AVON FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY RENOVATIONS & ADDITION PROJECT
BUILDING COMMITTEE MINUTES
MAY 18, 2011
I. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM by Chairperson Diane Hornaday in the Selectmen’s Chamber Town Hall Building 1. Members present: Chairperson Diane Hornaday, J. Tad Kuziak, Janet Stokesbury, Scott Boos, Diane Carney and Secretary David Goldsholl. Member absent: Barbara Leonard. Also in attendance were Assistant to the Town Manager Steve Bartha, Library Manager of Adult Services Alice Pentz, Architect Peter Wells, Public Works Director Bruce Williams, Enterprise Builders Operations Manager Michael McNaboe and Enterprise Builders Project Engineer Wayne Czarnecki.
II. MINUTES OF PRECEDING MEETING – April 20, 2011
Ms. Hornaday requested to remove the word “other” from the last paragraph on page 4.
VOTE: Mr. Goldsholl motioned, Ms. Stokesbury seconded and all agreed to accept the April 20th minutes as presented with the change. None opposed.
III. COMMUNICATION FROM AUDIENCE
None.
IV. COMMUNICATION FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Ms. Stokesbury reported that the recent Friends of the Library book sale went well with sales of approximately $17,000. Though not as much as last year’s sales of $20,000+, it was still considered a success. She noted that patrons did not purchase as many hard cover books.
V. UPDATE AND REPORT FROM a. Construction Manager, b. Architect, c. Project Manager
Mr. Czarnecki gave the construction update. Structural steel is substantially complete and the basement concrete slab is poured. Pouring slabs on the first and second floor have been delayed because of rain. Roof trusses are on site and not scheduled to be put up until next week because of the delay in pouring the first and second floor slabs. Mechanical rough-ins have been started in the basement with fire protection and HVAC penetrations through the floor being coordinated. They are prepared to start framing the exterior wall studs. He said that basically the weather was affecting the progress. Ms. Stokesbury expressed budget concerns with having workers there Saturdays and Sundays. Mr. Czarnecki said the steel crew came in to catch up. Mr. Bartha added that the Town ordinance allows construction between the hours of
8:00 AM and 6:00 PM on weekends and holidays. Mr. Bartha has discussed the weekend work with the job supervisor, James, in an effort to relay citizen concerns with noise disturbance. Mr. Boos added to remind the masons to bang out the cement the night before so as not to disturb the neighbors so early in the morning as they make their preparations for their workday. Ms. Hornaday thanked Mr. Czarnecki for his report. She added that people frequently comment to her about the project coming along which shows they are observing and excited about it.
Mr. Wells has been having coordination meeting with the contractors to discuss possible conflicts and their resolutions. Subcontractors meet with their drawings to see potential problem areas in an effort to coordinate solutions. He continued that we’ve received two of the three bids for some of the furniture, IT and the millwork for the three circulation desks. He said everything is going well.
Mr. Bartha discussed the furniture bids that came in today. He said there was one who bid on the whole package and came in under bid which is encouraging. He added that Ms. Newell was concerned with the shelving piece because it could pose a problem with different bidders supplying material that didn’t match up. Mr. Bartha suggested keeping the June 1st morning committee meeting in order to discuss the IT and furniture packages and also extending an invitation to the consultants to give their recommendations. He’d like to have all three bids ready to vote on by the committee that morning.
Mr. Bartha continued the discussion with the millwork bids. Three numbers came in below the budgeted amount with one substantially so. Mr. Wells spoke to the principals and references of the low bidder and feels comfortable with the information he’s received about the company. He said that he’s had experience in the past with very low bidders turning out to be very good. Mr. Wells added too that the company would need some lead time to set up a performance bond which would have to be considered. Mr. Boos questioned what was in the millwork bid. Mr. Wells said it covered the three desks – reference, circulation and children’s. Furniture by Design, of Clearwater, FL, would do everything in the bid except dispose of the old desks, which could be subbed out to the construction team. They will travel
from Florida to do the installation as well. Ms. Carney questioned why the millwork was separate from the rest of the furniture. Mr. Wells said it involves custom millwork vs. tables and chairs. She asked if there were companies capable of providing all of the bid components. Mr. Wells said there were but that he’d found better results by doing it separately. He said too that there was a huge mark-up on pre-made furniture. Custom craftsmen cannot offer the discounts that dealers can. Ms. Hornaday asked if there was any way to find out if the company was having any difficulties because of the current economic market. She told of another project where a window company was at a cash only payment schedule and the work done was of a very poor quality. Mr. Wells said we could ask for financial statements which he said were not part of the bid documents. He said the performance and payment bond protects the town from failure to perform. Ms. Carney questioned the distance to recoup
from a company so far when we’d stand a better chance with one closer. Mr. Wells reiterated that in order to reject a bid there had to be a good reason and the rules are that the low bidder gets the job. Ms. Hornaday was pleased too that savings could be realized in these bids and then have these monies to offset overages elsewhere. Mr. Boos suggested researching the legitimacy of the bonding company. He explained that the performance bond would pay us the whole amount up front which would be put in escrow. He cautioned too that perhaps the bonding company might not give them a bond based on the bid results.
Ms. Stokesbury questioned why the bid was so low for the company. Mr. Wells said he even asked them again, based on the other bidders’ higher amounts, and offered to allow them to back out. They explained that their wages were lower and everything was done in-house with none of the work subbed out. Ms. Stokesbury added that you can’t beat that price. Mr. Boos agreed that he thought it was the lower labor costs. Mr. Kuziak was able to google the company during the discussion and found no negative information on them. Ms. Hornaday asked for a motion to add a vote to move forward with a millwork contract to the agenda.
VOTE: Ms. Stokesbury motioned and Mr. Kuziak seconded for the committee to authorize moving forward with the contract for the millwork subject to receipt of the performance bond. All voted in favor. None opposed or abstained.
Mr. Bartha will start the paperwork to award the bid tomorrow. Mr. Wells will contact the owner to begin the bonding process. Ms. Stokesbury commented that $37,000 was just saved off the budget. Mr. Bartha was pleased to add that a CL & P engineer team looked at the CES plans and calculated a rebate of $22,200 for the Town. Ms. Hornaday reminded Mr. Bartha that these are the kinds of things that make good PR for the project. Mr. Bartha said that they are planning to include an article in the October newsletter about energy savings plans the Town is engaged in including the Library’s geothermal installation and lighting projects.
VI. OLD BUSINESS a. Project Budget Update, b. Approval of Invoices, c. Review of Change Orders, d. Value Engineering Schedule
Mr. Bartha recommended using monies left in line item 02-4849-52184 Asbestos/Haz. Materials Report/Insp. to pay for air conditioners in the server and History rooms at the library, which would be quite warm during the summer. Ms. Hornaday questioned who’d get the a/c units after the summer. Ms. Stokesbury questioned cooling the public areas as well. Mr. Williams said the server room particularly needed to be kept cool. Ms. Hornaday concurred and asked when the move over to the new part would occur. Mr. Czarnecki said in October. Mr. Goldsholl suggested looking at the options to cool the library such as cost before a decision is made. Ms. Hornaday said these options could be discussed at the next morning meeting. Mr. Bartha suggested as least moving forward with cooling those two rooms mentioned. Mr. Williams added
that patience runs short when it’s really hot and agreed with Mr. Bartha’s suggestion. Ms. Hornaday asked for a vote.
VOTE: Mr. Goldsholl motioned and Mr. Kuziak seconded for the committee to agree to move forward with Mr. Bartha’s plan to cool the server and history rooms at the library. All voted in favor. None opposed.
Mr. Bartha will take $1,500 out of line item 02-4849-522184 to pay for cooling the two aforementioned rooms.
Mr. Bartha presented an invoice, Special Testing Laboratories invoice #25713, in the amount of $2,569.00, that he’d like to include in the agenda. He had James, the project supervisor, look it over and recommends payment. James feels the special inspections are in line with the budget.
VOTE: Ms. Stokesbury motioned, Mr. Goldsholl seconded and all agreed to add the Special Testing Laboratories, Inc. invoice 25713 to the agenda. None opposed.
Mr. Bartha recommended payment of the invoices presented. Ms. Hornaday asked for any questions and a motion.
VOTE: Mr. Goldsholl motioned, Ms. Carney seconded and all agreed to present for payment the following invoices per Mr. Bartha’s recommendations: Enterprise Builders application for payment #006, $199,765.00, dated 4/30/11, Tuthill & Wells monthly fee of $8,603.00, Special Testing Laboratories, Inc. invoices 25713, $2,569.00, dated 5/16/11 and 25691, $400.00, dated 4/29/11, Szewczak Associates invoice 15117, $570.00, dated 4/5/11 and the Harford Courant’s legal notice invoices $175.59, dated 4/20/11, $205.00, dated 4/27/11, and $163.83, dated 4/2/711 totaling $544.42. TOTAL: $212,451.42 None opposed or abstained.
Mr. Bartha discussed the updated change order list. Mr. Goldsholl clarified that $17,000 represented change orders to date that did not include value engineering items added back or items the Library Board agreed to cover. Mr. Bartha said item #18 is the only new one on the list. Mr. Kuziak questioned the wall mounted toilet being the town standard vs. the floor mount type. Mr. Williams said that it makes it easier to clean. Mr. Kuziak agreed that it really was for sanitation reasons. Ms. Carney questioned item 18B, electronic/automatic toilet fixture. Mr. Williams said that it is a hands-free electronic flush toilet. She questioned spending $23,589 for toilets you don’t have to touch. Mr. Boos said these were items that were missed by mistake in the bidding documents but would like to be in the project per Mr.
William’s suggestions. Ms. Carney remarked that items are being selected based on being “sanitary” that may serve a department’s wishes which she considers “ridiculous.” Mr. Bartha said that these items were not actionable at this time thus requiring no decisions.
Mr. Bartha discussed the value engineering list. Items remaining total $19,105.93. Mr. Wells discussed the benefits of wall coverings (item 9P) vs. washable paint. Ms. Hornaday suggested that it be easier to paint rather than remove and replace wall coverings. Ms. Stokesbury relayed Ms. Leonard’s preference for wall coverings. Mr. Wells said it was a heavy vinyl material. Mr. Kuziak questioned how to keep it clean. Mr. McNaboe said that it is a vinyl material that is easier to clean than a painted wall. Mr. Kuziak questioned whether a decision had to be made now or could the wall be painted and then wall covering added later. Mr. Boos said that adding wall covering later would be more costly. Ms. Pentz relayed Ms. Vocelli’s thoughts. Ms. Vocelli said that this is a very public area where the wall covering will
be applied, that it is heavily used and would look nicer there. Mr. Boos would like to vote on it now in order not to have to discuss it later.
VOTE: Mr. Boos motioned, based on the library staff’s recommendations as well as Ms. Leonard’s, Mr. Kuziak seconded and all agreed to restore valued engineering item 9P (restore wall coverings in Stair 1 instead of painted wall) to the budget. None opposed or abstained.
VII. NEW BUSINESS
Mr. Czarnecki discussed recent concerns regarding tying the new roof with the old. When they pulled back the existing sheathing, they found that it did not appear normal but dry rot and punky. He feared a lack of proper ventilation could be cooking the shingles. His concern is that the problem could be widespread so he will have an engineer witness the stripping to determine procedure. There are a lot of unknowns at this point. He added that it would be more cost effective to have the roofing contractor give him a price over a rough carpenter doing it. He recommends starting the roofing part earlier than expected in order to head off potential problems in the colder months. Ms. Hornaday posed that there could be a lot of deterioration or a little but they won’t know until they do the job. Mr. Czarnecki does think
that there is enough ridge venting to adequately vent the attic space. The plan is to put new shingles on the entire roof. Mr. Wells reminded that the insulation between the rafters and would have to be replaced as well if the sheathing needed to be replaced. Mr. Goldsholl suggested Mr. Czarnecki look at the worst case scenario, such as having the whole roof sheathing replaced, in order to anticipate the budget impact. Mr. Bartha offered that the next two construction meetings should provide additional information for decision making. Ms. Hornaday reminded the members that money spent now would avoid bigger problems later down the road and to err on the side of caution and be proactive. Ms. Hornaday thanked Mr. Czarnecki for the report.
VIII. OTHER BUSINESS
None.
IX. EXECUTIVE SESSION a. Contract negotiations
Mr. Bartha and the committee members went into executive session at 8:18 PM.
X. ADJOURNMENT
VOTE: Mr. Goldsholl motioned, Ms. Carney seconded and all agreed to come out of executive session at 8:24 PM. None opposed.
VOTE: Mr. Goldsholl motioned, Mr. Boos seconded and all agreed to adjourn the meeting at 8:25 PM. None opposed.
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Susan Gatcomb, Staff Person
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David Goldsholl, Secretary
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