Skowhegan board approves ball-field change orders contingent on special meeting funding vote

Skowhegan Select Board members voted to approve multiple change orders for the town's athletic complex projects but made the approvals contingent on a vote at a special town meeting to transfer reserve funds.

The board approved two change orders for the Ball Field Compound (phase 1) totaling $40,186.50 (change orders nos. 8 and 13) and three change orders for phase 2 (nos. 10, 11 and 14) totaling $61,282. Board members said those expenditures are included in the transfer the town will consider at the special meeting on Article 2, and they only authorized spending if that article passes.

The contingency matters because the project has encountered unanticipated site work and infrastructure corrections from earlier construction phases. Steve Gavoni of Wentworth Partners and Associates, the clerk of works for the project, told the board that Wet Pond No. 2 had been constructed at roughly half the size…