Selectmen approve low bid for town roof project, will seek $37,552 appropriation

North Stonington — The Board of Selectmen voted unanimously on July 10 to approve awarding the low bid for a roof replacement at a town education facility and to seek a $37,552 appropriation from the Board of Finance to cover the gap between the state grant and the low bid.

Chair Bob Carlson presented the "Steve Grant" roof project and said five contractors bid for the job. Selectman John Gascio moved to award the replacement contract to the lowest bidder, identified in the transcript as Silktown Roofing (transcript contains variants including "Silk Town" and "Silkwood"); Selectwoman Nicole Porter seconded and the board approved the award pending a finance appropriation.

Carlson outlined the funding: the state grant amount budgeted in the town packet was recorded in the transcript as $204,003.50; the lowest bid was read as $241,902, leaving a difference the board recorded as $37,552 that would require the town to appropriate additional funds. Carlson said the grant is structured to cover the planned amount (about 80%) and that anything above the grant amount is the town’s responsibility.

Board members asked procedural and scope questions: Gascio asked whether existing solar installations would be affected; Carlson and others said the contract as bid does not include solar work in the affected area and added that bidders were allowed to core‑sample the roof during the walk‑through, but that concealed damage discovered upon removal could prompt a later appropriation.

Carlson said he will present the appropriation request to the Board of Finance at its meeting next Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. and that the contract will not be executed until the finance appropriation is approved. The board did not receive public comment on the item during the meeting.