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Keene committee unanimously backs $1.8M downtown engineering contract and a string of grants, loans and repair contracts
Summary
The Finance, Organization and Personnel Committee recommended city manager authorization for a $1.8 million construction‑engineering contract, multiple water and sewer engineering agreements, grant acceptances including a $15,833 hazmat award, and Clean Water SRF loan actions to finance private service replacements and reallocate remaining sewer loan funds; all motions passed unanimously.
The Keene Finance, Organization and Personnel Committee on Tuesday recommended a package of infrastructure and funding actions to the full council, including a $1,800,000 award for construction‑engineering services for the downtown infrastructure project and multiple water‑system contracts and loan actions.
City staff recommended awarding engineering services during construction to Greenman‑Pedersen, Inc. (GPI) for an amount not to exceed $1,800,000 after interviewing three firms; staff said the services include construction administration, inspection and budget tracking at 25/50/75/90 percent milestones. "They would track the quantities on the project, confirm that the contractor's pay reqs and quantities are correct and have been tracked," staff said during the presentation.
The vote was one of a series that the committee handled quickly and unanimously. Earlier in the meeting Airport Director Dave Hickling asked the committee to authorize acceptance of up to $350,000 in Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding to complete design, permitting and bidding for phase 2 of the airport perimeter fence project. "This will complete the design of the project, also include permitting and the bidding portion of the project," Hickling said. The committee recommended authorization to accept and expend the grant.
Fire Chief Jason Martin also reported a $15,833 award from the Office of the New Hampshire Fire Marshal under the 2025 Homeland Security Hazardous Materials Grant Program to train the city's hazmat team. "These funds we use to further train our hazmat team members in the disciplines of detection, mitigation, and decontamination," Martin said; the committee recommended accepting and expending the grant without a local match.
On water‑system work, staff described an expedited design and consultant selection for a roughly half‑mile Court Street replacement of a 10‑inch cast‑iron main with 12‑inch ductile pipe after an in‑river break. The committee recommended a Weston & Sampson agreement for engineering services not to exceed $165,000. For a separate but proximate Court Street culvert replacement, the panel authorized a Fuss & O'Neill agreement not to exceed $128,000.
Staff also sought and received authority to enter a Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) loan arrangement to finance replacement of two private galvanized water services triggered by the U.S. EPA's 2024 lead and copper rule revisions. Staff said the two services are private and the city will apply for the loan and then enter repayment agreements with the homeowners; the city noted a typical CWSRF repayment term of up to 10 years and a 10% loan forgiveness component. The committee recommended both the loan application and the homeowner repayment agreements.
In related CWSRF business, staff asked to reallocate remaining funds between two loan‑funded sewer projects after bids changed the cost allocations; roughly $130,000 in available funds would move from the mainlining program to manhole lining to maximize loan forgiveness and complete more work. The committee recommended amending the CWSRF agreements to reallocate the funds.
Other unanimous recommendations included designating Minkland LLC (a veteran‑owned local firm) as a contractor of record for rapid pavement and repair work after multiple water main breaks, authorizing McFarland Johnson as engineer of record for the George Street bridge replacement (agreement up to $60,000), and accepting public donations plus a dollar‑for‑dollar match from the Savings Bank of Walpole for a Goose Pond pedestrian bridge (staff and the Goose Pond Stewardship Committee are fundraising; community donations stood at $3,490 at the time of the meeting).
Committee members asked staff to provide a clear scope and level‑of‑effort for the $1.8 million GPI arrangement before award is finalized. One councilor said he would vote in favor but asked that the scope and level‑of‑effort be shared with councilors for review.
Votes at a glance: the committee recommended approval of the FAA AIP grant acceptance (perimeter fence design, up to $350,000), the $15,833 hazmat grant acceptance, Weston & Sampson engineering agreement (Court Street water main, not to exceed $165,000), Fuss & O'Neill agreement (Court Street culvert, not to exceed $128,000), GPI construction engineering agreement (downtown, not to exceed $1,800,000), McFarland Johnson engineer‑of‑record agreement (George Street bridge, up to $60,000), designation of Minkland LLC as contractor of record, authorization to apply for and accept CWSRF funds and repayment agreements for two private galvanized service replacements, and amendment of CWSRF agreements to reallocate approximately $130,000 to sewer manhole lining. All motions were recommended by voice vote and recorded as unanimous.
The committee finished its business in a short meeting and recommended the items to the full City Council for final action.
