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Sheffield select board advances roughly $8 million plan to replace aging highway garage
Summary
Select Board presented a plan to acquire and renovate an existing building and add storage, a salt shed, fueling station and wash bay; voters previously approved a $2 million short-term borrowing and the board expects to ask town meeting for the remainder and roll costs into a 20- or 30-year bond.
The Select Board of Sheffield on Nov. 3 reviewed a proposed replacement and renovation of the town highway garage that board members said would resolve chronic storage, equipment maintenance and employee-safety problems.
The chair told residents the current garage is “over 50 years old and was temporary when it was first built,” and that the board is proposing to acquire and update an existing structure across the street while adding a storage building, salt shed, fueling station and a contained wash bay to reduce corrosion and protect equipment.
Lee, speaking for the board on finances, said voters have already approved purchase of the property and a $2 million short‑term borrowing; the board plans to present an article at the town meeting for roughly $6 million more, with the short‑term borrowing rolled into an approximate $8 million bond to be issued for 20 or 30 years depending on the town’s final decision and financial-advisor guidance.
Board members described several line‑item savings the project team identified by procuring select systems through SourceWell, a cooperative procurement vehicle, rather than through the general contract. Board members cited examples where cost-estimating line items were much higher than actual procurement quotes — the well was estimated at about $200,000 by a cost estimator but procured for about $32,000, and a proposed fuel-station package estimated at $180,000 was identified through SourceWell for roughly $36,000. The board cautioned that removing too many discrete components could discourage general contractors if the package becomes too small to bid.
The proposal includes operational benefits the board emphasized: a contained wash bay to avoid washing equipment near the municipal well, a larger salt shed to handle back‑to‑back storms, a hot-works area and lifts to allow safer on‑site repairs, and staff facilities including a conference room, break room, lockers and shower facilities to improve employee retention.
The chair said the board hopes construction bidding will occur in January and that, if a contractor is secured, work could begin in the spring with a realistic aim to complete by the next fall, while noting schedule risk and uncertainty. The board estimated a preliminary taxpayer impact of about $500 per year per property for the bond but said final figures are pending the contractor selection and final cost numbers.
The board said it will bring a full funding article to the town meeting and continue refining the scope and procurement approach. No formal vote to authorize borrowing for the project was taken at the Nov. 3 meeting; the board said residents should expect additional public discussion and more precise tax‑impact figures at an upcoming meeting.
