The Building Committee appointed by the Marion Select Board for the purposes of lending various types of expertise to the process of enacting a plan to construct a new Department of Public Works operations center at Benson Brook met for the first time on Monday afternoon inside Town Administrator Jay McGrail’s office.

            Casey Barros, Sherman Briggs and Dan Crete and were three committee members in attendance who neither hold an elected office nor are town employees. The DPW was represented by Director Nathaniel Munafo, Engineering Manager Meghan Davis and Office Manager Becky Tilden. The committee members serving as elected officials are Randy Parker, who represented the Select Board, Planning Board member Andrew Daniel and Zoning Board of Appeals member Dana Nilson, who was unavailable for the meeting.

            No decisions were made and no plans were finalized, but a discussion initially focused on sorting out the procurement process eventually got around to the construction itself.

            If commentary is an indicator, the two-building concept originally set forth dividing vehicle storage from operations and vehicle maintenance appears to be giving way to a single-building theory simply because one footprint avoids costly duplications in construction and infrastructure.

            That savings will likely be swallowed up in the quality of the construction, as lightweight metal is widely believed to be susceptible to mishaps that immediately become eyesores and over time, rusty problems.

            It is also likely based on discussion at Monday’s meeting that the new DPW operations center will not, as previously thought, sit a short walk across the grass from the existing Wastewater Treatment Plant but be set back approximately 1,300 feet near the water tower and the proposed location for a new salt shed.

            Parker said that the site near the water tower has three-phase power but would need sewer and grinder pumps. Briggs noted that the site also holds the potential for growth, while not crowding out the WWTP.

            The procurement process necessarily hinges on a business model, and central to that arrangement of that model is the selection of a point person. While Marion Facilities Manager Shaun Cormier will oversee construction as project manager would, the procurement of goods and services including subcontracting is a wider role that can fall with the designing engineer or the architect.

            Given the fact Saltonstall Architects is under contract with the town as a result of the company’s selection after the initial bidding process for a design concept, the town could theoretically proceed with Will Saltonstall and avoid another bid process. But discussion indicated many moving parts, and getting them sorted out will be a prerequisite for determining an optimum fit in the procurement role.

            At Parker’s recommendation, the meeting received a visit from Morton Buildings representative Steve Marion to explain the company’s methods and to take questions.

Modular procurement would save money on engineering aspects limited to the building itself.

            As for the “eyesore” on Route 6, the current location of the DPW, McGrail envisions a renovation of the one sound structure on the left, the removal of sand, demolition of the dilapidated structures that were moved onto the site decades ago and finally a barrier to separate that land from view for visitors to the adjacent graveyard.

            The committee will next set a meeting for a site visit to three locations including recent constructions nearby at Hiller Dodge, one in Sandwich and also the Rochester DPW.

            The committee will then choose a type of building construction, be it wood or metal, and will also look to arrive at a working model.

Marion Building Committee

By Mick Colageo

In his July 12 Tata & Howard report to the Mattapoisett River Valley Water District Commission, engineering consultant Jon Gregory alerted the commissioners as to the economy’s effect on pricing even where it concerns the chemicals for the water-treatment plant based in Mattapoisett.

            Gregory characterized chemical price bids per gallon as “extremely large numbers compared to what we even could have forecast in November and December. We’re kind of handcuffed by that,” he said, recommending the MRV take it month by month until further notice.

            The Town of Marion also put out bids and received only one on propane. “It’s not just here, it’s pretty much across the board, it seems,” said Gregory.

            Nonetheless, the MRV is proceeding with procurement specifications for the plant’s new, state-of-the-art, ultra-filtration equipment, and part two, specifications on construction, connection designs and demolitions.

            The membership is looking to organize a site visit, and a project team wants to get the piping portion a little further along and get “a real-time view of it.”

            “This is really going to ramp up in the coming months,” said Gregory.

            Unfortunately, he reported, the filtration project did not make the cut for the loan consideration the MRV seeks. Infrastructure funding in Massachusetts requires submission of a project-evaluation form. The difference, according to Gregory, would be from 3.5 to 4 percent down to 2 percent interest. He suggested the potential for a lower-interest loan justifies filing another project-evaluation form.

            “We feel the district may be in a better position this year,” he said, noting that a new submittal would add the UV disinfection piece, a byproduct of the 2021 boil order.

            The commission voted to authorize Tata & Howard to resubmit a new project-evaluation form.

            In giving his Treatment Plant Operations Update, Henri Renauld told the commission, “It’s holding up, that’s all I’m going to say.” Renauld alluded to the current drought as a challenge, as the plant puts out 6,000,000 gallons a day.

            The commission has narrowed its search for an outside bookkeeper and will plan to bring two interested parties into the next MRV meeting to be interviewed.

            Chairman Vinnie Furtado reported an insurance renewal with HUB International at $29,747.

            Commission Treasurer Wendy Graves reported $82,343.35 in July invoices.

            The MRV’s auditing approval was tabled.

            Gregory provided a river-monitoring update to the Water Protection Advisory Committee, informing the members that the original level loggers are “past their point,” and two new level loggers have been purchased for a total of $1,581. The level logger at Snow’s Pond is still operating but is no longer able to export its data so that piece will soon be swapped out.

            Under Old Business, Vinnie Furtado reported to the committee that member Nathaniel Munafo, the Marion DPW director, had trouble accessing the committee website. Furtado said he contacted the host earlier on Tuesday and learned that files on that site might be lost. Furtado put in a request ticket with Blue Host, waiting on a resolution. “It may have to start from scratch,” said Furtado, who may reach out to Fairhaven’s IT team for assistance. Gregory also could not access the site.

            Under New Business, the committee voted to authorize Vinnie Furtado to write two letters to engineering groups stating that plans for a solar project and plans for a two-lot subdivision at 572 Snipatuit Road pose no impact on the MRV.

            The next meeting of the MRV Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee is scheduled for Tuesday, August 9, at 3:30 pm with the MRV Water District Commission meeting to immediately follow at 4:00 pm on the same Zoom call.

MRV Water District Commission/Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee

By Mick Colageo