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Board notes $425,000 emergency procurement for DPW modular buildings after Reed facility safety concerns
Summary
The Board of Estimates noted an emergency $425,000 procurement with Wilmont Modular Structures to provide modular locker-room and office units for DPW crews relocated from the Reed solid waste facility; board members questioned OSHA compliance and DPW said an internal industrial hygienist and new Office of Health and Safety informed the relocation decision.
The Board of Estimates on June 17 noted (no formal vote recorded) an emergency procurement agreement with Wilmont Modular Structures Incorporated for $425,000 to acquire modular locker-room and office buildings for Department of Public Works crews at the Neiman Avenue site.
Kendall Abu Hakeim, bureauhead for solid waste at the Department of Public Works, told the board the modular units are intended to improve facility conditions for westside routine services staff while the Reed solid waste facility undergoes reconstruction. Abu Hakeim said the Neiman Avenue facility currently houses more than 20% of the department’s solid waste workforce and that some units were leased and others purchased depending on need.
Board President asked why the board had not been notified earlier and whether OSHA standards and other compliance checks had been followed before declaring the procurement an emergency. Abu Hakeim said DPW is “going through all the processes of making sure we comply with all MD regulations, OSHA regulations,” and that remaining hurdles must be cleared before permanent construction begins. He said some units were purchased and some leased; leased units will be returned after construction, while purchased units may be reused at other locations.
Matthew Garbark, identified as Director of Public Works earlier in the transcript, said DPW reviewed other government partners and concluded retrofitting or relocating existing modular units from schools or other agencies would have little savings once transport, utilities hookup and retrofit costs were considered. Board members also asked about the role of industrial hygienists; DPW said it created an Office of Health and Safety last year and that internal industrial hygienists were engaged in the decision to relocate staff and acquire modular units as the quickest safe option.
The item was recorded in the meeting minutes as “noted.” No formal approval vote is recorded in the transcript; the clerk and board member discussion indicate the agency will handle contract administration and any follow-up procurement questions.
Why it matters: The emergency procurement responds to worker-safety and facility-condition issues tied to the Reed yard and affects operational capacity for a portion of the city’s solid waste workforce. Board members pressed for details about regulatory compliance and alternative options, which DPW said it considered.
Ending: With no further questions, the board noted the emergency procurement item; DPW said it will continue to work through compliance steps and return leased units as appropriate.
