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Bid protest, hazmat review slow Waterford demolition; CIP adopted with pool pavilion and other priorities
Summary
The finance committee recommended the FY2026 Capital Improvement Plan and recommended a $90,000 free‑cash appropriation to cover utility costs and upgrades at the Waterford Community Center, while the Waterford demolition schedule remains delayed by a bid protest and hazmat work.
The Gardner City Council Finance Committee voted Thursday to recommend the FY2026 Capital Improvement Plan and moved several appropriations related to municipal facilities, including a $90,000 free‑cash appropriation for utilities at the Waterford Community Center.
Mayor told the committee the Waterford project has been delayed by a disputed bid and a subsequent protest filed under Massachusetts public bidding law (M.G.L. Chapter 30B). A bid package that arrived in the municipal drop box after a livestreamed opening was included in a subsequent opening; the attorney general’s office adjudicated a protest and ruled that the later‑opened bid I that had been placed in the secured drop box should be considered the low responsive bid. The mayor said the protest and review added about a month to the schedule and contributed to subsequent contractor scheduling conflicts.
The mayor also said asbestos and lead‑paint abatement are required before demolition, and the city must evaluate whether removing decorative copper cupolas and other salvage items will affect roof stability and entail reinforcement before demolition proceeds. Associated Building Records (the recommended contractor) has provided draft demolition schedules and bonding documents and has been reviewing the site with city purchasing and the building director.
Councilors raised questions about timing. The mayor said the city expects demolition work and related ground preparation to proceed this calendar year and that Associated Building Records was engaged to provide final bonds, specifications and a demo schedule. The mayor asked for patience while the city completes the environmental controls and contract award steps.
Separately the committee discussed the capital plan’s top priorities: an outdoor pool pavilion, city hall maintenance needs and the salt‑shed project for snow‑and‑ice materials. The mayor said the pool area will be loamed and seeded this fall and that pavilion work is expected in summer 2026. The committee voted to recommend the capital improvement plan to the full council.
The Waterford utilities appropriation — $90,000 to cover gas and electric costs that exceed tenant rent contributions and to pay for recent upgrades such as mini‑split installation and motion‑sensing lights — was also recommended to the full council.
