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Council awards $1.22 million contract to renovate Bay Spring Community Center first floor; manager to explore second-floor fixes
Summary
After reviewing four bids, the council approved a $1,221,000 contract with E.W. Berman Inc. to renovate the Bay Spring Community Center’s first floor under a state capital projects grant and directed staff to explore additional second-floor repairs and dugout/meeting-area improvements.
The Town Council awarded the bid to renovate Bay Spring Community Center’s first floor to E.W. Berman Inc. of Warwick. The base contract with all grant-eligible alternates totals $1,221,000; the project is primarily funded by a state capital projects grant. Council also instructed the town manager to explore expanding scope to address structural and cosmetic issues on the building’s second floor.
Lede: The council voted to accept the low bid from E.W. Berman Inc. for $1,221,000 to renovate the Bay Spring Community Center’s first floor, including alternates covered by a state capital projects grant; the vote included authority to add $35,000 in contingency from the Bayspring Community Center capital reserve.
Nut graf: The project will convert a former garage bay into accessible community meeting space, add a rear addition and access ramp, and upgrade systems in accordance with the grant’s scope. Staff said limited remaining grant funds will be preserved for AV and furniture; the council asked the town manager to evaluate whether cost-effective second-floor improvements (including addressing sagging floors and water damage) can be added while the contractor is on site.
Details and reasoning - Project funding: The project is primarily funded by a state capital projects grant that paid for design and construction items listed in the grant scope. The recommended low bid plus professional fees brings the project close to the grant total; remaining grant funds are limited and were being reserved for technology and furnishings. - Contract award: Town staff recommended E.W. Berman Inc. as the low responsive bidder; the architect recommended awarding the contract and the council approved the bid 5–0 with a $35,000 contingency from Bayspring’s capital reserve. - Second-floor consideration: Councilors asked staff to explore whether limited second-floor work — structural reinforcement, ceiling/paint repairs and improved acoustics — could be done cost-effectively while general-contractor crews are mobilized. The council did not authorize additional spending at the meeting but instructed staff to report back.
Votes and next steps Council voted 5–0 to award the contract and approve the contingency. Staff will coordinate permitting and schedule work to seek completion in advance of summer programming; if the town finds additional funds or cost-effective change orders, it will return to council for authorization.
Ending: The project is intended to make the center’s first floor fully accessible and more usable for meetings and programs; the council signaled interest in addressing second-floor deficiencies if cost-effective options emerge.
