8/24/2016 - 08/24/2016
First Selectman's Corner
Dear Canton Residents,
I am writing once again with an update on the DPW Facility. On August 10th, the BOS heard a presentation on the proposal from Fuss and O’Neill to rebuild the facility at its current location, 50 Old River Road. That presentation is linked here. There are some significant changes from the original proposal, many of which were made in response to feedback we received from the community.
The structure is now a single story, 14,140 square foot, pre-engineered building with a roof height of 25 feet. It is very similar in design to the Barkhamsted garage, with a front office area and rear storage and work space. The storage area was increased to11,500 square feet, which will house all of our current trucks and equipment, with room for an additional plow truck and an additional pick-up truck, in the event those are needed in the future. Additional vehicle storage could also be accommodated in the wash bay and repair bay. The office area has been reduced 35% to 2640 square feet, with three small offices, men’s and women’s locker rooms, and an employee break room. A conference room, sign shop, and the elevator have been eliminated. Two public restrooms will be accessible from the outside during non-work hours, to serve the need for restrooms along the bike trail. The “horse barn” structure, which was recently re-roofed and is 21 feet in height, will be retained as a separate building for additional storage for DPW or Parks and Recreation. The salt shed is a separate structure, 1920 square feet and 28 feet in height. It will hold 2.5 times the salt of the current structure, which will significantly reduce the need to travel to Burlington to replenish supplies.
Both the main building and the salt shed will be elevated above the 100 year flood plain. Flood plain remediation is accomplished by lowering the existing ball field between 9 and 15 inches, which meets DEEP regulations. The fuel supply tanks will be moved further back from the river, and built up out of the flood plain as well. The site plans also provide appropriate space for any future expansion of the adjacent wastewater treatment plant.
The cost of the proposal, including all site work, demolition of the old structure, and bonding costs, would not exceed $3.825 million. Survey responses and general comments in the community indicate that the cost of prior proposals was a major concern for voters. In addition to the aforementioned changes, two significant cost drivers were removed to reduce the cost of the project. These are the elimination of the new entrance directly from River Road, and public river access. These additional features would cost between $400,000 and $600,000. There is space available with the current site plan to add these amenities in the future, if funds remained at the conclusion of the project or if grant or donated funding was available. This proposal is nearly $1 million lower than the last defeated proposal on Commerce Drive.
The proposal was presented to the Board of Finance on August 15th, and the BOF then held a special meeting on August 22nd where they voted to approve the resolution for the project at a price not to exceed $3.825 million. The BOS will continue consideration of the project at its meeting tonight, August 24th. In order to bring this proposal to the voters on November 8th, the BOS would need to vote on the resolution by September 7th.
Should you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to email me at lhill@townofcantonct.org, or call me at 860-693-7847.
Best regards,
Leslee B. Hill