Select Board advances fire station project; approves RFQ team after DPW director recommends CMAR delivery

The Peterborough Select Board on Dec. 6 heard an update on the proposed Elm Street fire station and voted to form an RFQ Development and Selection Team to advance selection of construction management and architectural services.

Seth MacLean, director of public works, reviewed the project history—tracing studies and planning steps back to 2004—and summarized Phase 2 work completed after the most recent Town Meeting. MacLean said the project scope is a new facility to house Fire and Ambulance Services and that the town committed to locating the station on Elm Street. He reported a projected FY25 bond-capacity figure of $12,150,863 and noted a phased construction approach may be necessary to balance programmatic needs and financial constraints.

MacLean reviewed three delivery methods and recommended Construction Manager At Risk (CMAR), citing advantages such as ongoing cost transparency, early cost estimating during design, preconstruction services, constructability collaboration, and risk mitigation for the owner. He said fees for a construction manager typically range "in the range of 3-5% of total project value," which can reduce overall risk despite the fee. The staff presentation referenced facility tours of stations built between 2008 and 2022 and a FIERO design symposium that informed programming and community engagement plans.

MacLean proposed members for the RFQ Development/Selection Team, including Select Board liaison Bill Taylor, Fire Chief Ed Walker, Budget Committee members, and representatives from planning, energy, and finance functions. The Select Board voted unanimously to form the RFQ team and to approve the recommended members. MacLean outlined a tentative schedule that anticipates selecting professional teams by March 2023, community engagement through late 2023, design development in 2023–24, and a May 2024 Town Meeting vote.

During audience questions, Budget Committee Chair Carl Mabbs-Zeno and Chief Ed Walker discussed potential grant opportunities and the need to be "shovel-ready" to compete for them. Walker said the building shells on the stations the town toured should last "50–75 years," though interior systems would require replacement sooner. Walker also said Congress holds bipartisan bills that may lead to grants but added he doubted all would pass both houses; he called the prospects "Lots of opportunities on the horizon." After the presentation and Q&A, the board approved the RFQ team formation by unanimous vote.