Town of Newbury
Municipal Building Committee
MINUTES
DATE: March 5, 2015 Approved as written, 5/18/2015
Present: Eric Svahn, Chair; Tracy Blais; Steve Fram; Sam Joslin; John Lucey, Jr.; Martha Taylor
Absent: Mike Doyle; Richard Ronder
Guest: Chuck Bear, Selectman
Eric Svahn, Chair, called the meeting to order at 7:07 a.m.
Motion: A motion was made by S. Fram and seconded by S. Joslin to approve the meeting minutes of January 6, 2015 as written. The motion passed unanimously.
Motion: A motion was made by S. Joslin and seconded by S. Fram to approve the meeting minutes of January 26, 2015 as written. The motion passed unanimously.
- Fire Protection Company #2:
The Committee discussed the offer received from Fire Protection Company #2 to sell its vacant parcels at 7 and 7R Morgan Avenue to the Town. The Committee members agreed that the option of acquiring land from Pro #2 for the project should be considered, as long as the Town and Pro # 2 can agree on the terms of sale, but that action would need to be taken quickly in order to develop a revised recommendation and still keep the project on track for consideration at the May Election and Town Meeting. T. Blais will invite the Pro #2 Board of Directors to a meeting with the MBC, to be scheduled for March 11 or 12, at 7:00 p.m.
E. Svahn presented an updated line-item budget for the project and requested that the Committee members review it and give him feedback. The budget included an estimated design and engineering fee of 12.5% of construction cost, based on input from CSS Architects, the Town’s consultant for the initial feasibility study phase of the project, and two other architectural firms. He is seeking input from construction companies regarding the estimated construction costs.
E. Svahn provided the Committee with copies of communications from four Newbury residents voicing their comments and concerns about the project and his responses.
T. Blais confirmed that the construction costs will be financed through a debt exclusion override and that maintenance will be funded through a general override. The actual tax impact for residents will go down over time as existing debt is paid off.
On a motion made by S. Fram and seconded by J. Lucey, the meeting was adjourned at 8:25 a.m.
NEXT MEETING:
Wednesday, March 11, OR Thursday, March 12, 7:00 p.m., Town Hall
Respectfully submitted,
Martha L. Taylor, Town Planner
MBC Secretary
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