By Sarah Opdahl

On Tuesday, May 12, New Fairfield’s Permanent Building Committee (PBC) learned that, for the bus lot project at 302 Ball Pond Road, the Town is working on the front end to start the bidding process. State funding was recently approved to fund the construction of the bus lot. All parties are waiting for the funding to be fully secured before going out to bid. There was a brief discussion about possible deductive alternates for the bus lot dispatch building, in particular the restrooms, such as downgrading the finishes and switching the flooring from tile to vinyl, with no tile on the wall. 

PBC member Mr. Mike Del Monaco gave an update on the New Fairfield Free Public Library renovation project. “We got the survey done…it confirmed what I already thought, that the adult library has no fresh air coming through any of its units, they confirm that they are all blocked, but what they did find, which I was not expecting, is the fresh air [results for] the Community Room, Program Room, and Children’s Library.”. He went on to say of the spaces, “The dampers are not functioning and are closed, so there is no fresh air going into the building whatsoever.” He has communicated with people in the Town offices and the library, “to let them know that that needs to be addressed by whoever maintains their systems, because it is not good to have no fresh air going in… it gets stuffy in there, but also in the winter, what little air is drawn in from the exhaust fans from the restrooms will come in through cracks and things and cause drafts.” Next steps are to hire an architect, as the library board would like to complete a large amount of architectural upgrades.

Chair Mr. Don Kellogg questioned whether the survey gave any indication that the units were closed and made inoperable intentionally.  Del Monaco explained, “they had access to the BMS [building management system], so they attempted to override them to open, and they wouldn’t open, but there could be something in the program that is keeping them locked or closed for the reason you just said.” It was noted that sometimes units are closed in an attempt to better maintain heat. 

In a bit of an inside-baseball conversation on funding, Colliers International’s Mr. Mark Schweitzer said that there has “still been some issues with Mitchell Gas. I don’t want to jump the gun, but certainly getting resolution to that issue at the high school is going to let us know a little bit more clearly what funds would be available to transfer from the high school to the CELA project internally for the Town.” The PBC is balancing a small cache of funds to close out the school projects, while also pursuing legal action on the failings of the high school’s propane system and elementary playground.

The next regular New Fairfield Permanent Building Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, 7:30 p.m.