Town of Stoddard, NH

 Building Committee Minutes

7:00 PM September 24, 2009

Stoddard Town Hall

Members present: Penny Betz, Dick Briere, Lou Grandpre, Sandy Holland, Harry Power, Amy Rokoszak & David Vaillancourt

Absent: P. J. Lamothe, Alan Rumrill

Attendees: Dick Betz, Ken Hill, Arnie Stymest

Dick Briere called the meeting to order at 7:05 PM.

The Committee was prepared to receive presentations from three firms, MacMillin, Baybutt Construction Managers, and Bergeron Construction.  Each firm would discuss its approach to managing/overseeing a complete project involving restoration and repairs to the Town Hall and renovations to the Gould House, and provide a cost for providing their services.

Peter Bonneau of MacMillin was the first presenter.  He provided three management scenarios.  1) Hire an architect, complete the design and competitively bid out the project; 2) Construction Management – owner, architect and builder as a team; and 3) Design/Build where the designer and builder are the same entity.  Mr. Bonneau recommends this method, stating that it provides the most control and is generally the least expensive.  Design fees are generally ten percent of the project.

Mr. Bonneau added that once subcontractors (trades people) are hired, it would be MacMillin’s responsibility to remain on time and within budget, adding that would be the case with whichever firm the Town selects to manage the project.

Rod Parsons of Baybutt Construction Managers presented next.  Mr. Parsons passed out a detailed assessment of the situation as he saw it, commenting that it is a difficult situation.  He feels the first step is to “separate myth from fact” as it pertains to codes, ADA, etc., and that we have one opportunity to get it right and that’s what we should do.  He also mentioned that any work we do must be of the caliber to outlive the repayment schedule and serve the Town well for a proscribed period of years.

As with MacMillin, Baybutt would assume all responsibility for the work being done on time, within budget, and as specified.  If the voters approve the effort, a schematic level plan would progress to construction documentation, with Baybutt managing the bids, coordinating site activities and guaranteeing the work.

Doug Brown presented for Bergeron next, noting that it is indeed a design challenge, that there are elevations, ADA, energy and other factors to be considered.  He stated that putting a project together design-wise is not their bailiwick, so they would be working with a design team.  The Town could either hire Bergeron and they would hire the architect/design team or the Town could hire the architect to design the project and then hire Bergeron separately to construct and manage it.

Following the last presentation, Harry Power shared some information he had gotten from the NH Municipal Bond Bank, which were examples of the tax burden for various amounts borrowed for ten years.  The 2008 bond sale resulted in a 2.99% interest rate for ten years.  More information will be obtained as appropriate. 

The Committee was instructed to carefully consider the information we had received during the presentations, and note any questions or items for discussion during our next meeting, which it was agreed would be on Thursday, October 1, 2009. 

The meeting adjourned at 9:20 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Building Committee Minutes

7:00 PM September 10, 2009

Stoddard Town Hall

Members present: Penny Betz, Dick Briere, Lou Grandpre, Sandy Holland, Harry Power, & Amy Rokoszak

Absent: P. J. Lamothe, Alan Rumrill, & David Vaillancourt

Attendees: None

Dick Briere called the meeting to order at 7:03 PM.

Harry Power presented samples of clapboard that could potentially be used to replace the severely deteriorating boards on the Town Hall.  Harry provided prices and details about installation, guarantees, and performance.

Harry noted that he had talked with Attorney Sanderson at the LGC and was advised that the last date for a public hearing would be April 26^th, and the hearing would need to be noticed by April 19^th.  The NH Bond Bank issues bonds two times per year, in June and December.  For issuance in June, the money would be available by mid-July. 

Dick Briere discussed the two quotes we have been provided for installing a single new furnace in the Gould House to serve it and the Town Hall.  He was advised that the current furnace in the Gould House should be good for a number of years but that the Town Hall furnace should be replaced soon. 

Regarding the excavation that would be necessary if the single furnace is installed in the Gould House, Dick contacted Peter Bonneau at MacMillan who provided rather specific cautions to avoid damage to the foundation of the Town Hall.

Dick Briere also had a proposal for painting the Town Hall including necessary scraping, washing, etc.  Discussion followed weighing the cost of painting (short-term fix), and painting again every few years, to complete replacement of the clapboards with a low maintenance product and blowing in insulation as that is done.  The Town Hall was last painted in 1997. 

Sandy Holland moved to proceed with the structural piers work under the Town Hall.  The “windows” in the foundation will have both glass and screens to optimize ventilation in the good weather, and to provide some seal in the winter.  This work should be accomplished for $1,200 or less by Glenn Webber.  Amy Rokoszak seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

Lou GrandPré stated that he thinks we need a design/build firm, someone to oversee the entire project of restoring/renovating the Gould House and the Town Hall.  We need to tell them what we want and have them provide plans and prices that we can use to take to the Town in May.  As it is, we have quotes from three architects, each approaching $4,000, for just the one issue of new handicapped access to the building.  We can’t go forward with this in piece-meal fashion.

Amy Rokoszak said she felt having an architect provide a good design is what we need most.

Sandy Holland noted that she thinks having this Committee write the specifications for bid package(s) is more than we have the knowledge, ability and time to do, and therefore agrees that we need to bring in contractors to give us something overall to work with instead of getting prices for individual bits and pieces and trying to fit them together with good result at the end.

The next meeting will be September 24^th.

The meeting adjourned at 9:07 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

__________________________

Sandy Holland

                                      Building Committee Minutes

                                        7:00 PM September 3, 2009

                                          Stoddard Town Hall

Members present: Penny Betz, Dick Briere, Lou Grandpre, Sandy Holland, Harry Power, Amy Rokoszak, Alan Rumrill

Absent: P. J. Lamothe, David Vaillancourt

Attendees: Arnie Stymest, Joe Van Schaick

Dick Briere called the meeting to order at 7:07 PM.

Hilary Harris of the Jordan Institute introduced her colleague Kirk Stone to the Committee.  The Jordan Institute staff was present to conduct a visual assessment of the Town Hall and Gould House for the purpose of providing some elementary recommendations for cost and energy savings.  Interiors and exteriors of both buildings were casually examined, followed by a presentation which included their work on many municipal and public buildings throughout the State of New Hampshire. 

To obtain a full assessment/audit of the current status of the buildings and a full recommendation of remedies, the Town would have to contract with the Institute.  It is possible, although there are no guarantees, that grants might be available for the implementation of their recommendations.  There is likely no outside funding available, however, for the purpose of contracting with the Institute for the assessment and recommendations work. 

The presentation ended at 9 PM.  Some discussion followed regarding “homework” for the next Committee meeting.

The next meetings will be September 10^th and 24^th.

The meeting adjourned at 9:15 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

___________________________

Sandy Holland