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Selectboard advances Sandgate building upgrades as grant deadline looms
Summary
At its April 6 meeting the Sandgate Selectboard reviewed MERP-funded projects — boiler RFP, Town Hall windows, lighting and garage repairs — and was warned by BCRC that substantial changes could require a grant amendment; the State requested progress documentation by April 15.
The Sandgate Selectboard on April 6 heard updates on several town building projects funded through MERP and set steps to keep the work on schedule while avoiding grant amendments.
Tom Yandow told the board he will add Blue Flame to the boiler RFP for the Town Garage so the hired mechanical contractor knows who to coordinate with, and that he and Jay decided to install a 40-gallon propane-heated tank for hot water rather than point-of-use units. "Tom expects the project to be complete by the end of August," the minutes record. The board agreed Jessica Lewis will create a Front Porch Forum account to solicit additional contractor bids.
The board also learned the Town Hall window replacement contractor has agreed to the contract and Joe Nolan now has the contract to sign; RK Miles estimated the windows would arrive in six to eight weeks with completion targeted in July. Electrician Randy Novotny recommended replacing bulbs in some office fixtures to convert from fluorescent to LED rather than replacing entire fixtures; Jay described plans to add lighting in the garage and to swap three fluorescents in his office for two LED fixtures with a dimmer. The vault27s heat can be upgraded to a wall thermostat, with that work possible in May or June.
Board members discussed garage door work started last fall and asked Jay to pursue sealing the doors at the bottom. The minutes note that if grant funds remain, the board plans to replace four Town Garage windows first, and then consider an energy-efficient air compressor if surplus remains; mini-splits were discussed but were deprioritized in favor of windows and insulation.
Callie Fishburn of the Bennington County Regional Commission told the board that replacing an entire garage door could trigger a grant amendment, while sealing the bottom would not, and that substituting an air compressor for a mini-split in the grant scope might draw pushback. She said the State27s goal is to complete projects in the original grant scope and requested documentation of progress by April 15. Callie told the board she will work with Jay to assemble a brief narrative and Tom27s schedule for the State.
The board did not take a formal vote on any of the project changes at the meeting; instead, members assigned follow-up tasks to staff: Jessica to set up outreach for contractors, Jay to obtain quotes and pursue door sealing, and Callie to prepare documentation with Jay for the April 15 deadline. The board recorded an expectation that the package of MERP projects would be substantially complete by September.
Next steps: the town will submit progress documentation to the State by April 15 and continue contractor outreach and procurement. The board did not vote to change the grant scope at this meeting.
