Date: Fri 14-Jun-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

Town-Hall-South-renovation

Full Text:

Council Oks Funds For Town Hall South

B Y K AAREN V ALENTA

The Legislative Council voted Wednesday night to send the $840,000 Town Hall

South renovation project and a proposal to spend $650,000 on road

reconstruction to a town meeting for voter approval.

First Selectman Bob Cascella said a special meeting of the Board of Selectmen

will be held next Tuesday to schedule the town meeting. The town meeting has

been tenatively set for 7 pm Wednesday, July 31, at Town Hall South.

The council voted 9-1 to approve the Town Hall South project, which would be

funded by money set aside in the town's Reserve Fund for Capital and

Non-Recurring Expenditures. The $650,000 for road reconstruction would be

financed through 20-year bonds, a proposal unanimously approved by the

council.

Architect John Madzula told the council that the building renovation cost is

estimated at $678,000. Another $30,000 will be needed for site development

which includes such expenses as landscaping, paving, curbing, striping the

parking lot and minor drainage work, most of which will be done with town

labor. About $10,000 will be needed to relocate the 911 unit and antennas on

the building, which also houses the police department.

Mr Madzula said $105,000, or about 15 percent of the project cost, would be

set aside for contingencies, and $17,000 for architect/engineer fees.

Council Vice Chairman Melissa Pilchard cast the only vote against the project,

complaining that she had not been given information about the plans even

though she had asked several times.

"For the first time in the 18 years I have been on the council, I will go

against the majority decision," she said. "I am not satisfied - there are too

many loose ends. I think this is a large amount of money to spend, and I am

very concerned for the employees who work in that building. I've asked for

information and none of it has been forthcoming."

The project includes a new pitched roof to replace the existing flat roof, new

single-hung windows to replace the existing sliders, brick siding on all four

sides of the building, a major repair of the curtain drain around the building

and enclosure of the parking ramp area to create 5,000 square feet of

additional space for future office expansion.

Carpeting repeatedly soaked by leaks in the lower level will be replaced with

tile flooring. New sheetrock will be installed in the damaged areas of the

Planning & Zoning office, damaged studs will be replaced and the electrical

system will be repaired. All work must comply with new state building codes.

Council member Karen Blawie said she wanted to be assured that repairing the

drainage would eliminate the possibility of future leaks and proposed that

additional testing be done if necessary. Mrs Pilchard agreed. "I want to see

that the mold and mildew in that building are done away with," she said.

Mr Madzula said core sampling could be done for about $2,000 to be certain

there are no underground springs. "We had a meeting with the town building

officials and engineer and are confident that isn't the problem," Mr Madzula

said.

He admitted, however, that in the "unlikely" event that a spring did exist

under the building, it could cost as much as $70,000 to cut the slab and put

in new curtain drains. Mr Cascella said he would bring the recommendation to

do core sampling to the Public Building and Site Commission.

Councilman Jack Rosenthal asked for a comparison of the cost of brick siding

to clapboards. Mr Madzula said the brick facade will cost $175,000, about

twice the cost of clapboards, but will eliminate the need for continual

maintenance.

"Maintenance of the existing facade didn't cost anything," Mr Rosenthal

commented dryly. "The building was painted 10 years ago and hasn't been

touched since."

During the construction, the built-up roof will be torn off, but the metal

decking will remain and will be covered to prevent rain from leaking in.

"We've told the contractor that the police department must be kept in

operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week," Mr Madzula said. "Other offices

may be moved temporarily to the conference room while work is being done."

Mr Madzula said the decision was made to spend about $150,000 to enclose the

parking ramp for future office space because it was the most cost-effective

thing to do. If the town paid to demolish the ramp, and later needed the

additional space, it could cost $500,000, he said.

The architect said the decision was made to include $105,000 for contingency

because it isn't known yet whether there may be contaminated soil that would

have to be disposed of as hazardous waste. Before the town bought the property

in the mid-1970's, the building served as a farm implement salesroom and

repair facility.

A committee, which included Mr Cascella, Public Works Director Fred Hurley and

Legislative Council members Joe Borst and Win Ballard, has been overseeing the

planning of the project.