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Selectmen authorize construction contract for Century Performing Arts Center shell; town and PAC to cover small remaining contingency gap
Summary
After bids came in under the referendum cap, the Board of Selectmen authorized a construction contract with Millennium Builders for the Century Performing Arts Center shell project and discussed a roughly six‑figure contingency gap the town and the PAC plan to address without a new referendum.
The Board of Selectmen authorized the town manager July 14 to execute a construction contract with Millennium Builders for the Century Performing Arts Center shell and site work, after a presentation detailing bids, grant funding and a small contingency shortfall.
Town manager Mark Nelson and town engineer Adam explained bids returned close to the referendum estimate and below the top‑line referendum cap used at the ballot. The project is funded through a mix of a state DECD grant, town appropriations included in the capital plan, and fundraising by the Century Performing Arts Center (CPAC). Mark Nelson said the competitive bid returned “just under $2.7 million” and that the vote would allow the manager to execute a contract.
Adam walked the board through two scenarios: one using the full referendum top line and one using the current cash‑in‑hand funding. He reported discovered site items (unsuitable soils and utility relocations) that consumed a portion of contingency and that the bid‑award leaves a remaining contingency shortfall (roughly in the low six figures range across scenarios). Adam and staff said the remaining shortfall arises from necessary allowances for unforeseen site conditions and required special inspections.
Jeff Doernenburg, CPAC board president, told the board the nonprofit has raised roughly $904,000 toward its referendum commitment and has also covered pre‑bid design costs; CPAC leaders have continued fundraising to close the remaining project needs. Nelson said the town and nonprofit have been negotiating how to structure any modest gap so the project can start without returning to voters for additional authorization.
Board members asked procedural questions about approvals, the source of any supplemental funds and how future cost overruns would be handled. Nelson said the board could consider a supplemental appropriation or internal transfers if needed, but emphasized staff and the nonprofit expected to resolve the shortfall through a combination of CPAC fundraising and department year‑end savings. “We will cross that bridge when we come to it,” Nelson said, while also noting the town attorney had advised the board it may allocate additional town funds and that board of finance approvals would apply to any supplemental appropriation.
After discussion, the board voted to let the town manager execute the contract with Millennium Builders and proceed toward a fall start while town staff and CPAC continue fundraising and finalize contingency handling.
