By Sarah Opdahl

New Fairfield’s Permanent Building Committee (PBC) met on Tuesday, August 25 and discussed a handful of ongoing projects, including the bus lot that will be built at 302 Ball Pond Road.

There is a lot of movement surrounding the bid documents, which have seen minor changes since the PBC’s last meeting. Colliers International’s Mr. Mark Schweitzer shared that they planned to issue the bid documents “hopefully tomorrow, if not Thursday.” He went on to describe the overall schedule, which estimates completion of the lot in June of 2027. When asked whether a large amount of work on the base coat can be done by Thanksgiving, when concrete plants typically close for winter, Schweitzer said “I don’t see it.”

Schweitzer went into detail regarding the schedule, which included a pre-bid site meeting in the near future. Ultimately, “we’re looking to get it back in front of the building committee (PBC) in the middle of October for a notice to proceed…If we can get it out quicker, even better.” For the lot’s construction, Schweitzer said, “We have substantial completion [set] as June 15, and final completion by August 15.” He explained that the designation of “substantial completion” means fully set with lighting, striping, etc. and that date denotes transfer of the lot to the town, which will allow a move out of the current bus lot at the high school. “They will then be able to spend the summer turning the lot between the stadium and Marty Morgan into a student parking or whatever parking,” he said. In July and August there will be light touch-ups and landscaping completed at the new bus lot.

PBC members expressed interest in having the bus lot contractors be ready for the first possible day of spring in March. It was pointed out the timing for completion coincides nicely with the landscaping season. Throughout its tumultuous path to eventual approval, including a lawsuit among Town bodies, the bus lot was given escalated landscaping plans to help screen the lot’s existence.

In an update on planning for renovations at the New Fairfield Free Public Library, PBC member Mr. David Zeh said that in a recent meeting with the library staff and board members, “we went over their comments on the Request for Proposal (RFP).” They also refined some architectural language in the document. PBC member Ms. Maureen Clegg is working with the Town’s Purchasing Agent, Ms. Patty Mota. Clegg explained, “she’s agreed to help us out with sending out the RFP and receiving the responses.” Currently, they are continuing to incorporate changes and add dates to the RFP. They are “trying to get this out as soon as possible,” or by mid-September, Zeh added. It was noted that this will go out as a Professional Services RFP.

There was a brief update on the HVAC work that is occurring through Public Works at the library, and it was noted that the staff believe that ventilation needs in the large room within the children’s library are high on the priority list.

The much-discussed leaking pipes for the fire tanks at the elementary school were a topic of conversation. Schweitzer presented a proposal from the installers that described the potential fix but also denoted that they see the work as a warranty fix with language that “absolved” them from any future issues with the system. Discontent with that language was apparent among PBC members and Chair Mr. Don Kellogg pointed out that they “might need to get in touch with the town attorney to read through this,” which will be determined after PBC members fully review it.

Following executive sessions at recent PBC meetings regarding possible legal matters related to the failed propane systems at New Fairfield High School, Schweitzer briefly presented a scope for mechanical and design services that are intended to rectify the propane lines to the science classrooms.

The next regular Permanent Building Committee is scheduled for Tuesday, September 8, 7:30 p.m.