Commissioners advance warming center RFP, consider demolition option and CDFA grant partnership

The Strafford County Board of Commissioners reviewed plans to issue a design-build request for proposals to create a warming center and discussed options for site preparation and funding.

The board said the Dover City Council recently voted to proceed and that county staff must now publish an RFP for a new building. County officials urged that the RFP require a mandatory pre-bid/site walkthrough so prospective bidders can see the site before submitting proposals. "I just want everybody to see the site," one commissioner said, noting the county had been "burned" in the past when walkthroughs were not mandatory.

Commissioners discussed including demolition of the existing structure as an optional line item in the RFP so a vendor could price demolition and site-prep as part of its bid. Staff also reported the county has received three demolition cost estimates and that Fire Chief Barry Palmer (City of Dover) may use the building for training before any work begins; commissioners suggested salvaging rooftop artifacts prior to demolition.

Separately, staff described efforts to partner with the Community Action Program (CAP) and municipal partners to submit a joint application to a state community development program (referred to in the transcript as the "CDFA" community development program) that could offset operating costs for shelter services. The board said any joint application will require standard public hearings and is subject to a competitive state selection process. A public hearing on the grant application and program may be scheduled in late November.

Next steps

County administration will prepare and publish the RFP with mandatory walkthroughs and an optional demolition line item, coordinate public notices, and work with CAP on required public hearings and a joint grant application.