Adams Selectmen Approve Additional Funds For Town Hall
ADAMS, Mass. — The Board of Selectmen approved a $60,000 reserve fund transfer on Wednesday to address unforeseen additions to the Town Hall roof repair project.
Town Administrator Jay Green requested the funds to cover additional structural and masonry work atop building.
"With any project, once they get into it they have found other issues and concerns with the roof structure," Green said. "It is mostly structural, dormers, some of the scrapping on the gutters to hold them up as well as the four chimneys they need masonry work."
The roof has not been maintained since the building's original renovation into town offices. The project was bid last year but did not start until this spring. Officials did not want to start the project during the winter.
Green said it will cost nearly $32,800 to make some of these critical structural repairs to the former American Legion post home. He said the additional amount would be for the chimney work, which is estimated to cost between $15,000 and 20,000.
Although this work does not have to be done now, he said, it would be prudent to complete it while the scaffolding is still in place.
"In order to do all of that work they need the scaffolding and scaffolding has a very high mobilization cost," Green said. "It is approximately $850 a week to rent all of that."
Selectman Joseph Nowak said he was happy to put more money toward Town Hall but wished a more comprehensive overview of the 1907 building had been done because it was apparent that the building's issues go deeper than just the roof.
"When I look at the extent of this I am a lot more concerned about a lot of these other things," Nowak said. "This looks to be more of a Band-Aid approach and I think more needs to be done if we want to do this right."
Community Development Director Donna Cesan agreed but noted the original project only encompassed the roof and that this was from a past administration. She said she felt a more comprehensive approach would have been better.
She did add that she thought the company, Titan Roofing, was doing a great job.
"I have been very pleased with their work and their workmanship so I think we are getting our money's worth," Cesan said. "I think we are doing right by this building."
The $60,000 transfer would bring the town's stabilization account down to $75,000 and although the Selectmen approved the transfer it left them unnerved
"That will put us below $100,000," Nowak said. "That just puts us one calamity away."
The Finance Committee now have to approve the transfer.
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