Emergency sprinkler replacement at McCathern Hall leads to wider repairs; town reports about $150,000 spent so far

Mayor John opened the meeting and turned the floor over to Councilor Chris Grisham, who described the emergency replacement of McCathern Hall’s sprinkler system and the follow-on repairs. "We're right around $90,650 with Chesapeake," Grisham said, adding that including emergency repairs and labor the town is "looking at about $150,000 so far." Grisham explained the permitting process required two flow tests and delayed work through the winter; once approved, contractors removed sections of the ceiling to access corroded pipe and install new lines and sprinkler heads. As crews restored the ceiling they added R38 insulation and replaced fans where needed.

Grisham said the new system is a dry (nitrogen) system designed to limit corrosion and extend pipe life, and that the installed system must pass a flow test demonstrating water reaches the farthest point in under a minute; the final test measured "40-some odd seconds." He also described additional noncontract structural and finishing work that the sprinkler contractor did not perform, which town volunteers and local contractors completed to speed restoration.

Mayor John acknowledged the volunteer efforts of Steve and Dane, who helped manage demolition, numbered and stored ceiling panels, and painted large sections of the hall to finish work before inspections. The town plans to finalize remaining insulation and finish minor restoration as weather allows.

Next steps: the council will reconcile final invoices and decide whether remaining Hall maintenance items will draw from contingency or emergency reserves. Chris said inspections and touch-up work were still ongoing at the time of his presentation.