AVON FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY RENOVATIONS & ADDITION PROJECT
BUILDING COMMITTEE MINUTES
NOVEMBER 3, 2010
I. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 7:35 AM by Chairperson Diane Hornaday in the Avon Room Town Hall Building 1. Members present: Chairperson Diane Hornaday, Secretary David Goldsholl, Barbara Leonard, Janet Stokesbury, Scott Boos and J. Tad Kuziak. Member absent: Diane Carney. Also in attendance were Town Manager Brandon Robertson, Assistant to the Town Manager Steve Bartha, Library Director Virginia Vocelli, Assistant Library Director Donna Miller, Architect Peter Wells, Enterprise Builders Operations Manager Michael McNaboe, Enterprise Builders President Keith Czarnecki, Enterprise Builders Project Engineer Wayne Czarnecki, Public Works Director Bruce Williams and Recreation & Parks Director Glen Marston.
II. MINUTES OF PRECEDING MEETING – September 29, 2010
VOTE: Mr. Goldsholl motioned, Ms. Leonard seconded and all agreed to accept the September 29, 2010 minutes as presented. Mr. Boos abstained as he was absent from the meeting.
III. COMMUNICATION FROM AUDIENCE
None.
IV. COMMUNICATION FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Mr. Goldsholl praised the Hartford Courant reporter Julie Stagis who attended the last meeting for her accurate reporting of the meeting. Ms. Hornaday relayed that she’d been attending most of the furniture, furnishings and equipment meetings held recently. She said things were going well and added that it will take time as they are spending time on every aspect of it. She asked Mr. Goldsholl to attend the IT meetings as a representative of the committee. Mr. Boos has been attending the meetings with the construction manager.
Mr. Boos said that he, along with Mr. Williams, has been attending as many meetings as he could, including the scope review meetings with the various contractors. He felt the meetings were successful.
V. CONSTRUCTION MANAGER
Mr. McNaboe gave the latest GMP figure as $7.2 million which is over the limit of the town’s budget, but they are reviewing the last of the scopes of the trades to finalize. He is ready to review a $300,000.00 savings figure with the design team and also included a construction schedule handout. Once the utilities are located – gas, sanitary line, water and power - they can be relocated and excavation of the foundation can begin. He said we have a 13 month schedule that shows how the plan is laid out and added that the $7.2 million figure would not sacrifice any square footage and keep the same library programs’ use. He’d like to wrap it up to present to the Town Council at their December meeting.
Mr. Goldsholl questioned the construction figure. He said he is not clear anymore on whether $8.5 or $9.5 million is the figure to go with to the Town Council. Ms. Hornaday thought we’d get the figures from Mr. McNaboe and request or present a case to the Town Council if we needed more or less funding. Mr. Goldsholl asked for more clarification of the $412,000 overage. Mr. Boos answered that it’s not necessarily that clean. Enterprise has gone out and bid the job, soft and hard costs have been moved around and the number is coming in over budget. Mr. Wells said the $412,000 is spread over many small things. Mr. Bartha said the construction cost is comprised of bid returns from 33 bidders. He said there isn’t a $250,000 piece that’s easily identified. Mr. Goldsholl fears going to the Town Council
with lots of “squishy” little numbers is not the way to go. He added that painful budget decisions are going to have to target something specific.
Mr. McNaboe said the numbers came in very aggressively and originally the job was estimated at $187.00 per square foot and that it came in at $138.00. The other part of the cost is that Planning and Zoning made additional requirements during the design process which added a front book drop, drop off road and buffers for neighboring properties. Mr. Goldsholl asked for a list of these costs for clarity. Ms. Hornaday agreed and feels we cannot go to the Town Council with something vague. Ms. Leonard added that you can’t assume they are aware of “scope change.” Ms. Hornaday requested that Enterprise provide these costs before the next meeting. Mr. Keith Czarnecki said he would have the numbers by tomorrow.
Mr. Kuziak asked for clarification of the critical path handout provided by Mr. McNaboe. Mr. McNaboe explained that things would get going when contracts were awarded and shop drawings for concrete and steel were procured. The next two weeks will be critical in firming the number. Mr. Wells added that shop drawings are presented to the architects for review and sign-off. He added that the critical path at the beginning of the project is often related to the speed with which these shop drawings are submitted.
VI. REVIEW UPDATED PROJECT BUDGET – Budget including GMP as of 10/29/10
Mr. Robertson suggested a letter be submitted to the Town Council with their agenda packets explaining the $412,000 overage. He feels it important to get them on notice ASAP. Ms. Hornaday asked that Enterprise Builders provide this in the next day or so as agenda packets are going out Friday for next Tuesday’s Town Council meeting. Mr. Robertson also asked Enterprise to take the lead at the Tuesday meeting.
Mr. Goldsholl questioned when we’d receive the State grant money. Mr. Wells said it is spread out over stages of construction. Mr. Robertson explained it as progress payments.
VII. REVIEW – DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
Mr. Wells discussed the movable partition for the community room. He found wall paint or wall covering that serve as a projector screen which would eliminate the line in the wall for the partition. Mr. Goldsholl questioned the cost of the partition. Mr. Wells said $12,000 for the one in the children’s area which is included in the budget and $18,000 - $20,000 for the community room which is not included. Mr. Boos said this partition will be included in the presentation to the Town Council as part of the shortfall. Mr. Wells added that the partition would be stored at the opposite end of the room from the screen.
VIII. DISCUSS/APPROVE LIMITED LETTERS OF INTENT
Mr. Bartha and Mr. Robertson explained the limited letters of intent drafted by the Town attorney. They serve as a pre-contract agreement to basically start the process. The letter authorizes Enterprise to authorize to two targeted subcontractors: re-bar and structural steel, to start their shop drawings with the understanding that the Town would absorb any costs they incurred should the project stop. Mr. Czarnecki explained that there would be no exposure or risk and it would jump start the critical path to get started on the project. Ms. Leonard added that it would just be paying for the shop drawings and they’d be ours to keep. Mr. Robertson further added that this is preliminary to signing the GMP construction contract.
VOTE: Mr. Kuziak motioned, Ms. Leonard seconded and all agreed to approve the limited letters of intent for the subcontractors to begin the shop drawings. None opposed.
IX. APPROVAL OF INVOICES – Dixworks LLC ($2,600.00), Advanced Reprographics (total $2,082.36)
Ms. Hornaday favored approval of the Dixworks LLC invoice.
VOTE: Mr. Goldsholl motioned, Ms. Leonard seconded and all agreed to approve the Dixworks LLC 10/21/10 invoice in the amount of $2,600.00. None opposed.
Mr. Boos questioned the dates of the Advanced Reprographics invoices and whether they had been paid by Mr. Wells. He answered that he thought they were sent directly to the Town for payment. Mr. Boos felt the charges were not consistent and somewhat expensive. Ms. Hornaday suggested we table the approval of the Advanced Reprographics invoices until the next meeting.
Mr. Goldsholl suggested going forward that we proclaim on budget or not in relation to the approval of all invoices.
X. OTHER BUSINESS – Change order approval process, Usage of Town meeting space (Glen Marston)
Mr. Wells explained the three types of change orders. With spec allowances, we anticipate the work but don’t know the scope and cost until we go to get it, resulting in a change order of no cost or a credit. The next type is owner requested changes such as an addition of a door. The contractor gets a list of the materials and cost needed and presents this to the architect who reviews and recommends it. The third type covers an unexpected event that results in a cost or credit. This also follows the architect’s review and recommendation. Ms. Hornaday questioned the town’s policy of designating someone to process the change orders up to a certain dollar amount, whether it is a committee member or chairman or the Town Manager. Mr. Robertson suggested he and Mr. Bartha prepare a policy to present to the
committee at the next meeting. Ms. Leonard mentioned page 3 of the background material and information presented, highlighting that change orders valued at more than $10,000 must be approved by the State Library and should be reviewed by the full building committee. Ms. Hornaday stressed the importance of having the policy in writing as to avoid misunderstanding. Mr. Wells added that architects use a CCD form (construction change directive) that authorizes the work to be done and used as a charge, credit or discussed later.
Ms. Hornaday introduced Mr. Marston to the members. He discussed community meeting space available and how heavily it’s used at two facilities: Countryside Park and the Senior Center. He said the Senior Center really doesn’t accommodate small groups well. He does not recommend the partition used there which is essentially a curtain that does not provide enough privacy and quiet when dividing the room. Countryside Park is basically an open room with a floor.
Mr. Marston continued that there are small conference rooms in the Town’s buildings 1, 5, 6 and 7 which need access by fob and time clocks or keys. He emphasized that the need for meeting space is great. Space availability during the day is especially acute. Lacking staff attendance at the facilities also presents an issue of entrance for use. The public schools actually provide enormous space and are staffed during the week but provide no access during the day. Mr. Kuziak suggested a small fee for a fob to be used for access at night. Mr. Marston said Public Works oversees the fobs and they really haven’t gone in this direction yet. Mr. Kuziak also suggested a shared Outlook software program to cover meeting space and availability for the Town and that unfortunately it is not under one management coordinator.
Ms. Hornaday offered that there used to be a single place in Town to go to for meeting scheduling. Ms. Vocelli uses the Town website calendar to schedule as many community meetings as possible. Groups can meet at the library at night in the community room while not having access to the rest of the library. Ms. Stokesbury said the Board of Education’s system works very well showing every area available, even asking for furniture or food needs.
Mr. Bartha reminded the members that next week’s meeting is Wednesday, November 10th at 7:00 PM.
XI. ADJOURNMENT
VOTE: Mr. Kuziak motioned, Ms. Leonard seconded and all agreed to adjourn the meeting at 9:05 AM. None opposed.
Recorded by:
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Susan Gatcomb, Staff Person
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David Goldsholl, Secretary
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