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Johnsburg board approves MOU as members debate who pays engineering fees for Holden Hall modifications
Summary
Board approved a memorandum of understanding to allow Holden Hall modifications to proceed but spent the bulk of the meeting arguing whether Cedarwood Engineering fees already incurred should be borne by the town (sewer district) or the project operator; members agreed to amend the MOU to address fees already billed.
The Johnsburg Town Board approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) tied to modifications of a Holden Hall plan after an extended debate over responsibility for engineering fees.
Board members exchanged views about language removed from an 11/04 draft that earlier placed responsibility for certain engineering costs with the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA). "The 11/04 draft had a provision where ORDA is responsible for paying the engineering fees of the town engineers," a board member said, noting that later drafts removed that clause and that Cedarwood Engineering has already billed for work done.
Several members said fees already incurred should not be shifted to the new sewer district. "Taking on an additional $4,000 worth of debt, I don't think is right or a great way to start," one board member said. Others urged action to avoid delaying a business that hopes to open soon, and one member proposed amending the agreement on the floor to specify that previously incurred Cedarwood engineering fees be paid by Bridal (the operator) or otherwise escrowed.
The board moved and seconded an amended resolution to approve the MOU with language addressing the already-incurred engineering fees and voted in favor. A board member also confirmed the town had undertaken other construction work tied to the project — remediation of contaminated soil and installation of a final tank behind town hall — and that equipment purchases (floats and alarms) costing about $2,000 are being covered by the district. "The engineering in this agreement that's required has already been done," another member said.
Next steps: the board approved the MOU as amended and instructed attorneys to incorporate the precise escrow or fee-language into the final MOU drafting. No precise vote tally for individual members was recorded on the transcript.
