Low bidder recommended for safety complex, more options in the works
By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

The Public Safety Building Committee is recommending to the Board of Selectmen to accept BW Construction's bid of $4.748 million to build the public safety complex. The bid is for basic construction only. The committee removed the cost of buying furniture and equipment, as well as the final paving of the parking lot and driveway.

BW Construction was the lowest bidder.

"We can take what we have and get by with that," said Police Chief Loring Barrett.

The committee left in $157,000 worth of contingency funding for the project, which is 3-4 percent of the construction costs.

Project manager David Leger said the contingency amount is low if something goes wrong, but added, "I think we got the worst over with, now that we are out of the ground."

Selectmen are expected to vote soon on whether to accept the recommendation to hire BW Construction.

On March 8, the committee discussed four possible construction scenarios and decided to present an array of options to the selectmen, from the basic building to a fully functional furnished building.

The first option would require an additional $100,000, and would allow the dispatch center to be moved to the new building.

By removing the equipment costs, the budget prohibits the purchasing of a new dispatch center console and therefore the relocation of the dispatch center to the new building.

"I think we absolutely have to present an option to selectmen that includes dispatch," said committee member Mary Neal.

A building project would need about $100,000 to buy the new system, which has to be up and running before the old system can be shut off.

The second option would allow the general contractor to finish the locker rooms for police at $154,291, and the fire department at $129,752. These are two of five items that the building committee designed as alternates to be completed if money allowed.

The committee also discussed, whether to add the completion of two detention cells at $60,149 to that funding request to selectmen.

Committee member Lincoln Stiles advocated having the detention cells completed because those items "need a professional to do it." Barrett agreed saying there are a variety of legal requirements for the cells.

If all five alternates are constructed and dispatch center was relocated then the town would need to appropriate about $570,000 more. The other two alternates are a training room/emergency operations center and masonry on the exterior.

"I'd like to see the building go up with all five alternates," said committee member Gail Dumont.

The bids are good for 60 days, which would allow the committee and the selectmen to work past the annual town meeting to determine if they can afford any of the alternates, said committee chairman Christopher Gagnon.

Committee members met Thursday, after press time, to further discuss the options.