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Board hears update on Main Street waterline project, change orders and potential paving costs
Summary
Town staff reviewed ongoing change orders for the Main Street waterline and related projects, explained reasons change orders occur, and discussed possible additional paving. Board asked for summaries of change orders and clarification of engineer/contractor responsibility for design omissions.
Town staff provided an update on the Main Street waterline project, related change orders, the water storage tank replacement and associated sidewalk work, and discussed the prospect of more extensive paving than originally planned.
The town manager explained that change orders commonly appear on large infrastructure projects when contractors encounter unforeseen conditions underground (abandoned utilities, ledge, contaminated soil) or when schedule adjustments and additional scope are required. The waterline project has multiple change orders totaling several hundred thousand dollars; the manager indicated the project remains within the bond authorization but the board would be briefed if the project budget exceeded bond amounts.
Board members asked for more transparency on change orders: a line-item summary as they arise, whether engineers or contractors bear responsibility for specific design omissions (for example, a 4-inch water service identified in the field), and whether the state would consider paving the full curb-to-curb surface rather than accepting patching. The manager said the state indicated a high level of confidence that paving could be eligible for cost-share (state to pay half) but was still reviewing the exact scope; the board asked for written confirmation of eligibility and cost estimates.
Members also discussed whether design oversights - such as missing service sizes or overlooked schematic items - could provide leverage to seek negotiated adjustments from engineers or contractors and asked the manager to provide documentation and original contractor proposals for review. The manager said he would provide a summary of change orders and the current cumulative change-order exposure to the board.
