he will look at the possibility.
Among the advantages of a digital system, according to Nighelli, are: interoperability (seamless communications across several agencies that are switching to digital;) better coverage (elimination of dead spots due to interference and a steady signal throughout the coverage area;) better audio quality (reduces background noise) and longer battery life because digital radio technology is more energy efficient.
“The signal is just as good as if you were standing next to the repeater,” said Nighelli. “We would have the ability to take the radio off the system if stolen.”
Nighelli also proposed $67,252 to replace the supervisor’s aging police cruiser. Historically, the department makes a capital request for a cruiser every third year.
The CIPC held off on scheduling its next meeting.
Marion Capital Improvement Planning Committee
By Mick Colageo