11 minute read
Spotlight on Cape Cod
Orleans V ters OK Additi $12M f r Sewer Pr ject
nal
ORLEANS — Under a blazing sun and with chairs paired and properly distanced, close to 400 voters conducted their business at the town’s first outdoor town meeting. Couples sat together under umbrellas. Many wore hats and sunblock. White arrows indicated the direction to walk between aisles and around the track adjacent to the Nauset Middle School. The temperature was 83 degrees and climbing at the start of the 10 a.m. meeting. Fire rescue crews stood ready and passed out bottled water for those in need.
Selectman Kevin Galligan made a motion to move up for early consideration Article 42 — which sought an additional $12 million to fund the downtown sewer project — because of the amount requested and because four other articles were contingent on its passage.
The cost of the downtown sewer project, initially estimated at $47,276,200, was approved by voters at last year’s town meeting. The cost increased to $59,494,200.
Richard Hartmann, chairman of the Board of Water and Sewer Commissioners, said the increase was driven by bids that came in much higher than expected; the design at Stop & Shop that required On June 18, the Finance Committee learned the more work than planned; increased costs for a stortown didn’t qualify for the forgiveness program. The age facility; increased labor costs and supply chain 10%, or $6 million, will be added to the 30-year term disruptions because of COVID-19. at 0% interest.
Finance Committee Chairwoman Lynne Bruneau The Finance Committee gave its unanimous supsaid the original cost of $47.2 million was based on port to the article, after which a brief discussion enthe 30% design that was required by the timeline set sued. The article passed by the required two-thirds by the state. Orleans applied for a 0% loan from the vote. State Revolving Fund to finance the project, which it Voters approved four articles that included fundreceived. ing for a comprehensive water resource management
Under State Revolving Fund guidelines, towns plan, water quality projects at Brewster and Locust that fall below the state’s average median income are Roads, water services and water main replacements. eligible for up to 10% loan forgiveness. That 10% forThese were all contingent on the passage of addigiveness had been assumed in the project’s financial tional funding for the downtown sewer project. plan. continued on page 57
Spotlight on Cape Cod continued from page 55 men to Select Board, were postponed to the fall town meeting.
Discussion regarding the $775,000 purchase of Written by Denise Coffey. Reprinted from the the Peck Property on Arey’s Pond was much longer. The Finance Committee voted against the purchase, Cape Cod Times. continued on page 59 5-4.
Bruneau cited the uncertain economic climate, the property’s assessed value of $230,000, and the fact that there are conservation restrictions already in place on the property.
Community Preservation Act funds, which would pay for the property, should be saved for other purposes, she said.
Finance Committee member Bob Renn disagreed. Boston Area
Because Community Preservation Act funds Locations would pay for the purchase, there would be no increase in the tax 2 Dexter Street rate, he said. There is also a high B o Eve st re on tt, Area MA 021 49 B oston Area probability that the town will be able to access a Local Acquisitions for Natural Diversity grant to 2 Locations 2 Dexter Street 431 Second Street Eve rett, MA 021 49 Lo c Dext a e t r io S n t s reet pay $400,000 of the cost. Eve rett, MA 021 Eve 49 rett, MA 021 49
“Water quality will be maintained and the land will be enjoyed 431 Second Stre 43 et 1 Second Street in perpetuity,” Renn said. Eve rett, MA 021 Eve 49 rett, MA 021 49 Town Moderator David Lyttle relied on counters for the final tally. BOSTON AREA LOCATIONS 2 Dexter Street Everett, MA 02149 431 Second Street Everett, MA 02149 100 Fremont Street Worcester, MA 01603 The article passed 274-96.
Voters approved the final $39,542,344 fiscal 2021 operating budget. The tax rate is $7.69, a 1.7% increase.
Bruneau called the COVID-19 pandemic a financial nor’easter that had driven an anticipated 3% tax rate decrease to a 2% increase Minic over the course of the last five months. She asked for voter suphiello Bros./Scrap-It, Inc., Minichiello Bros./Scrap-It, Inc. Serves port, and promised that town ofover 2500 customers a week and is one New England's largest buyers, Serves over 2500 customers a week and is one of New England’s largest sellers ficials and board members would and processors ofscrap metal. For over 60 years our goal has remained buyers, sellers, and processors of scrap metal. For over 60 years our goal Minichiello Bros./Scrap-It, Inc., Minichiello Bros./Scrap-It, Inc., the same - to provide the best prices in the industry along with top notch customer service! Call Fred Rogers at 617-595-5505 has remained the same - to provide the best prices in the industry along with top notch customer service! Call Fred Rogers at 617-595-5505 work over the summer to present a revised budget at the fall town meeting.
Serves over Voters approved fire station 2500 customers a week and is one New England's largest buyers, sellers and HVAC improvements, contracts Serves processors of over 2500 customers a week and is one New England's scrap metal. For over 60 years our goal has remained largest buyers, the same - with police and firefighters, the to sellers provide the and best processors prices in the ofscrap industry metal. along For over 60 years with top notch our goal has remained customer Community Preservation Act service! the same - to provide the best prices Call Fred Rogers at 617-595-5505 in the industry along with top notch program budget, which included customer service! Call Fred Rogers at 617-595-5505 $500,000 for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Four petition articles, as well as an article that would change the name of the Board of Select- Turn your metal into money today! Minichiello Bros. Inc.,/Scrap-It Inc. Turn your metal into money today! Minichiello Bros. Inc./Scrap-It Inc.
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Spotlight on Cape Cod continued from page 57
B urne's New Wastewater Plant
Target f
r January C leti n n
Construction of the town’s new wastewater treatment facility near Queen Sewell Park in Buzzards Bay is expected to be completed within the next six months. Engineers working on the project have set a target completion date of late January for the new plant.
The $9.7 million facility is being built on a site near Queen Sewell Park and adjacent to the new Bourne Police Department station. The Robert B. Our Company of Harwich won the bid for the job. The new wastewater plant has been cited as key to the renaissance of the downtown business district.
Under a current intermunicipal agreement, Bourne is permitted to send 200,000 gallons of wastewater a day to the treatment facility in Wareham. Much of that amount has been allocated, which has prevented new businesses from opening in Buzzards Bay.
The new treatment facility will increase wastewater capacity in Buzzards Bay by 100,000 gallons a day. That increased flow is expected to open up business Work continues on the new wastewater treatment plant next opportunities in the town’s Growth Incentive Zone. to the new police station on the access road in Buzzards
During a remote Zoom meeting of the Wastewater Bay. Photo Credit: Gene M. Marchand/ENTERPRISE Facility Design and Building Committee on Monday, missed in the original documents. June 15, Corey Repucci of Weston & Sampson said “It happens sometimes, but I still recommend the there did not appear to be “any earth-shattering delays change order,” Mr. Andrews said. “It’s essential to the to the projects.” Mr. Repucci told the committee that the project.” facility is on target to be completed by January 21, 2021. All three change orders were unanimously ap
“That fits within the contractual timetable for the proved by the committee. project,” he said. Mr. Repucci told the committee that all of the
During Monday’s remote meeting, committee building’s exterior walls are now in place. Also in members approved the costs for several recomplace, he said, are the building’s interior columns, as mended change orders. The first request was for well as the facility’s pump station. The treatment plant $38,422, to cover a series of changes that were not will pump wastewater from its location off the bypass in the original as-bid document, Mr. Repucci said. road directly into the Cape Cod Canal. From there,
Committee member Stanley D. Andrews exthe discharge is expected to go out into the ocean plained that the modifications associated with the with the canal’s tide. change order were necessary for the type of building Henniker Directional Drilling of New Hampshire, under construction. Mr. Andrews said that accepting Mr. Repucci said, was expected to begin drilling unthe change order was in the best interest of the town der the Route 6 & 28 Bypass Road this week. He said and recommended approval. the drilling equipment is already on site, and the work
The second change order was to add some was not expected to take more than two days. plumbing venting to the building at a cost of $8,164. Two large boulders unearthed at the site have Mr. Andrews noted that a building code change enbeen broken up and removed, and a base coat of acted in 2019 mandated the change order, and recpaving for the facility has been laid down, Mr. Repucommended the committee’s approval. ci said. Work crews are awaiting completion of paving
The third change order was for $12,752.08 to add with the top coat being put down, he said. necessary gas piping that was not included in the Committee chairwoman Mary Jane Mastrangelo original bid documents. Mr. Andrews said it was unasked if the current COVID-19 pandemic might delay fortunate that the additional equipment and cost were continued on page 60
Spotlight on Cape Cod continued from page 59 the project, and Mr. Repucci said it will not. He said he had received notice from Robert B. Our of the potential for delays due to the coronavirus, but so far the project is moving forward on schedule.
“Various items have altered completion times between a week or two, up to a month of time, but everything right now is being shown as being completed within the timeframe for the job,” he said.
A notice of project delays due to the pandemic was issued back in April. In a letter dated April 8, Damon A. Burchill of Robert B. Our noted that the “current health crisis is creating numerous challenges for all of us.”
“We will continue to work on what we can on the project as long as we are able to comply with all federal and state issued guidelines for the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mr. Burchill wrote.
Mr. Burchill pointed out that collective bargaining agreements with subcontractors were part of the cause for work stoppages because of the pandemic. The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades both issued stay-at-home orders, he said.
Companies providing supplies for the project also gave notice of expected delivery delays. Despite the delays, Mr. Burchill said, his company understands the importance of the project, and the company is “determined to prosecute the work in the most-expeditious manner possible.”
At Special Town Meeting in May 2019, residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of the town appropriating $2.8 million in additional funding for the treatment plant. At Special Town Meeting in October 2017, residents approved $335,000 in capital outlay funds and $2.4 million in borrowing to help fund the plant.
Also in October 2017, the town received a $1.5 million MassWorks grant from the commonwealth. A subsequent MassWorks grant for $300,000 has since pushed that amount to $1.8 million. The project has also been awarded a $2.335 million federal Economic Development Administration grant.
A condition of the original MassWorks grant was that the project be completed by June 2020. Given the COVID-19 delays, the town requested, and was approved for, an extension to June 2021.
The project is also eligible for up to $4,603,410, including $327,965 of contingency, from the Massachusetts State Revolving Fund. The SRF is a loan fund that provides zero interest funding during construction and low interest long term financing.
Written by Michael Rausch. Reprinted from capenews.net. n
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