DPW Director James Shuris giving a tour of the DPW garage, a large puddle on the floor.
Photo credit: Deborah Gauthier

NORTHBRIDGE, Mass. – With  selection of a firm to study redevelopment of the Department of Public Works facility on Fletcher Street behind them, a probable cost of the project is now front and center in the minds of members of the Building, Planning and Construction Committee (BPCC).

Construction of a new Department of Public Works has been in the discussion and planning stage for several years, proposals ranging from $2.1 million using garages on property off of Providence Road in Linwood and $10 million for a large facility at the wastewater treatment plant property on Providence Road in Whitinsville.

None of the proposals had voter support.

“Do we have a sense from the town manager of a budget for the facility?’’ asked BPCC member Patrick J. Moynihan.

“We’ll probably be looking at a debt exclusion,” said BPCC Chairman Thomas Pilibosian. “There isn’t enough money in the town’s capital plan to do it.’’

 “The number everyone is talking about is $2.5 million,’’ noted D PW Director James Shuris. “But there is no guarantee it will get to the next phase,’’ he said. “Right now, what we need to know is can we stay?’’

HKT was given a “notice to proceed’’ on Monday and has already met with DPW workers to discuss what they need in the new facility to do their job.

 “We told them what we need, not what we’d like to have,’’ Shuris said. “They asked how many people knock on that door? Do you need a large reception area?” “No. All we need is a small vestibule.’’

“What we need to know is can we stay here and at what cost,’’ Shuris said.

Surveying boundary lines begins today (Friday), he noted, and HKT will be talking to the Conservation Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals to determine whether there are impediments to keeping the DPW at its current location.

A portion of the land is on the flood plain, and some of the potential designs submitted by HKT last week show the main building moved further from the bank of the Mumford River and out of the plain.

Shuris said he’ll be meeting with HKT designers every Thursday from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., and he’ll provide a report of that meeting to BPCC members so they are kept in the loop.

In addition, HKT will meet periodically with the BPCC,  and will also be meeting with the Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee once a plan is in place.

“We’re looking for the smallest footprint. Anything is better than what we have right now. We want something that is simple and cost effective,’’ Shuris said.