Public Works Committee OKs Flax Hill Road contract with Grosso Companies and $400,000 PO increase for Burns Construction

The Public Works Committee authorized the city to contract with Grosso Companies LLC for roadway paving and sidewalks on Flax Hill Road and approved an increase to a Burns Construction purchase order for permanent roadway repairs following utility work.

The authorizations included (1) allowing Mayor Harry W. Rilling to execute an agreement with Grosso Companies LLC for project RD2025-1, Flax Hill Road from Arbor Drive to Highland Avenue, not to exceed $1,001,704.30, and (2) allowing the chief of operations and public works to execute contract orders for the same project not to exceed $180,190.33. The committee also authorized the purchasing agent to increase the purchase order for the first amendment to the April 9, 2024, agreement with Burns Construction Company for project PM2024-2 by an amount not to exceed $400,000; that item responds to recent Eversource utility work on multiple streets.

Why it matters: the Grosso contract launches a multi-element street realignment intended to add accessible sidewalks and a bike facility along Flax Hill Road; the Burns amendment is intended to speed restoration after recent utility work on West Cedar Street, Elizabeth Street and South Main Street.

During discussion, Jim Meehan, a Public Works staff member who presented the Flax Hill item, said the bid process produced three bids and the department is recommending Grosso Companies. Meehan described the project as "ambitious" and said the contractor assured the city "they are able to keep on schedule, within the combined budgets." Committee members noted Grosso's bid was about $200,000 lower than the engineer's estimate; Meehan said the department reviewed the bid, spoke directly with the contractor and that the contract includes an asphalt price adjustment and contingency funds to address material-price changes.

Committee members asked about traffic and neighborhood impacts. Meehan said work is planned to start as soon as contract finalization allows, with construction scheduled to be completed by October, and that residents will be notified in advance of major disruptions. He also said drainage work by another contractor will be completed before the city installs concrete curbs and sidewalks, with paving and striping following.

On the Burns item, Public Works staff said Eversource recently completed transmission and gas work on several streets and Burns Construction has agreed to carry out restorations under the city's contract to expedite repairs. The committee heard that Elizabeth Street will still be part of an eventual larger undergrounding capital project but that immediate repaving is needed because the road surface condition is poor after utility work.

Votes at a glance - RD2025-1, Grosso Companies LLC: Motion to authorize execution of agreement and to allow contract orders (mover: Darlene Young). Outcome: approved (committee vote recorded as unanimous in the transcript; individual vote names not read aloud). Notes: Authorizes Mayor Harry W. Rilling to execute agreement not to exceed $1,001,704.30 and authorizes chief of operations and public works to execute contract orders not to exceed $180,190.33; schedule: completion by October; includes asphalt price adjustment and contingency. - PM2024-2, Burns Construction Company: Motion to increase purchase order for first amendment by up to $400,000 (mover: not specified in transcript). Outcome: approved (recorded as unanimous). Notes: Restoration following Eversource transmission and gas work on West Cedar, Elizabeth and South Main Streets; logic is efficiency under an existing contract.

Committee members who spoke on these items include Chair Jim Frayer, Darlene Young, Jim Meehan (Public Works staff) and Vanessa Valadares (Department of Public Works). No statutory citations were read into the record for either authorization; accounts were "so noted" in the agenda reading.