WETHERSFIELD TOWN HALL / LIBRARY RENOVATIONS BUILDING COMMITTEE AMENDED MINUTES - MONDAY APRIL 12, 2004

Chairman Coombs called the Meeting to order at 6:00 P.M. in the Library Meeting Room. Members present were Joseph Coombs, Raymond Grasso, Carmen Pace, Stuart Temple and Tim Tuell. Staff Liaison Tony Martino, Mike Turner and Library Director Laurel Goodgion were present. Technology Committee Liaison Bill Giuliano and Technology Committee Member Peter Kuzma were also present. Committee Members Paul Camarco and David Edwards were absent.

  1. Public Comments:
    1. None
  2. Approval of Minutes:
    1. Minutes of March 22, 2004 Meeting - Motion by Stuart Temple seconded by Carmen Pace to approve minutes. All but one member voted in favor (Ray Grasso abstained).
  3. Projects for Discussion:
    1. Town Wide Radio System
      1. Expenditures
        1. Martin AG (USA) - Invoice WCT-05-SM - $2,979.72 - Motion by Stuart Temple seconded by Raymond Grasso to approve payment - All members voted in favor.

        NOTE: Town Councilor Julie Montinieri arrived at 6:03 P.M.

      2. Contractor Change Orders:
        1. Discussion Motorola Equipment Credit - Mike Turner advised he talked to the Town Attorney today. The Motorola Attorney is trying to set up a meeting with him. No offers have been extended yet.
      3. Old Business:
        1. Motorola Punch List - No report
      4. New Business:
        1. None
      5. Staff Information:
        1. Motorola Interference Investigation - Mike Turner advised the Motorola Static Investigation Team is scheduled to arrive on April 26, 2004. Mike is setting up a meeting with them first thing that morning to review with Fred Martin what he has already eliminated as potential causes to the problem.
        2. Radio Salvage Status - Mike Turner advised Fred Martin did not come down last week. Town Staff has obtained the last of the equipment from the Fire Department and it is now down in the old Police Facility for Fred to review, clean and inventory.
    2. Town Hall & Library Renovations:
      1. Expenditures
        1. Community Resource Management - Invoice 4-1-04 - $300.00 - Questions by Raymond Grasso as to what Community Resources was doing and how they obtained the bid. Ray's company, Ramili, had submitted a proposal to administer this grant.

          Ray Grasso wanted to know it this item went back out to bid and the criteria used in awarding the bid by Council. Ray would like a copy of the Manager's report recommending the contract award. Mike Turner advised the cost of the administrator is not coming out of the bond. Tim Tuell advised since it wasn't part of the bond why should the Committee approve it. Mike advised Town Manager Erdmann wanted anything to do with The Police, Radio and Town Hall Projects being reviewed and approved by the Committee. The Chairman tabled this item.

          Excerpts from the March 3, 2003 Town Council Meeting Minutes:

          Town Councilors asked the following questions:

          1. Do we normally go out to bid for this item? If price over $10,000. (NOTE: At the Council Meeting Town Manager Swetcky aid that if the contract exceeded $10,000 it would go out to bid. Consultant contracts are not required to go out to bid. The $10,000 is built into the grant as part of the administrative costs.)
          2. How competitive are Ramili's rates opposed to administering in-house or bringing on a part-time administrator? Joe Swetcky advised come May or June there might be staff to administer the grant although not with the efficiency that a consultant can. (NOTE: Councilor Morin agreed with Deputy Mayor O'Connor as far as administering the grant in-house. He believes we have people on staff who can handle this until the position of Grants Administrator is filled. He won't support spending $10,000 as this is not a big deal that it can't be handled in house.) Grant is very report oriented.

          Other Councilor Comments -Councilor Gardow would not support a consultant who is also on the Building Committee. He sees this as a conflict of interest. Councilor Hemmann would feel more comfortable if this issue went out to bid. Councilor Sassano is surprised we are hiring firm to help us with the grant. Was this done in the past? How do we know the $10,000 is competitive without sending it out to bid. This appears to be a back door to outsourcing or privatization that is a policy decision of Council's.

        2. Internal Copies - March 2004 - $116.48 - Motion by Raymond Grasso seconded by Stuart Temple to approve payment - All members voted in favor.
      2. Project Status:
        1. Chairman Coombs advised the Town Council had asked the Committee to expand the scope of the work to include the requirements for the first and second floor of Town Hall as well as the additional needs of the Library (inside and outside needs i.e. Roof). Due to the timeline and the new law the architect is having a hard time computing the prevailing wage rates. Chairman Coombs was able to obtain from the Labor Department a scale to use thru 2006 for computing prevailing wages.

          At the March 1, 2003 Town Council Meeting Chairman Coombs heard what the Technology Committee was tasked with (Phone and Data Requirements). Chairman Coombs advised Bill Giuliano and Peter Kuzma that he was looking for requirements and budget from their Committee and the Rand Study. Bill Giuliano advised some of the members of his Committee had toured Town Hall last Friday to see the infrastructure and observe the needs of the departments. Laurel Goodgion had given them that day a copy of the architectural layout and was surprised to see no phone or data requirements in the plan. Julie Montinieri asked if the Technology Committee didn't exist how would this have been handled. Chairman Coombs advised he thought it was coming from the Rand Study and their Committee. Chairman Coombs advised the rooms were staying the same and the staffing needs weren't changing. Laurel Goodgion advised staffing needs for the Library were changing. Chairman Coombs then went over for Bill and Peter how the process for phones and data worked when the Police station was built. Mike Turner then advised Bill and Peter about the phone room in the basement as well as the equipment in Paul Dudley's area. The Technology Committee never saw the phone room in the basement. Arrangements will be made to show Technology Committee members that room next week. Peter Kuzma advised this Committee of standards being used for phone and data needs. There should be a communications closet on each floor and data lines should not go more that 300 feet. Peter gave Mike Turner a copy of the standards he uses at the State. Chairman Coombs will contact the Architect and have him have a certified technician design the communication / data room location requirements on the floor plan. Committee members were handed copies of an updated spreadsheet from Peter Wells on the Library and Town Hall costs. Peter also forwarded a sheet requested by Town Council of items that need to be done in the Town Hall and Library (i.e. Roof, Windows, updated offices etc.) that aren't covered in the bond. Chairman Coombs advised this second sheet does not included technology or phone needs which now have to be added in. Consider this sheet to be 95% complete. Mike Turner asked Bill and Peter the status of Rand's Study. He was advised their high level charge was to look into the elementary school needs first. They're looking for a report back next week on the schools then they will look at the rest of the Town.

      3. Staff Information
        1. Richard Prentice - March 22, 2004 Letter - Men's Garden Club - Chairman Coombs advised the letter was self explanatory. Peter Wells has addressed the issues and written back to Dick Prentice. (NOTE: Committee members requested a copy of Peter Wells' response. It will be mailed with the next agenda packets. Chairman Coombs advised the architect has to take the needs for the building into consideration before considering the landscaping. Chairman Coombs advise Mr. Prentice if he has any concerns or would like to come to a meeting to discuss them he was so welcomed. For some reason the Garden Club heard the Rose Garden elevation was being changed. No one is looking at anything in the Rose Garden and Joe Coombs advised Dick Prentice to contact him with any concerns so he could squash any rumors and address any concerns.
      4. Old Business:
        1. Small Cities Grant - Mike Turner advised nothing new to report.
        2. Technology Committee - All comments concerning the Technology Committee were addressed under Project Status Item IIB1 above.
      5. New Business:
        1. Laurel Goodgion advised she heard from the State Library that they extended the deadline for the Library Grant. She is awaiting the formal letter of acknowledgement.
  4. Next Scheduled Meeting:
    1. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be Monday April 26, 2004 at 6:00 P.M. in the Library Meeting Room.
  5. Adjournment: Motion by Raymond Grasso seconded by Stuart Temple to adjourn. All members voted in favor. Meeting adjourned at 7:07 P.M.

I hereby certify that the above is a true copy of the minutes approved by the Town Hall Renovations Committee.

Paul Camarco, Clerk Pro Tem