Bidder, resident critical of the delay in appropriating money for library

To the Editor:

The Journal reported the following: "The Library Trustees are in the process of bidding a renovation project to repair the exterior and roof of the building and to fix the mold issues that have plagued the building for years. The projects are completely separate issues and the insurance money will not cover any of the renovations costs."

As a representative of one of the bidders for the renovation project at the Library, I attended the pre-bid meeting on Wednesday, Jan 30. I listened to the town's Architect Maury Wolfe, go over the intended work to the Library and waited for him to mention the most critical item in the process.

That item is regarding the funding for the project. When I asked him if the town had approved the money for the project, he said "No." When I asked him how the project would be awarded according to Mass. General Laws regarding Public Construction, he said "This is what the town wanted to do"... even knowing that it was not the way to proceed.

In all construction projects of this size in Massachusetts, the normal procedure is to have the architect complete a design ... get a "peer review" of the documents and then go to town meeting for approval with enough contingency money to complete the project. Then, the project is put out to bid and is awarded within the time limits under state law.

Contractors bid projects this time of year to "fill their schedule" for the year ... what do they do if they are low on this project? Do they hold open a crew to do the work and then find out that they do not have a job?

This town should get serious and follow the recommendations of their design professionals and bid the job in the normal way. The Library needs to be repaired and this town will approve the money ... we could approve the money and then find out we do not have a contractor to do the job for the low bid.

Wake Up!!!

Pete Janhunen

Westminster