HUDSON – The Select Board awarded a contract on July 8 to N.B. Kenney Company Inc. in the amount of $920,000 for the Hudson Fire Department headquarters project to replace the flat membrane roof and rooftop air handling units.
Renovations on the Hudson Fire Department’s headquarters are funded from a $1.1 million borrowing authorization approved by Town Meeting in November 2022 through Article 14 and a $1.2 million appropriation approved at the 2024 Annual Town Meeting through Article 12.
Select Board member Diane Bemis noted that five bids were received. She asked Fire Chief Jamie Desautels why they went with the lowest bid.
She asked, “Are you comfortable with this contractor?”
Desautels said they have heard positive feedback on N.B. Kenney Company and added that the company was local. He said he had no reason for concern.
“I believe there was a reference check, which I will check out,” said Desautels.
Select Board member Judy Congdon echoed Bemis’ question and noted she only saw the one bid that was accepted, but not the four others. One bid from Construction Dynamics was about $1.49 million, she said.
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While she trusted the Fire Department’s choice, Congdon said, “We don’t know what the others are offering. We can’t compare.”
She said that she trusted Executive Assistant Thomas Gregory’s work, but would like to see all of the bid details at future meetings.
Desautels said, “There was significant research done throughout the [the headquarters] project” so he felt comfortable with the bid.
Select Board Chair Scott Duplisea read a part of the memo dated July 8 that the board received from Gregory, which said that the bid opening took place June 7 and the low bidder was N.B. Kenney.
Gregory wrote that the low bid may afford the town the opportunity to replace the sloped roof sections with asphalt-fiberglass shingles in a separate procurement. At a minimum, the town will have funding to hire a roofing contractor to conduct exploratory work and repairs near a leak.
Other news
In Hudson Police Department news, the board approved a contract with AMCHAR Wholesale Inc. in the amount of $52,327.91 for the purchase of 46 service weapons and accessories for the department. The contract was funded via Article 7 of the 2022 Annual Town Meeting warrant.
Bemis asked Police Chief Richard DiPersio to confirm that they received three bids and chose the lowest of the three.
Referring to the bid they put forward, she said, “You got quite a bit more in trade-ins than you did for the other two. I’m assuming that had a substantial benefit to you, and that’s one of the reasons why you’re happy with this bid.”
“It is,” said DiPersio. “They’ve been pretty consistent with all the departments that are doing the same project that we’re doing.”
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He noted there was a higher trading allowance. The service weapons stay in rotation for about 10 years, and he said the new service weapons would be the fourth that he has carried during his career in Hudson.
Training will be required for the new service weapons as well due to any learning curve with the handling of the weapons. Congdon asked if the reason for the switch was that the 40 caliber weapons have more of a recoil than the 9 millimeter weapons, and DiPersio that it was one of them.
The board also approved a new job description for the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and WIC (Women, Infants & Children Nutrition Program) outreach coordinator, who will conduct direct community outreach in Framingham, Hudson and Milford and create a safe space for individuals to ask questions about the SNAP and WIC programs or food access.
The position is part of the MetroWest Food Collaborative’s efforts to actively join the community to strengthen local food systems through advocacy programs. It is grant funded through the MetroWest Health Foundation.
Congdon asked about the change in job description, and Director of Public and Community Health Lauren Antonelli said it was a new job they were looking to fill.
“The grant we applied for was to pilot a whole new program with this new position. So we don’t have this yet,” said Antonelli.
The Health Department has the grant funding for at least one year. Hopefully, it will continue for a second year, if all goes well.
“We’re trialing this position just in Hudson to start, and then we’ll see how it goes and see if we can expand it,” she said. “It’s fully grant-funded.”
The Select Board also approved an entertainment license to the Hudson Cultural Alliance for performances of “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” from Aug. 1 to 4 in front of the Hudson Armory. The rain dates are Aug. 8 to 11. Evening performances begin at 7 p.m., while the Sunday, Aug. 3 performances will begin at 2 p.m.
