Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Demolition topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves state Master Price Agreement purchase and $40,000 for hazardous-material surveys ahead of planned demolitions
Summary
The council approved using a state Master Price Agreement to hire GZA for hazardous-material surveys, abatement planning and demolition planning for multiple school properties and approved a $40,000 expenditure (proposed from the Affordable Housing Trust) to fund the initial assessments; councilors debated whether open-space funds or affordable-housing funds were the appropriate source.
The South Kingstown Town Council on Dec. 8 authorized staff to use a state Master Price Agreement (MPA) to retain a firm—identified as GZA—to perform limited hazardous-building-material surveys, prepare abatement plans and produce full demolition plans for multiple municipal school properties.
Town staff said the work will include surveys to quantify asbestos and other hazardous materials, abatement plans required by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management before demolition, and full demolition plans (utility extinguishment, site stabilization and related details). After the surveys and plans are complete, staff said they would issue RFPs for demolition contractors and return to the council with contract recommendations.
The council approved a $40,000 authorization to cover the initial assessment work. Staff proposed drawing the funds from the Affordable Housing Trust; several councilors objected to using that account for what could be interpreted as an open-space or general infrastructure expense and suggested using the Open Space Fund or a mixed allocation. Staff responded that the council has previously authorized a larger pool (about $800,000) for these efforts and that council can reallocate or redesignate funds later if needed.
Councilors and staff emphasized that the MPA is a standard state-vetted procurement vehicle for specialty services and that GZA had prior experience at South Road School. The motion to approve the MPA purchase and related funding passed by voice vote.
Staff said the MPA work is a preparatory step: once abatement and demolition plans are complete, the town will go out to bid for demolition contracts and return to the council for contract awards.
