Brookfield commission approves Vendor A for townhouse painting, to use trust fund money

Brookfield Town officials voted to hire a painting contractor and to withdraw funds from a townhouse trust account to cover the work, while postponing a final roofing decision for the bell tower pending further quotes and guidance on historic-preservation constraints.

At the combined meeting of the Selectmen and the Heritage Commission, the project manager (Speaker 5) presented an RFP with three components: paint and repair the front of the townhouse, reshingle the bell tower roof, and power-wash the front of the town offices. "We have a budget, which was a warrant article that was approved by the town, at the town meeting to withdraw $10,000 from our Trust fund," Speaker 5 said, noting that all three vendor quotes exceeded that amount.

Speaker 5 summarized the vendor proposals: Vendor A quoted $19,475 for painting and washing (not including full trim replacement), while Vendor B quoted about $23,500 and would purchase paint separately and provide receipts. For the bell tower, vendors provided a range of shingle options, with sample prices Speaker 5 read aloud: "Landmark builder grade $14,994.88; Landmark Pro $15,472.88; Northgate Singles $16,535.04; stainless shingles $18,617," and she cautioned that an additional plywood replacement could add approximately $3,600 depending on what is found after lift access.

Commissioners debated trade-offs of standard versus metal/steel roofing. Speaker 5 framed the issue as a long-term taxpayer cost consideration: standard shingles may last roughly 15 years while higher-end steel options have higher upfront costs but longer lifespans. Speaker 1 asked whether switching wooden shingles to steel "would affect our national registry," and members agreed to ask Andrew Cushing for guidance on preservation rules before choosing non-wood materials.

Members also discussed contractor deposit terms after learning Vendor A had requested a deposit. Some members expressed concern about a large deposit; others cited prior experience with the contractor "Tracy," who had previously worked for the town. The body agreed it would be prudent to minimize deposit risk with a contract and a staged payment schedule if needed.

After comparing proposals and discussing contract terms, Speaker 6 moved — and the board seconded — a motion to select Vendor A to paint the townhouse and power-wash the town offices and to use funds from the townhouse trust fund to cover the cost. The Heritage Commission voted in favor by voice. Following the vote, members directed staff to request updated shingle quotes that include the townhouse with the bell tower and to solicit one additional roofer contact provided by a member.

Treasurer's report (Speaker 6) provided financial context: the New Hampshire public deposit investment pool account held $9,011.89 and the Heritage checking account had $4,190.05; recent activity and a modest interest gain were recorded. Commissioners discussed drafting a warrant article (members cited roughly $20,000 as an estimate) to replenish or supplement trust funds and to fund longer-term roofing work.

The meeting closed with members agreeing to gather additional roofing estimates, to seek clarification from preservation experts about acceptable materials for a property on the national registry, and to prioritize other urgent building repairs (electrical, steps) during the upcoming budget process. The Heritage Commission and Selectmen did not finalize a roofing choice for the bell tower; that decision was deferred pending the additional quotes and preservation guidance.