Exeter committee reviews $50,000 draft space-planning study; stakeholder interviews to follow

Members of the Exeter Facilities Advisory Committee reviewed a draft space-planning study and discussed next steps for procuring a consultant to complete a stakeholder-driven workplace and space needs analysis.

The committee heard a proposed procurement timeline: issue the request for proposals in mid‑July, receive proposals and vet them in July, conduct interviews in August, and make a consultant selection in September. The preliminary budget estimate discussed at the meeting was about $50,000.

Committee members emphasized the importance of stakeholder engagement: department heads should be involved and the consultant should interview both leadership and associates to understand workspace needs, collaboration opportunities and public‑facing service requirements. Members noted that some decisions — such as whether to cluster specific departments together — have not been made and should not be predetermined in the request for proposals.

Discussion included which departments are likely to remain in the main town office (clerk, administration and collections), constraints posed by existing building footprints, and the value of early clarity about the town’s high‑priority objectives to help bidders produce useful designs. Carol volunteered to collect redline comments on the draft study for submission to staff; Dave was identified as the point person for coordinating materials.

The committee did not take formal action on procurement at this meeting but asked staff to circulate the updated draft and collect consolidated comments before issuing the solicitation.