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NORTHBRIDGE, Mass. – HKT Architects, chosen by the Building, Planning, and Construction Committee to study the feasibility of redeveloping the Department of Public Works facility on Fletcher Street, will provide a progress report to the BPCC at its meeting on Thursday at 7 p.m.
“It’s looking very favorable that we can stay,” said DPW Director James Shuris. The DPW is partially located on the flood plain of the Mumford River, and officials were concerned that the facility would have to be moved.
The purpose of the feasibility study, funded with $78,000 approved by Fall Town Meeting voters last year, was to determine whether the DPW can stay in its current location, provide options for new construction and/or reuse of current buildings, and a cost estimate.
There is agreement among officials that a new DPW is needed. A multi-structure facility, one of the buildings collapsed last winter, the insurance used to fund the feasibility study.
In a news article two years ago, then BPCC chairman Robert Knapik is quoted as saying, “It is widely acknowledged that the need for the town to replace the existing Northbridge Department of Public Works is acute.’’
Some of the other buildings are in disrepair and will need to be razed, Shuris said. He believes the main building and snow shed can be reused.
The cost of a new DPW has been a bone of contention in the community for many years, estimates ranging from $1.2 to $10 million, though the $10 million is a figure that’s been floated at meetings and printed in news reports, but never a solid proposal, noted Selectman James Marzec at a recent meeting of the board.
Over the last several years, four DPW proposals have been considered, noted Neil Mitchell, of Neil Mitchell Engineers, who on his own time designed a DPW facility for town-owned property at the Wastewater Treatment Plant on Providence Road.
Only two of the plans had cost estimates, $2.5 million on property off of Linwood Avenue in Linwood to the rear of the Depot Car Wash, rejected by Town Meeting voters in May, 2010, and Mitchell’s $2.1 million at town-owned property adjacent to the Wastewater Treatment Plant on Providence Road, rejected by Town Meeting voters in November, 2010.
Two other plans, one across the street from the Wastewater Treatment Plant, with a projected cost of $5 million, and a second adjacent to the Wastewater Treatment Plant, never made it to voter consideration.
Shuris said HKT on Thursday will also give a presentation on the different options that conform best to the property, moving much of the operation off the flood plain.
Because it is a redevelopment project, the town can bypass state permitting, seeking only local board approvals, Shuris said.
The plan is to have a final proposal ready to bring before Town Meeting voters in May.
'DPW., An Opinion'
Lets see if I have this correct we can have a brand 'New' Heavy Duty Truck easy assessable DPW, Saltshed, Washbay. Plus a suggestive potential unpredictable in the opinion of many a problematic Railroad Crossing corrected at the Waste Water Treatment Plant Site., in the potential price range of approx $1.9 Million Dollars or the Fall 2010 Town Meeting price of $2.1 Million Dollars, if costs have not gone up? Or we can have a possible 'used and partial new Rebuild DPW' at the present DPW site, in the close proximity of a Flood Plain, possible Sewage Pumps for Town Sewer if maybe required? For a possible cost or price to be maybe announced in the near future? Plus may the Town may also have to consider Municipal Liability Insurance potential increased premium costs, if the Sewer Pumps if required may ever fail? Plus would it not still be adjacent to a Flood Plain and the Mumford River? Plus may any cost projections for the possible Fletcher Street Used Rebuild may be as solid as rock?
For those that may have concerns of the viability of the $1.9 Million or $2.1 Million costs for the Providence WWTP site, that our Three Senior Selectmen and Town Manager supported at the fall 2010 Town Meeting. For those that were at the Town Meeting if you recall a 'Heroic Member' of the FINCOM that also supported the proposal, stated if their was any doubt in the costs or the stated price the money would not be released by the Town. Thus potentially similar to a Home Construction Loan one may potentially receive from a Bank when building a home, or like so many checks and balances in our today society.
For those that may have any relatives in Vermont ask them about Hurricane Irene, and they will tell you about areas that were never suppose to Flood Out, 'but did'! Some may be scratching your heads thinking in these tough economic times, this Town may even be considering using hard earned Taxpayer money and potentially maybe rebuilding adjacent to a Flood Plain? Plus close to the Mumford River and maybe potential possible futuristic environmental concerns of possible oil and salt maybe coming off the DPW Vehicles and maybe potentially slowly sauntering into the Mumford River?
Plus please do not blame the previous DPW Director for the conditions of the Roads in Town, look at how Cities/ Towns may have been potentially underfunded for maybe many years on Road Repair Funds from the State Chap 90 account to potentially maybe subsidize the Big Dig in Boston. Plus the Towns annual DPW Budget has been level funded for numerous years at a $1 Million Dollar level, if I recall. At many of the Power Point Presentations about the Road Conditions in Town, after all the potential required costs out of the DPW's repeated level funded $1 Million Dollar budget, all the Town had was approx $177,000 for Road repairs if correct? Its obvious the Town's DPW may need close to an annual $2 Million Dollar budget if the Taxpayers expect the DPW to keep up with the Road Repairs, in my opinion.
I have a feeling a lot of Taxpayers comfort level may also be potentially higher if DEP and EPA may have some part of the possible Rebuild Process if the DPW Rebuild Site may be selected.
In closing I am not to overly optimistic if approx #800 Town Voters voted 'NO" for a new DPW at the WWTP Site (with all the fixings), in November of 2010, that would have only cost them potentially $20.00 a year to the average Homeowner for approx #25 years. Then the hand writing may be on the Wall, unless the Town may be able to lower the cost's by State and Federal Grants? May a Town that may not be able to afford Street Lights, maybe Christmas Lights, & Trash Pickup, and maybe 'Surcharge Alamode' on our potential Water Bills potentially afford a DPW 'Rebuild or a new DPW'? That may be the ever pressing question?