Killington’s Library Project Reaches Impasse

Vermont Standard 

By Curt Peterson

Standard Correspondent

Killington — Town Manager Deb Schwartz had some concerning news about the library roof project, a $250,000 contract at a meeting Tuesday night.

“We had expected to have the final contract ready to sign so work could begin,” Schwartz said, “but negotiations, I’m sorry to say, have reached an impasse.”

According to Schwartz one big issue is a “builder’s risk” insurance policy that would indemnify if something happened to the library during roof construction. The library had arranged a policy for $261 that would cover $245,700, the amount of the contract, but the contractor wants them to purchase a $2,245,700 policy with a minimum earned premium of $5,000.

Another major issue is the roofer’s demand for a “waiver of subrogation” clause that would preclude the town’s insurer from subrogating against the roofer if he caused an insured loss to the building.

Schwartz said she did not know whether the issues could be worked out satisfactorily at all, let alone in time for work to be completed before winter. Jane Ramos, Library Director, said delaying the project until next spring was no longer the problem it was thought to be, as “Chet Hagenbarth had come up with a ‘plan B’ that would allow the roof to remain unrepaired without serious repercussions.”

Asked later what that his plan B is, Hagenbarth said it was simple: his crew would just have to shovel the roof every time it snows.

“As long as we don’t allow any snow to accumulate on the roof, there won’t be a problem,” he said.

The library budget is 1.4 percent higher than last year’s comparable numbers. Ramos, said residents have been asking for adult programs in addition to children’s programs, so the proposed Programs and Events budget item is increased.

Contracting cost estimates are practically eliminated, Ramos said, because facilities and grounds maintenance for all departments is being consolidated under Hagenbarth’s Roads and Facilities department.

“We were wasting a lot of money by not taking care of our buildings and grounds in-house,” Hagenbarth said. “So our department has taken over the work that used to be hired out to contractors even though we had the manpower and equipment ourselves.”

The Killington select board has asked all town departments to present their budget proposals for fiscal year 2017 in groups separated over three board meetings. Tuesday’s group included the Sherburne Memorial Library, the Parks and Recreation Department, the Planning and Zoning Department and the Roads and Facilities Department.

Each department had distributed their budgets among the selectmen prior to the meeting. June 30 marked the end of a one-time 18-month budget as the town converted from calendar year to fiscal year financing, so the year-to-year comparisons are based on interpolated 12-month figures.

Dick Horner explained the Planning and Zoning Department’s budget proposal, saying there were no significant changes from last year. He suggested creation of a “restricted fund” for monies intended as matching funds when the town uses grants to perform various projects. That way, Horner said, whatever matching funds exist at the end of a budget year would carry over to the next rather than disappear.

Selectman Chris Bianchi said such funds have to be for a specified amount and designated for a specific project, at least when the fund is established, and that it would have to be approved by voters at Town Meeting in March.

“If the town accumulates restricted funds with no designated purpose,” he said, “people tend to think it is a slush fund.”

The board decided to leave the situation as is. Horner said of the $5,000 now in the unrestricted budget account $3,000 will be used by the end of the fiscal year, so it isn’t important at the moment.

Parks and Recreation Director Kim Peters had good news regarding her department’s proposed budget for 2017 – the 10-week summer camp program is expected to help bring total revenues up to $155,000 in the coming year, an increase of $24,000. Peters said she is also now certified to teach lifeguarding, CPR and first aid, and charges for lessons through her department, also providing additional revenue.

“Our expenses will be 15 percent higher in this budget,” she said, “but that is more than made up for by increased revenue.”

She explained that she begins marketing and prebilling for the summer camp in January and has most, if not all, of the expected revenue in hand by March. She also said moving building and grounds maintenance to Roads and Facilities makes it easier to manage her department’s finances.

As part of his department’s budget presentation Hagenbarth said the net increase in cost for consolidating building and grounds expenses under his department will be around $800. He had already asked for $5,000, and increase from last year, for vehicle maintenance.

“The only other increase in our budget from last year is salaries,” Hagenbarth said.

One reason for early budget discussions is preparation for the Town Report. Schwartz asked the board for some guidance regarding design and production of the annual publication, which is a guidebook for voters at Town Meeting.

“There isn’t a person in this room,” she said, looking around at the half-dozen attendees, “who doesn’t know more about this process than I do.” Schwartz recently moved to Killington from Arkansas to accept her position.

She asked if the board wanted to keep a page that lists every town employee by name and how much they were paid the previous year.

Bianchi said he wasn’t personally in favor of it, but people have complained when they have considered eliminating it in the past.

“I haven’t thought about the book this way,” board chair Patty McGrath said. “I’ll give it some thought to anything we might change.”

“If it’s a change for a good reason, I’m OK with it,” Bianchi said. “But if it’s just because something makes people a little uncomfortable, I say leave it as is. People don’t like change and many will compare this year’s report with last year’s and notice what’s different.”

Comment: First, if Chet's crew can clear the library roof without any additional cost that means they have had a lot of time on their hands in previous years. If we have a "bad/good" snow year (depending on your perspective) the crew will be spending a lot of time up there. It's not like they're going to use a plow, loader or snowblower up there. Hand work takes a lot of time. Nevermind that strict safety precautions, like safety harness and ropes, will slow the the process even further. I wonder if this scenario was actually thoroughly thought through. 

There is something not quite right with this calculation. Whether its that the crew didn't have enough to do or that it will indeed cost more. 

Think about this, again, if we have a lot of snow, the crew is committed to plowing the roads, additionally they have the elementary school, the Killington road sidewalks (which were just extended) and the "Park and Ride" or KPAA if you prefer. Where's the extra time to do the roof going to come from?

Secondly, this is an outgrowth of only having one contractor bidding on the project. I questioned this at a select board meeting when the project cost was being approved. I was told the town couldn't find anyone else to bid on the project. That seems at least a little odd to me. 

Vito

Update: Chet Hagenbarth contacted me to clarify the situation. He stated that no more than a couple of hours for a couple of guys would be needed to are the valleys and roof edges after each snow storm. 

Vito