Selectboard approves engineering-agreement amendments after ARPA audit for village wastewater projects

The Londonderry Selectboard approved amendments to the engineering service agreements with the Dufresne Group after an audit of ARPA-funded work found the originally supplied contractor agreement did not include required agency provisions.

Town administrator reported the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources audited a North Village ARPA grant and determined that the agreement given to the town by the agency lacked language the agency expects. The board considered the first amendment to the Dufresne Group contracts to add those standard State of Vermont provisions and to revise project submittal timeframes; a motion to accept the proposed first amendments and to authorize the town administrator to execute them was moved and seconded and carried.

The town administrator also noted the agency requested the town change its local purchasing policy to require a debarment review for contracts; the administrator said she would return with proposed language that narrows the requirement to only contracts for which the review is required.

Board members said the amendment is aimed at meeting audit requirements and avoiding future requests from the agency for the south-village contract as well. The board directed staff to prepare language for a purchasing-policy change clarifying when debarment searches must be performed.

What happens next: the town administrator will execute the contract amendments and return draft purchasing-policy language for board consideration.