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(rshsdepot) Wolfeboro, NH (Boston & Maine)

Selectmen approve modified proposal for Railroad Station repairs 

http://www.winnisquamecho.net/Articles-c-2009-06-24-148888.113119_Selectmen_approve_modified_proposal_for_Railroad_Station_repairs.html

I went to school about 20 miles from there for a while.

Thanks to Alco83 on the railfan.net forum for the heads up.

Henry

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Selectmen approve modified proposal for Railroad Station repairs 
 
by Thomas Beeler 
 
Editor of The Granite State News 
 
June 25, 2009 
 
WOLFEBORO . Last Wednesday, June 17, Public Works Director Dave Ford presented
selectmen with his analysis and recommendations on the four bids received for
repairs to the Railroad Station. 
 
Voters had approved spending $145,000 last March for repairs to the town-owned
Railroad Station building, "where repairs will include, but not be limited to,
replacing the roof, repairing or replacing rotten wood, insulating the
building, and scraping and painting the building." Before beginning repairs or
bidding the work, Ford had the building inspected. The inspection disclosed
water in the basement crawl space, an asbestos-covered pipe, and major
structural problems with the floor of the building, which houses the Wolfeboro
Nursery School and the Wolfeboro Area Chamber of Commerce. The tenants were
asked to leave while the asbestos hazard was abated (the nursery school
finished out the school year in space provided by the First Congregational
Church on South Main Street). 
 
Bids were then solicited for work on the station, broken down into four
sub-projects and two alternates. The sub-projects were: 1) attic insulation;
2) new floor and sill for the entire building, as well as any foundation
repairs needed; 3) new roof and roof repairs; and 4) painting the building
exterior and the interior of the Nursery School and abating the lead paint in
the entire building to state standards. 
 
The two alternates were: 1) phase the floor and sill replacement, with the
Nursery School taken care of in phase I and the Chamber and common space
rebuilt in phase II; and 2) replace dormer window and install new sash. 
 
Four bids were received by the deadline, and the bids were reviewed by Project
Architect Art Guadano and Building Consultant Sean Bergeron. The lowest bid,
by Bob Bushman of Olde Wolfeborough Renovations, was 40 percent lower than the
average of the other three bids and was found to be "not responsible." Guadano
recommended accepting the bid of Paul Kimball and Steve Fifield at $162,584,
which was $1,773 lower than the next lowest bid and promised completion of the
project in 76 days (the longest promised completion was 152 days). 
 
Not only is the $162,584 higher than the $145,000 authorized by voters, but
the town has already spent $46,289 of that authorized amount for building
evaluation, asbestos abatement, relocation costs, and bid preparation, leaving
an unencumbered balance of $98,711. In addition, Ford reported "there are
miscellaneous tasks that need to be completed that were not included in the
bid due to time constraints (outside drainage, sump pump, electric work, door,
fire alarm system) that is estimated at $22,000." Ford also recommended a
contingency of $20,000. 
 
All-in-all, Ford estimated that the town is $114,000 short of what is needed
to complete the project, based on the bids and estimates given. 
 
In a summary memo prepared on June 12, Ford presented four options for
selectmen to consider: 
 
1) Do only the roof repair, painting and insulation (as called for in the
warrant article) for a total of $86,485; 
 
2) Raise additional funds to complete the project this year by deferring other
projects (Albee Beach at $19,900, Smith River stabilization at $29,000 and
energy efficiency projects at $39,700) and find $25,000 elsewhere in the
General Government budget; 
 
3) Place the project on hold and request the additional funds next March; or 
 
4) Do nothing and sell the building as is "with the stipulation that the
building exterior be restored to keep its historical character." 
 
No one was happy with any of these options. Only the second would allow the
Nursery School to return in the fall (Option 1 would not, since the floor and
paint issues would not be addressed). 
 
After reading the June 12 memo, Selectman Linda Murray met with Ford and Town
Manager Dave Owen to develop a fifth option that would allow the tenants back
into a safe building, doing as much work as possible within the available
warrant article budget, supplemented with operating budget funds. Any
remaining work would be done with additional funds that would have to be
approved by voters next March. 
 
The work was broken down into seven tasks, in order of importance: 
 
1) Replace floors and sills for the entire building at one time; 
 
2) Abate interior lead paint and repaint interior; 
 
3) Assure all code issues are met, including minor electrical work, a fire
alarm and a second means of egress for the Nursery School; 
 
4) Repair roof and flashing to stop leaks; 
 
5) Paint exterior; 
 
6) Complete roofing; and 
 
7) Attic insulation and other miscellaneous tasks. 
 
Ford met with lead bidder Kimball to break down his bid and reassemble it into
the seven tasks. For the critical repairs needed to get the Nursery School and
Chamber back into the building safely (tasks 1-4), the cost would be $100,743,
of which the most expensive part would be the rebuilding of floors and sills
($72,243). The remaining work (tasks 5-7) would come to $71,840, a price that
Kimball agreed to hold until next year, assuming voters approve in March. 
 
The $100,743 cost could be met with the $98,711 unencumbered balance from the
original warrant article, supplemented by half of the remaining balance in the
Public Works Buildings and Grounds maintenance budget. There is an $8,200 cost
for construction supervision and inspection services by the architect, but
Ford said that could be paid out of the department's consultant budget. The
highway crew would also take care of the outside drainage problem and sump
pump. 
 
If selectmen gave the go-ahead for this fifth option right away, the Nursery
School could move back in by Sept. 8. 
 
Selectman Chair Dave Senecal said he liked the approach. 
 
Selectman Marge Webster got Ford's assurance that all code issues would be
addressed in this option, but then said, "I am really struggling with this"
because it doesn't address the outside work needed (paint and reroofing) and
because "we are putting money somewhere else when we are not taking care of
our employees." Paying for the additional work in 2010 was also a problem for
her, "when we are trying to address the town office problem." She said she
would prefer to have someone else pay for the repairs and pointed out that,
given current rents, it would take 50 years to pay for the total cost. 
 
Selectman Sarah Silk said she supported the fifth option proposal. People have
told her that the railroad station should be repaired. 
 
Selectman Kristi Ginter was concerned that the proposal did not address the
lack of insulation in the building. Ford responded that insulation could be
done if the $17,000 cost were taken from one of the deferrable projects
mentioned earlier. 
 
Ginter said she shared Webster's "mixed feelings," adding that she was not
happy with the amount of rental income the town is receiving for the building.
She said she favored selling the building "outright with restrictions." 
 
Murray countered that the railroad station is being used in ways that enhanced
the appeal of Wolfeboro to tourists. It also housed a major public bathroom
open to tourists. 
 
Chair Senecal moved to end discussion. "People told us to fix the railroad
station. I was in favor of another warrant article to do an assessment of all
buildings. We knew there were problems with the railroad station." He added
that he doubted selectmen would get approval from voters to sell the building,
but agreed with Ginter's concern about insulation ("We should be able to find
some way to at least insulate the ceiling once the leaks are fixed") and the
adequacy of the rent ("We need to look at that"). 
 
Silk made a motion to approve proceeding with the fifth option and commit
$100,743 to do the four tasks indicated. Murray seconded. 
 
Both Ginter and Webster said that the board was spending more than the voters
had appropriated and Ginter questioned whether the board can do that. 
 
Owen said, "You can." 
 
The vote was 3-2 to proceed with Murray, Senecal and Silk voting in favor. 
 
Ford said he would look into the energy efficiency project referred to earlier
to see if money could be found for ceiling insulation in the railroad station. 


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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org
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End of RSHSDepot Digest V1 #1909
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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org