HUDSON — The Select Board voted on July 31 to approve a contract with Construction Monitoring Services (CMS) to provide management services for the new Department of Public Works (DPW) facility project.
That DPW project was approved at the 2023 Annual Town Meeting for the amount of $817,000.
CMS performed project management services for the public safety building in Hudson where the Hudson Police Department operates, Executive Assistant Thomas Gregory said.
CMS served Hudson in 2016 to 2017 as project manager on the combined building for the police department and DPW.
“They submitted a statement of qualification that ranked at the top among about [six],” Gregory said.
The firm was ranked by a review committee, and Gregory then negotiated the final contract. He believed that “they’re going to do a great job.”
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He noted that any public building project valued at over $1.5 million requires an owner’s project manager from start to completion.
Gregory added, “This is an excellent firm. We’ll be well served.”
Culverts
The DPW has also been busy tackling the maintenance and updating of the culverts in Hudson. To this end, the Select Board approved and authorized the signature of a contract with Woodard and Curran for the Brigham Street culvert and related permitting for $135,000.
The board approved the reallocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to cover the design of the culvert replacement. Gregory explained there was a number of ARPA projects where unexpended balances will remain, such as at the closing of the Main Street culvert bridge and Green Street drainage projects.
“The intent here is to … ask the Select Board to approve transferring funds over to a critically needed project,” Gregory said.
The construction cost for the project will be funded via the stormwater enterprise fee revenue through borrowing, Gregory said.
The ARPA fund transfer was necessary, Select Board Chair Scott Duplisea noted, so there would be enough money to begin immediately on the culvert project.
Gregory said, “There is a sense of urgency with this project.”
DPW Director Eric Ryder said some of the ARPA funds will be used for an emergency pump for the Brigham Street culvert area. He noted the “significant rainfalls in the last month” and said the pump would be used during construction and reconstruction of the culvert.
Ryder said, “It’s an emergency precaution for that area.”
The project technically covers two culverts on the street, and if one fails, stormwater flows across Park Street and out to the brook out back near Elks Lodge #959. He said although they want to look at replacing the Brigham Street culverts now, there is a larger goal to do the Park Street culvert area, which would mean a total cost of “close to $5 million.”
Ryder said they are anticipating around $1 to $1.2 million for the Brigham Street culvert project and approving the ARPA funding would enable them to start work. He noted an article would be on the warrant for the November Special Town Meeting for the borrowing authorization for funding via stormwater revenue.
Designing would start immediately, said Ryder, with the anticipation for the November Town Meeting. As soon as it is ready to go out to bid, there could be an early spring or summer start to the project.
He also noted that in the Main Street culvert project, the under bridge work has been completed on the T.C. Lando’s side with a paving schedule of Aug. 10, weather permitting, to take three to four days.
