Town Hall Conditions Assessment Predicts Repairs Will Cost Over $4.5 Million Over Time
At the September 13 Board of Selectmen meeting, Town Manager Justin Sultzbach presented the physical and financial details of the just-released September 2, 2021 report from Building Conservation Associates INC, based on its findings and those of Abacus Architects of Boston. Sultzbach informed the Board that the total Town Hall repairs needed, over time, will cost at least $4,535,464 when adjusted for inflation.
The projected repair cost of over $4.5 million arrives on the heels of the Senior Center's needing $5 million in total repairs as a historically protected building which must be preserved and maintained. At the same time, the town is confronting the challenge of how to fund a new and up-to-date Fire Station which meets the current legal codes and requirements the existing building falls far short on. A previous study estimated that the Fire Station could potentially cost as much as $13 million for entirely new construction if additions to the existing building are not sufficient to meet the department's needs. The necessary Town Hall repairs caused by the weather and elements span decades of neglect without a viable financial plan ever being formulated to pay for long term exterior upkeep and maintenance.
The portion of the Town Hall constructed in 1850, housing both the Town offices and private businesses, suffered heavy fire damage in the years 1880 and 1925, as detailed in the report. Currently attached to the north side of the building by a connecting addition built in 1980, the rear of the Town Hall was constructed in 1876 and used by the Fire Department for 102 years, until 1978. From 1980 until 2016 this structure housed the Police Department.
The 32-page comprehensive architectural condition and needs assessment examines the building at all four elevations. North comprises the outer wall of the former Fire and Police Stations facing North on Pleasant Street towards Athol Saving Bank; South, the current front entrance paralleling Front Street; East, facing neighboring Cumberland Farms and Central Street; and finally West, facing Pleasant Street and the Veterans Park across it.
Both the original Town Hall constructed in 1850, and the former Fire Station constructed in 1876, need virtually every single aspect of their exterior facades either repaired or replaced, including parts of the Town Hall where the inner brick wall unit or "Wythe" and the outer Wythe have up to five inches of separation between them.
On the older Town Hall building, the brick, granite, composite materials, wood, windows, and roofing all need serious attention, repairs, and or possible replacement. On the original fire station, again the brick, granite, windows, and roof need heavy repairs, with a heavier emphasis on brick wythe repair. The Town Hall needs the current slate roof replaced in a maximum of 5 to 10 years, again along with virtually every single piece of wood, composite material, brick, granite, mortar, and window framing including storm windows needing either repair or eplacement.
Phasing Options were listed by BCA, ranging from First through Sixth Priority to direct the Town toward most importantly needed structural repairs, to the repairs or sections which can wait until last. As the Town of Winchendon cannot afford or come up with the total amount needed all at once, the prioritization of phasing options was specifically requested by Sultzbach.
The First Priority is listed as the original fire station section of the building. The report states, "It is experiencing the most significant movement and deterioration and is under the greatest threat of accelerated damage. All work on the fire station should occur as one project." As a Second Priority, the report states, "The roof of the Town Hall. Replacing the EPDM, (a form of rubber roofing) slate, and all metal flashing." The Third Priority recommends, "The southerly elevation of the Town Hall due to the ground level stair and entry work. It is also the main facade and restoring it will provide and upgraded image on Front Street."
The lower half of the Priority listings begin with the Fourth, "The East elevation of the Town Hall" which is the side facing Cumberland Farms and Central Street. The Fifth Priority is described as, "The West elevation of the Town Hall" which is the Pleasant Street side of the structure. Finally recommended as the Sixth Priority, "The North elevation of the Town Hall" with any final existing repairs.
In an "Opinion of Probable Costs," the South elevation is listed at a total of $246,360; the West elevation at $158,593.75; the North elevation at $177,887.50; the East elevation at $163,675.00; and the roof at $582,475.00 for a total cost of just over $1,328,999. Additionally, the total "fire station" building costs are listed at $1,371,800 for a subtotal of $2,700,771.
When adding and adjusting for General Conditions, General Requirements, Overhead & Profit, Design Contingency and Construction Contingency, the subtotal before inflation grows to $3,808,116. Year 2022 projected inflation adds an additional $152,325 and Year 2023 adds $158,418 at 4 percent each. General Liability at .006 percent adds $24,713, bringing the total to $4,413,650. Lastly, adding permit fees, performance and payment bonds, the project reaches a total cost of $4,214,115, which adjusted for inflation yields a total current project cost projection of $4,535,464, which continues to grow if the project life continues in extensions.
Sultzback stated, "There are some folks out there, and I've talked to a lot of people in town, that think it's naive to point out some of these issues, especially if there's no funding in place. I would counter and also argue that it's naive to ignore these issues and pretend that they'll just go away. Realistically, when it comes to capital planning issues, with every year that goes by that you don't address it,
it automatically becomes more expensive because of estimated construction costs."
Sultzbach informed the Board that "inaction" will cost the town roughly $160,000 per year in increased costs due to inflation. He also said the report focused on moving on to the Capital Planning Committee so the 5, 10, and 15 year capital plans could be addressed, and that anything the town owns would be classified as a capital asset with a plan in place moving forward.
Selectman Rick Ward said, "This town for the most part ignores its buildings, and then wonders why they have to pay for these things, it's because they are falling apart...Even if we are dealing with a small piece, we are going to have a major major cost when we have to build a whole new Town Hall, or a whole new Senior Center. You can't just keep putting these things on the back burner. We have to do it piece by piece. I like the report, and I thank you for that."
Selectman Barbara Anderson added, "I don't want to say it to be perfectly honest with you. But to Mr. Ward's point, we have the Senior Center, which is a very expensive project, we have the Fire Department, the DPW, we have this building, and then the fire station next door...When I talk to some people...it's overwhelming, it takes your breath away. There isn't money for all of these, there just isn't. Why can't we just consolidate, use a different building, like the police station-slash-fire station, why fix it, let it go, nobody is in it. What are we using it for, storage? It doesn't seem very practical to people in town. I think you have to address that, why fix it? Why not find a different building."
Ward pointed out the higher cost of trying to build new buildings, and Anderson explained she felt residents didn't want the town to "continue throwing good money after bad. The concern around town is that we're over-spending trying to hang on to history, it breaks my heart to say that...it would be cheaper to find something that houses everything."
Board of Selectmen Chair Audrey LaBrie replied, "Yes, I understand what you are saying." Selectman Amy Salter followed with, "For me personally, I can't consider these types of options until I know that we have a plan for the Fire Department. To me that's a top priority, and we can't seem to come together on a plan together for the past couple of years and when you look at this, and I think also when we have projects like this when we go to Town Meeting, it's going to be a no...I don't know what the solution is, but for me personally the focus is the Fire Department, we need to get that. The whole set up there is unacceptable. You have priorities and you have luxuries. We need priorities."
Ward replied, "The priority is the responsibility of the Capital Planning Committee with the Town Manager to set those priorities. As far as the Fire Station we spent about $100,000 on studies for a proposed new Fire Station, or redoing the Fire Station. Town Meeting overwhelmingly turned that down and said no. So if we are listening to the people out there, we had better re-sell that Fire Station and get some better plans because it's not going to sell. They've already said no." Ward added, "I have to disagree with the history. What makes Winchendon unique is its historical features. If you're going to let those go, let those all fall apart, then you're just going to be another blip on the road as people pass through because there's going to be nothing unique about this town. This is what makes Winchendon, Winchendon. The buildings we have, the Toy Town reputation, we can't let those buildings go. That might be emotional, but that's the way I feel."
LaBrie asked Sultzbach if the old fire station part of the building could be torn down as an option if needed. Sultzbach informed LaBrie it could be, but there were be significant hurdles to be able to make it happen as the old fire station section of Town Hall is on the National Historic Register and historically protected. LaBrie clarified that just to fix the outside portion of that building was going to cost roughly $1.4 million, and that it was important to know what they can or can't do with it when looking at a particular project.
Selectman Danielle LaPointe said, "I see no reason why this isn't something that with proper capital planning that Mr. Sultzbach wants to implement, having a one, three, five, and ten year plan, this is something totally do-able and manageable as long as you prioritize what this is recommending and have that strategy and stick to that strategy. It's not saying that we have to start it all now and get it all done this year. It's looking at what can and needs to be done when, gives ample time to find alternate means of funding for it...I personally don't see it as un-doable if we do the proper planning, and the proper procedures and the research and the thought that needs to go in to it."
Sultzbach told the Board, "This is not insurmountable and the purpose was not for it to be jarring. It's factual. And I think, part of what I was charged with when I came into town and I think what everybody knew was that I had experience in capital planning and Winchendon had capital planning needs. This is a type of scenario where I think it benefits everybody to put all the cards out on the table so that we know what we're looking at and we can prioritize as a community, what you feel is important. Four and half million dollars seems like a big bite. When you break it down, it's not quite as bad. But I think the impotant piece in terms of capital planning is, and maybe this is what has happened as much in the past but what I'm looking to in the future, is that we address a hundred thousand dollar problems when they're a hundred thousand dollar problems and not million dollar problems.
"And I think something like this building, if over the past twenty and thirty years of proper maintenance the Town probably could have invested over thirty years, one and half million dollars, and the building would be standing fine today. And I think unfortunately, it's easy to kind of put these things aside and that's what happens, instead we're standing here today looking at a four and a half million dollar problem, when this could have been a much smaller issue, spread out over the past two or three decades. I think that's the important take-away that I'm trying to stress to this Board, is that the situation we're in today is the situation we're in today, we can't go back in time. But if we can address the problems that we have in hand presently, and then get a plan in place moving forward in the future, so the community isn't in this situation, that's my hope, and that's my intention."
Sultzbach recently informed both the BOS and the Finance Committee that the Town's long term capital needs were listed at $100 million. For every year the total repairs to the Town Hall are put off, the price adjusted with inflation increases the total project cost by roughly $160,000 over the projected $4.5 million project cost by 2023, all of which is added to the overall long term capital needs the Town is facing.
WFD holds September 11 Remembrance on Twentieth Anniversary of Terrorist Attack
Members of the Winchendon Fire Department both past and present together honor all those lost both civilian and in the line of duty, during the September 11, 2021 remembrance of the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks attacks in New York City, the Pentagon, and near Shanksville, PA which took place on 9/11/2001. Not all on duty were able to attend as some WFD members were out on a call.
Photo by Keith Kent
Members past and present of the Winchendon Fire Department, attending in full dress uniform, paid heartfelt and solemn respects on September 11, 2021 to all those lost in the terrorist attacks of 9/11/2001. Remembering the 2,997 lives tragically lost, the WFD honored all the fallen both civilian and in the line of duty, as 343 New York City firefighters, 23 New York City police officers and 37 Port Authority officers ran together toward the danger and not away from it and paid the ultimate price. They represent the greatest qualities of what it means to serve both their country and humanity.
While hard for some to believe, and for others seeming like just yesterday, the tragic loss of human life at the New York City World Trade Center attack is now two decades in the past. Lost that day were the lives of 2,997 people--mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, Fireman, Law Enforcement Officers, and many more--when terrorists flew two large passenger air buses, American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175, from Boston, in o the Twin Towers of New York City. At the same time, American Airlines Fight 77 was flown into the Pentagon killing 184, and United Airlines Flight 93 was believed to be forced down in a legendary heroic effort by passengers near Shanksville, PA before it could potentially reach the White House, killing another forty passengers and crew.
The lives needlessly lost ranged from just 2 years young to 85 years old. Some 206 Massachusetts residents flying out on that fateful day would never see their loved ones again. An attack not just shocking the Uitied States, but all nations around the world, prompted the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and other legislation including but not limited to the controversial Patriot Act.
On what quickly became a dark day in our nation's history, American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the New York City World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m. Barely 18 minutes later at 9:03 a.m., United Airlines Flight 175 struck the neighboring South Tower, horrifying the city with a cry heard instantly around the world. Both flights had departed from Massachusetts' Logan Airport, bound for Los Angeles. Shortly afterwards at 9:37 a.m, American Airlines Flight 77, which was en route from Dulles, Virginia to Los Angeles, flew into the side of the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., directly attacking our nation's military leadership.
At 9:59 a.m., after thousands of gallons of jet fuel burned thoughout the building's impact zone for 56 minutes, the quarter-mile tall South Tower collapsed to the ground in just ten seconds. At 10:03 a.m, United Airlines Flight 93, believed to be headed toward the White House, crashed near Shanksville, PA. Finally at 10:28 a.m., the North Tower, after burning for 1 hour and 42 minutes, also collapsed to the ground, releasing massive amounts of deadly smoke, chemicals, and debris into the air, which to this day continues to take lives from cancer and other illnesses. A total of 102 minutes on September 11, 2001 were tragically scorched into the very fabric which binds together our nation for all time.
Opening the ceremony and honoring the memories of all those lost, WFD Chaplain and pastor of the United Parish church Calvin Miller began by reading a prayer of remembrance, saying, "Oh God, We remember before you this day our brothers and sisters lost on September 11, 2001. We thank you for their example of courage and sacrifice. In your boundless compassion, console their families, friends, co-workers and all who mourn their losses. Give us faith to see in death the gate of eternal life, so that in quiet confidence we may continue our journey and serve with honor, dignity, and courage. Amen."
Miller went on to say, "This is a difficult day, but a day we must all remember what happened on that terrible day, when hatred tried to take us over, but there were those with the courage, to reach out a hand to help each other. So many of those lost, were our first responders." Miller then read the "Firefighters Prayer" which reads, "Whenever I am called to duty, wherever flames may rage, Give me the strength to save a life, whatever be its age. Help me embrace the little child before it's too late, Or save an elder person from the horror of that fate. Enable me to be alert and hear the weakest shout, And quickly and efficiently to put the fire out. I want to fill my calling and to give the best in me, To guard my every neighbor and protect his property. And if it's according to God's will, I must answer death's call, bless with your protecting hand, my family one and all."
WFD Chief Thomas Smith said to those in attendance, "We gather here in remembrance of this terrible even which happened twenty years ago today. One thing I have always been told was to learn from history. On that tragic day it wasn't about being a Democrat or Republican. It was about coming together. I really hope at some point we as a people and country we can work on achieving that again. That day you couldn't find a flag. There wasn't a flag to be found that following week, we were all working together. I hope and pray that we can start working together from this day forward, and learn from this event."
After the ceremony Chief Smith was asked: knowing how how many firefighters', police, and civilian lives were lost in the attacks twenty years ago this very day, what does it mean to you, reflecting back on the event, about how many in service gave some, and how many gave and lost all? Smith replied, "To me it means those serving were doing what they needed to do, they didn't ever hesitate. They were going to protect lives which is the first goal, and protect lives and property and save as many lives as they possibly could. They had no way of knowing the eventual outcome, and in no way did it have any effect in how they were all doing their job. We respect them all with great honor for that, and that's something that anyone who signs up for the job as a firefighter, police officer, or first responder would not hesitate to do."
The WFD lowers the flag to half-staff, in honor of all those lost in the terrorist attacks of 09/11/2001 with a full minute of complete silence in respect.
Photo by Keith Kent
United Parish Pastor and WFD Chaplain Calvin Miller is seen reflecting in respect during a moment of silence after reading the "Firefighters Prayer."
Photo by Keith Kent
Winchendon Experiences Slight Drop in COVID Viral Positivity, Rates Still High
The Town of Winchendon realized a 14 day viral positivity testing average of 6.24 percent, down just slightly from the September 9 figure of 6.40 percent, according to numbers released by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on Thursday, September 16. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts average remains low compared to most of the nation, at just 2.35 percent, with the vast majority of those hospitalized consistently being people who chose not to become vaccinated.
Locally, the surrounding towns yielded mixed results. Neighboring Ashburnham to the east dropped from 3.11 to 2.35 percent, while Westminster which shares the Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School District with dropped only sightly from 7.06 to 6.74 percent. These rates are based on 1,319 and 653 tests performed, respectively. To Winchendon's south, the Narragansett Regional School District partners Templeton and Phillipston have again bounced back up. Templeton's average increased in one week from 4.27 to 6.03 percent, and Phillipston from 2.40 to 3.97 percent based on 863 and 151 tests respectively. Also to our south, in the past 7 days, the City of Gardner with a higher vaccination rate and twice the population and density of Winchendon, dropped from 5.26 to 4.36 percent based on 2,224 individual tests.
In the neighboring towns and school district of Athol and Royalston to the west, both the towns' individual and combined numbers realized considerably large increases. Athol, a town of roughly 11,500 residents, spiked up in 7 days on its 14 day testing average, from 4.44 to 6.57 percent based on 1,370 tests, and school district partner Royalston realized a dramatic increased as a small town rising from just 1.06 to 6.30 percent. However it should also be noted the testing pool size in Royalston was 127 tests.
These viral infections thrive on population density. The higher your community vaccination rates, the more the virus is kept in check, and the testing average numbers decrease accordingly. Proof of this is in some of Massachusetts' largest cities. Boston which has a high vaccination rate, and the highest population density, contains just under 700,000 regular full time residents, and 1.5 million residents during college and university school semesters. Boston has remained consistently low, dropping from 1.41 to 1.24 percent, and well below the state average despite its population numbers and density, proving vaccinations do work. The City of Worcester in the past week dropped from 2.35 to 2.12 percent with a population of nearly 200,000 regular residents, and many more during the college and university academic year.
Closer to home, Fitchburg with a population of just under 40,000 dropped from 4.02 to 3.54 percent. Neighboring Leominster, again with more people and a higher human density at roughly 43,000 residents, is also comparatively lower than Winchendon, dropping from 4.03 to 3.49 percent, giving it four times Winchendon's population and only just over half the positivity rate. Again, vaccinations work.
Many towns have gone up and down regarding viral infection data. Shirley, MA, not far to Winchendon's east, previously at 13 percent, is now just 2.08 percent. Lunenburg also to our east, last week was at 7.15, and this week is slightly less than Winchendon at 6.11 percent. Other small towns around the state near the Connecticut border and in the Berkshires range from 13 to 16 percent, while others neighboring them only experience the one to two percent range.
As Winchendon's vaccinated portion of residents continues to be nearly stagnant, hovering at 50 percent, the other 50 percent will continue to generate higher positivity rates. Those who are not vaccinated should have the common courtesy to wear a mask in public places. Even if you have previously contracted the virus naturally, scientific studies of human antibody counts continue to prove you will have a greater resistance to viral mutations which there will always be occurring if you are vaccinated versus getting the virus naturally. This is not personal opinion, this is documented scientific data.
In closing, Massachusetts has increased from 4.5 million to 4.6 million of its 6.9 million residents vaccinated. If you believe your medical updates should come from medically uneducated people on Facebook, Instagram, or other social media, you are part of the problem. If you have any questions, you should speak with your personal Primary Care or health care physician for honest, scientifically proven data. As long as 50 percent of Winchendon chooses to ignore science, our numbers will not go down, and the children of our town will continue to have to wear masks in school. The choice is yours, and if you refuse to become vaccinated claiming it's still experimental, with over 160 million people in our nation fully vaccinated, based on false social media information and inaccurate personal beliefs, your not helping your community, you're harming it. The power to have the choice to not do something, doesn't always equate to the right thing to do.
Keith Kent
Chair
Board of Health
Town of Winchendon
To schedule a free COVID-19 vaccination at any time, go to www.mass.gov/covid-19-vaccine.
