DRAFT
AVON FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY RENOVATIONS & ADDITION PROJECT
BUILDING COMMITTEE MINUTES
NOVEMBER 28, 2012
I. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 7:04 PM by Chairperson Diane Hornaday in the Avon Free Public Library, Second Floor Conference Room. Members present: Chairperson Diane Hornaday, Scott Boos, Barbara Leonard, Diane Carney, Janet Stokesbury, Secretary David Goldsholl and J. Tad Kuziak. Members absent: none. Also in attendance were Assistant Town Manager Steve Bartha, Director of Public Works Bruce Williams, Architect Peter Wells, Enterprise Builders Project Engineer Wayne Czarnecki and Circulation & Public Services Manager Tina Panik.
II. MINUTES OF PRECEDING MEETING – May 23, 2012
VOTE: Mr. Goldsholl motioned, Ms. Leonard seconded and all agreed to add the April 25, 2012 minutes to the agenda as voting for acceptance was tabled at the last meeting.
VOTE: Mr. Goldsholl motioned, Ms. Leonard seconded and all agreed to accept the April 25, 2012 minutes as presented. Mr. Boos abstained as he was absent from the meeting. Mr. Kuziak arrived too late for the vote.
VOTE: Mr. Boos motioned, Ms. Leonard seconded and all agreed to accept the May 23, 2012 minutes as presented. Mr. Goldsholl, Ms. Carney and Ms. Stokesbury abstained as they were absent from the meeting. Mr. Kuziak arrived too late for the vote.
III. COMMUNICATION FROM AUDIENCE
None.
IV. COMMUNICATION FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Mr. Bartha announced that Library Director Virginia Vocelli has retired and a new Director will be starting next week. Ms. Panik relayed that Mr. Glenn Grube will be the new Library Director coming from the Town of West Hartford. She continued that he would be bringing a new “vibe” to the system. Mr. Bartha noted that Mr. Grube has very strong technology skills. Ms. Carney questioned how it would be different. Ms. Panik answered that the technology perspective would be the biggest one. She added that the library would like to shift from expansion mode back to library. She also said that he’d be coming with new eyes and a fresh perspective. Mr. Bartha said that 6 candidates were interviewed and that three were brought back to meet with the Town Manager and Library Board President. Ms. Carney was concerned
that the new tech emphasis would change the library flavor. Ms. Panik summed that we’d be leading rather than falling behind, anticipating patrons’ questions and not just scrambling to find answers.
Ms. Hornaday reported that she’s had so many positive comments from people around town who are so pleased with the outcome of the building. One thing that had come to fruition is from the people who opposed the project and then have now come forward with praise and are glad that the town had gone forward with it. Mr. Wells added that he’s heard from other library directors that the Avon Library has set the standard. Ms. Leonard concurred with her report that while serving on the State Board, she has seen people clamoring to see the library which is very exciting on a State level.
V. UPDATE AND REPORT FROM a. Architect & Construction Manager, i. Geothermal/CES – electricity issue, ii. Punch list – report on completion
Both Mr. Wells and Mr. Czarnecki said they were all set. Ms. Hornaday requested discussion on the geothermal system. Mr. Czarnecki reported that there was nothing wrong with the geothermal system: it was tweaked and adjusted responding to staff feedback. Mr. Bartha summed that the situation started when electric bills started to come in somewhat higher than anyone expected. CES offered to come in and do any balancing, offering commissioning work that needed to be done to confirm that the system was operating efficiently and sized properly to accommodate the space. It had been determined at the May LBC meeting that the budget numbers for electricity calculated by CES did not accommodate for the increased size of the building for the operating budget process. Mr. Bartha and staff met several times over the summer with CES,
the subcontractor, the architect, and the construction manager. Given more months of experience, the estimated electricity cost is trending closer to $75,000/year vs. a budgeted $45,000; not the figure they hoped for, but not the $100,000+ they feared. Ms. Carney asked if there was any way to create savings say by turning down the heat. Mr. Czarnecki said that was part of the optimizing of the system by CES. Ms. Panik offered that the building operated optimally by keeping a constant temperature and filling the building’s gaps had achieved that. She also commended Public Works for their outstanding efforts throughout. Mr. Bartha noted that, after consulting with the Town Attorney regarding a potential Errors & Omissions claim, it was determined that damages would be difficult or impossible to receive, as the issue was one of an operating budget miscalculation and not design related. Mr. Wells added that the system is designed correctly and the numbers given were based
when programming a bad budgeting one. Ms. Stokesbury insisted that there are damages. Ms. Carney said we chose the geothermal system because that was supposed to cost as the same as the gas would. Mr. Wells added that it is still better than the alternatives. Ms. Carney continued that it still was costing the town $35,000 more than we anticipated and had she known she would have voted for the gas – bottom line. Mr. Bartha replied that doubling the size of the building increased the heating/cooling costs. Mr. Wells explained that it would be clear had CES applied the same square footage as the other fuels. Mr. Goldsholl noted that costs will be evident when the system is put to the test of the cold winter. He continued that recent articles suggested that it was not recommended to install this type of system north of New Jersey. Mr. Wells countered that you’d find just as many articles that say just the opposite. Ms. Hornaday offered that there is always a “learning” that takes place
when things don’t necessarily go as planned and that it is unrealistic to think that you could double the size of the building and not increase the cost of the utility bill. Mr. Wells said too you had a larger amount of additional light fixtures that add to it.
Ms. Hornaday questioned Mr. Czarnecki if Action Air was the subcontractor and whether they worked with CES on the commissioning. Mr. Czarnecki said yes. Ms. Stokesbury asked what we were budgeting before the addition. Mr. Bartha said $42,000 for the electric and about $3,500 for oil, to which she responded that we weren’t even doubling it. Mr. Goldsholl clarified that he had asked about the insurance because after all the checking and re-checking people get hurt by people’s mistakes. Mr. Bartha responded that consultation with the attorneys said we’d have a serious claim if the system installed did not fit the building’s needs, but that wasn’t the case. Mr. Williams noted that the discussion was precipitated by Ms. Vocelli’s request for a budget number and not the design aspect. Ms.
Stokesbury feels that it is actionable and that is what insurance is for. Mr. Wells clarified that he was not hired based on hiring the engineers he hired or achieving a $45,000 electric bill. He continued that he gave information on a system that was more efficient than another and helped to satisfy LEED requirements for the grant. Mr. Boos summed that we hired Tuthill & Wells with CES as a part of their team and chose a system that maybe had more upfront costs but would get cheaper over the life cycle. Mr. Boos continued that we got a system that would cost about the same but ended not saving us as much as we would have hoped. Mr. Goldsholl noted that it was a matter of reputation – one that they’d do something about it or nothing at all and it’d come down to all of the mistakes that are made and whether it’s worth it.
Ms. Hornaday agreed with Mr. Bartha and Mr. Williams that this conversation started with Ms. Vocelli seeking a number to provide to the Town Council for the operating budget. She suggested too that getting the commissioning and adjustments might turn out to be to our advantage for the long run. Ms. Hornaday said she was planning to write a wrap-up letter to the town which could include things like this as helpful information for a next building committee.
Mr. Kuziak questioned if savings could be realized through turning down the temperature to save money during the winter or adjusting upwards in the summer. Ms. Panik reminded that comfort of the patrons should be considered when attempting savings through temperature regulating calling it a building occupied by people. She cautioned that upping a temperature in one area produces colder conditions in another. Ms. Carney countered that 5 years of effort in constructing the building has left her with the feeling that she is leaving a “legacy” of a contractor misleading us. Ms. Hornaday noted that it was not intentional and a lot of restitution has been made.
Ms. Hornaday requested an update for the punch list. Mr. Czarnecki said the items should be addressed in the next two weeks. Ms. Hornaday questioned item #3 – occasional leaks in specific areas in the basement. Mr. Wells felt it was an exterior column beam pooling and not a waterproofing issue and suggested that the builder fill the pockets with concrete. Mr. Czarnecki is waiting to see how the leaks are occurring because they don’t happen consistently with rainfall. Mr. Boos said the object of the meeting was to approve final payment to Enterprise and the issue was one of either the design or construction’s fault and was not resolved. He also asked when it would be resolved and when it would become the Public Works’ problem. Mr. Wells would like to try his solution and then test it to see if it
worked. Mr. Czarnecki said that he stands behind his work and has not walked away from a problem yet. Mr. Bartha reminded that the dissolution of the committee would precipitate guardianship by the Town Council so that oversight would continue and the committee would determine payment if the work was satisfactory to the Public Works Director and Architect.
VI. OLD BUSINESS a. Approval of Invoices, b. Review: Bond Sale, c. Review: Final Project Budget
Mr. Bartha presented invoices for approval. He said they amounted to $60,058.97 and related directly to the bond sale. Mr. Bartha was pleased to report that the final project cost was roughly $3.4 million less than projected. Ms. Hornaday commended the town’s continuing effort to support its bond rating as it helps to attract lower rates when it goes out to borrow money.
VOTE: Ms. Carney motioned, Mr. Goldsholl seconded and all agreed to approve for payment the invoices presented: The Bank of New York Mellon, dated 9/6/12, in the amount of $3,200.00, Standard & Poor’s, dated 9/28/12, in the amount of $8,500.00, SourceMedia, dated 10/12/12, in the amount of $1,290.00, IPREO, dated 10/15/12, in the amount of $1,500.00, IPREO, dated 10/31/12, in the amount of $887.66, Dixworks LLC, dated 10/16/12, in the amount of $14,430.00, Moody’s Investors Service, dated 10/19/12, in the amount of $11,500.00, Day Pitney LLP, dated 10/23/12, in the amount of $18,726.79, FedEx dated 10/12/12, in the amount of $24.52 and Enterprise Builders, Inc., dated 6/30/12, in the amount of $24,872.00 for a total of $84,930.97. None opposed.
Mr. Goldsholl reminded to mention the fundraising efforts amounted to just over $1 million. Ms. Leonard noted that it was quite a feat to raise this amount for a public building and the committee did a great job. Mr. Goldsholl commended Mr. Bartha for his contribution to the project.
VII. NEW BUSINESS
The resolution is as follows: “Resolved that the Avon Free Public Library Renovation/Addition Building Committee is thanked for their diligent service, since September of 2007, toward completion of the library renovations and additions project, and that responsibility for the final project closeout be transferred to the Town Council.”
Mr. Bartha noted that the resolution to disband the committee did not need a vote and that he’d answer any questions regarding the budget. Ms. Stokesbury questioned why the legal/bonding line item was over budget. Mr. Bartha attributed it, in part, to the unanticipated legal cost of trying to protect and comply with the State grant guidelines during the time it was in question.
VIII. OTHER BUSINESS
Ms. Hornaday expressed her pleasure at working with such a great committee, discussion has been open and frank and she is very proud of what we’ve done.
IX. ADJOURNMENT
VOTE: Mr. Kuziak motioned, Ms. Leonard seconded and all agreed to adjourn the meeting at 8:10 PM. None opposed.
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Susan Gatcomb, Staff Person
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David Goldsholl, Secretary
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