By K.B. Sherman, Community Reporter
Grafton – Representatives from the Grafton Department of Public Works (DPW) and Jaime Fair of Weston and Sampson Consulting met with the Grafton Board of Selectmen at the board’s June 2 meeting to discuss the new DPW building project, which was initiated in 2006. The new facility is slated to be built at Estabrook and Old Westboro Road if approved by the town’s voters.
The current DPW site on Upton Street is too small for the current size and number of vehicles and there is insufficient space for vehicle maintenance and combustible materials storage. Sufficient ventilation is also lacking and the buildings themselves have exceeded their useful life and lack a vehicle wash bay.
Sub-surface site analysis has been completed, as has initial zoning, EPA, and wetlands issue compliance. The preliminary site development plan has been completed.
Budgeting for planning is to be done in three stages. At the October 2015 Town Meeting, the voters will be asked to approve $295,000 for overall building, site acceptance, and building plans costs for the planned 35,400 square foot facility. Between February and May 2016, stage 2 calls for spending just over $2 million on complete schematic plan generation, bidding documents, open site bidding, and construction and administration services. Between June – December 2016, stage 3 calls for site development, for a planning subtotal of $2.38 million. The site would then be ready for building construction to commence.
Phase two involves construction of the Salt Shed, running from October 2016 to October 2017, and costing $585,000.
Phase three involves completion of the DPW facility. Design and bidding funds of $880,000 would be secured at the October 2017 Town Meeting. Between April 2018 and spring of 2020, the construction would be completed for just over $10 million, with the total cost of the project at $13.895 million.
In the immediate future, the Building Committee will be meeting with the Conservation Committee and with project abutters. They will also meeting with town financial planners and individuals with expertise in selecting and running DPW vehicles. The committee will also run informational programs on local access TV as well as give a presentation at each town meeting along the way.