Costs Up but Sidewalk Construction to Start
by Amy Kolb Noyes

The bid has been awarded and, after four years in the planning,
Morristown's Brooklyn Street sidewalk project is ready to get under way
in a matter of weeks. However, project delays and complications have
driven up the cost of the Bridge Street to Harrel Street sidewalk.
When the State of Vermont first approved Morristown's grant application
for a new Brooklyn Street sidewalk, the construction portion of the
project was estimated to cost $361,000, with the town responsible for
10% of the project expenses. The contract that will be signed next week
with low-bidder Dubois Construction is for $585,154.
Monday evening, August 2, the Morristown Selectboard authorized $25,000
to be added to the next town budget to cover additional project costs.
Two years ago the town taxed for its 10% match on the project which, at
that point, was $69,500. That money is currently in a reserve fund
awaiting the start of construction. McGinley said the construction
contract will be signed Tuesday, August 10. He estimated construction
would start around August 20.
Approximately $1,000 of the $25,000 in additional costs to the town will
go toward increased engineering fees for the project. Design changes,
delays and right-of-way acquisitions increased engineering fees charged
by Lamoureux & Dickinson by $10,664.84. The project's original
engineering contract was for $81,850. Complications led to that contract
previously being amended to $126,000, according to Town Administrator
Paul McGinley. The final contract total, now that the engineering work
is complete, is $137,181.61.
Morristown hired Bob Merchant, of Guertin Elkerton & Associates, Inc.,
in Island Pond, to be the town's consultant on this project. In a letter
to McGinley, Merchant outlined the increases in project costs over the
past four years. Merchant noted the construction inspection contract
alone was up $35,000 over the original estimate of $71,000. Other
increased costs included drainage and erosion prevention improvements to
the project, not included in the 2002 estimate. In addition, many items
in the contractor's construction bid came in higher than anticipated.
Merchant wrote, "The bottom line is that the construction line for the
project has increased to $750,000 from the $500,000 in previous
agreements, which was based on an anticipated contract low bid of $361,000."
Although clearly not happy with the increased costs, selectboard members
felt the project had come too far to turn back. The board unanimously
passed the additional expenditures, but not before board chair Brian
Greenia asked McGinley, "Can we try to hold Merchant's feet to the fire
and say 'no more, what you get is what you get?'"
McGinley responded, "I think you're there." He alluded the town would
not be asked to invest any more in this sidewalk project.