Above: The new safety complex is on track for a summer opening and fall Grand Opening. (images from report)
Save the date for October 26th. That’s when you’ll be invited to tour the new Public Safety Building.
No, that doesn’t mean there’s another project delay. August 1st is still targeted as the “substantial completed” date. [Editor’s Note: Actually, that changed on Monday. The schedule is being extended to August 13th. So, my caption was still right, but the specifics in this paragraph were wrong.]* Earlier this month PSB Committee Chair Jason Malinowski described it as “a real building at this point”.
Malinowski said the committee doesn’t expect any more delays, even as small issues “pop up”. Still, they had been warned not to be overly optimistic.
The delay on the opening is to allow safety officials to settle into the building. Because officials have duties helping out on Heritage Day, the departments were concerned using that date would stretch public safety too thin. Instead, they’ll wait another two weekends.
As for the current project status. . .
The May progress report was posted earlier this month showing the project at 80% completion. You can read that here. But as usual, by the time I share an update there are more details to add.
In early June, Malinowski told selectmen that the sprinkler work I previously reported was mostly complete. Since the last report a drainage problem in the back interfered with getting plumbing certification. That was resolved with 300 feet of pipe draining out to a retaining pond.
Dealing with recent changes, Malinowski said that they have started authorizing work based on time and materials with a clerk overseeing the work. The change from agreeing on fixed fees is saving time on back and forth over quotes from the contractor vs what their consultant tells them is reasonable.
One of the most recent issues to pop up was the Fire Alarm system.
After getting notes from the Fire Inspector, the Fire Chief and Building Commissioner walked through the site. They worked to figure out which items were necessary versus preferences too late to add on. Items included placement of strobe lights to ensure visibility.
At last night’s PSBC meeting, Malinowski indicated they were on track with that work.
As for the budget, Malinowski told selectmen they were still managing to keep construction costs at about $3M below what voters approved.
As for the financing component, as I previously posted the Town changed its strategy for the bonds. It will cost taxpayers more in the short term but offers long term savings.
*Updated (6/19/19 11:18 am): I missed that a schedule change was voted on at Monday’s PSBC meeting extending the project to August 13th. Find more details in my 6/19/19 update here.
