Sharon Standing Building Committee

Gordon Gladstone-Chairman, Deborah Benjamin-Vice Chairman

Maureen Doherty-Project Manager

Members

Frederick Clay, William Croteau, Gina Maniscalco, Rick Rice,

Richard Slater, Colleen Tuck, Greg Waugh, Joel Wolk

The highlight of this year’s activity for the Sharon Standing Building Committee was the groundbreaking for the renovation and rehabilitation of the Community Center.  Town Meeting in May, 2006 appropriated approximately $1.4 million to augment the nearly $9 million appropriated at the November 2005 meeting.  The SSBC contracted with the low bidder, Paul J. Rogan Co., Inc., and construction began in June with the complete demolition of the interior of the building.  As of January, 2007, all demolition is complete, the masonry structure for the new exterior stairway has been built, the new septic system has been installed, the new elevator tower has been built and the entire parking area has been covered with a binder coat of asphalt.  In the interior, supporting floor joists and roof joists have been reinforced, new walls are being erected, new heating and air conditioning systems are being installed, new electrical wiring is being installed and new sub flooring has been put down.  Anticipated completion of the project remains as late September of 2007 and the project is projected to be completed within its budget.

The Special Town Meeting of October, 2005 appropriated $750,000 to be added to the $290,000 previously appropriated for the removal of asbestos and other hazardous waste from the Wilber School.  As of January 2007, that removal is complete.  As required by the SSBC, in order to secure the premises from vandals, the removal contractor installed a fence around the building and a series of motion activated lights.  The SSBC anticipates that the final cost of the remediation will be approximately $500,000 less than the $1.2 million dollar appropriation.

The SSBC successfully completed the installation of a new roof and a new heating system at the Middle school.  The SSBC was fortunate in completing the Middle School projects for approximately $1,200,000 less than the appropriation.

In both, the HVAC /roof at the Middle School and the Wilber abatement, the winning bids were lower than the architects’ estimates.  The substantial savings to the Town apparently resulted from a combination of a competitive bidding climate, projects of short duration and efficient contractors who required few change orders.  

The SSBC continued the process of finalizing its relationship with the general contractor of the Cottage and East elementary schools.  The SSBC arbitrated certain aspects of the Cottage contract and unfortunately was unsuccessful in persuading the arbitrator of the propriety of its position; however, the SSBC had sufficient funds remaining in the appropriation for the school to enable it to fund the arbitrator’s ruling.  As of this writing, the SSBC is still negotiating aspects of the contract at East.

David Belton, a member of the SSBC from its formation in 1997, decided not to seek reappointment; he was replaced by Gina Maniscalco, a former member of the Planning Board.  Rick Rice, an architect, was appointed to the committee to round out its ten member composition as provided by the enabling article.

Associated voting members represented proponents of the various projects that were the responsibility of the SSBC.  These include Donald Gilligan and Sam Liao, School Committee; Arnold Kublin and Robert Maidman, Council on Aging; Steve Lesco and Jay Bronstein, Recreation Advisory Committee; Michael Baskin, Board of Selectmen for the Wilber School.