HANSON — The School Committee and the Maquan and Indian Head Priority Repairs Committee each voted unanimously on Wednesday, July, 13 to accept a low bid of $207,000 from Gibson Roofs Inc., of 369 Winter St., Hanover for the Maquan Elementary School roof repair project.
Voters at Hanson Town Meeting had approved $322,000 for the project, so officials estimate the town could see a return of about $100,000 after Gale Engineering’s fee is factored in.
Selectman Bruce Young, who has chaired the repair committee, noted the savings could serve to fund other capital projects in town.
The Hanson Board of Selectmen met Tuesday, July 19 to vote its support for the bid. The votes will allow the roofing project, which is estimated to take two weeks to complete, to begin within 10 days of the contract signing for completion by Aug. 26.
The first day of school is Monday, Aug. 29.
After the vote, Selectmen Chairman Jim McGahan and School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes signed the contract with Gibson at the July 19 meeting.
“I want to pass along our sincere thanks to everyone involved at the School Committee in getting this done,” McGahan said. “It didn’t look like it was going to happen that way … a number of people stepped up.”
Both the School Committee and Selectmen noted that, while not required, the selectmen’s support was wanted.
“The Regional School agreement authorizes the School Committee to make decisions on these types of projects,” Young said on July 13. He noted that the town and school district entered into an inter-municipal agreement for the Indian Head roof project, which had never been done before. That agreement required a vote from both the School Committee and Board of Selectmen as well as a special committee to work through plans and specifications.
“It was a nice thing, it was an elaborate thing, but given the controversy on the Indian Head School, and the whole school vote, the inter-municipal agreement was a good thing — and you’ve already run by all the good things that have happened and the School Committee and Board of Selectmen coming together to make that happen — but we don’t have an inter-municipal agreement on the Maquan School,” Young told School Committee members. “The onus lies on the School Committee to make final approval of awarding the bids and going forward.”
Hayes said he would attend the July 19 selectmen meeting for a vote and to have them sign it in any case to ensure all boards are on the same page. Both were done Tuesday night.
“We have no interest in delaying this, but we want to move it along properly,” said Hanson Town Administrator Michael McCue said July 13. “We want to get it done, but we want to make sure we’re not missing the crossing of a t or the dotting of an i.”
Hayes agreed.
W-H School District Business Services Director Christine Suckow said a pre-construction meeting with Gale Associates was to be held at 2 p.m., Tuesday, July 26 at the school to, among other matters, determine the construction period services cost for Gale.
An additional meeting will be held mid-job as well as a final close-out meeting when the work is completed.
Construction meetings are open public sessions.
“We needed to get the vote on the Maquan roof and the proposals came in today,” said Hayes. “We need to get this roof approved and under way before school starts.”
Hayes reported that about 30 bid packets went out to interested companies with nine returned.
“That was not unusual,” Hayes said of the handful of bids received. “When the bid goes out, it goes out on the state list and everybody just automatically takes packets and then some figure out it’s not a project that they want to get involved in.”
Most of the nine bidders made a trip out to Maquan to examine the project site.
The school district has worked with Gibson on roofing projects in the past.
“I wanted all parties to be well aware of what’s going on, and I want to thank all parties,” Hayes said. “I know the Maquan and Indian Head Priority Repairs Committee worked very hard from the onset … I want to thank them for everything they’ve tried to do for the school district.”
He also thanked Hanson Selectmen for their work on what has been a sometimes “tedious” task.
“We’re making great progress by working together,” Hayes said.