Municipal Building Decision Process
I’ve shared this draft with the selectboard as a model for going forward with a decision about the municipal building
Municipal Office Space Evaluation Scenarios Committee
The committee shall bring before the board no later than Wednesday, Nov 7, 2012 three or more scenarios that describe how the need for office space for town government, and, in some scenarios, school administration as well, will be satisfied for the period 2014 – 2050. One scenario has already been thoroughly vetted: rehabilitating the existing municipal building. This scenario fails to address the goal of having school offices sharing building tenancy with the town offices, a goal that now has support on both governing boards and respective executive managers. The selectboard is interested in obtaining a scenario that adds to the existing rehabilitation approach, plus at least one other scenario that addresses other criteria of interest.
Here are the reasons why the town must act:
- maintenance and repair costs on current building are soaring due to rapid aging of the building systems
- the systems are so inefficient they impose significant extra cost especially for heating and cooling
- the systems work so poorly staff productivity is significantly hampered
- the town and school administration are incurring opportunity cost by not being able to share technology, accounting, and other common resources
All scenarios must satisfy these goals:
- Reduce annual operational cost of municipal office space by 25% (in 2012 dollars) by July 1, 2015 (start of FY 2015-2016)
- Impact on the grand list should be neutral or positive for the GL of April 1, 2015 (this allows for land swaps, new location property purchase and sale of existing municipal building, etc)
- Bond issue for cost should spread expense among future taxpayer/users; hold current taxpayers harmless (no use of undesignated funds).
- Increase security for staff by July 1, 2015
- Accessible by public transportation
The board desires at least two scenarios which also satisfy these goals:
- Town and School offices consolidated by July 1, 2015
- Meeting rooms which can hold 25 and 100 persons by July 1, 2015
- Improve work environment of town employees by Oct 1, 2013 (presumably by short term rental)
- Zero Net Energy Building
Scenarios which include these goals are welcomed:
- Design competition after successful bond vote (this is a key feature of the existing scenario)
- Space in municipal office building for library services
- Easy expansion in the event that surrounding local governments desire to consolidate in Hartford
- Preserve existing Municipal Building shell in an adaptive reuse, either as municipal offices or commercial use by July 1, 2015
All scenarios should include an estimated total cost of acquisition, design, construction, furniture and technology, and any other elements needed to open for business. Annual operating costs should be estimated, and a life-cycle cost through 2050 must be provided.
The committee shall have full access to all documents prepared in the two studies for rehabilitating the existing building, to wit, the 2007-2008 work leading to the defeated bond measure of 2009 town meeting, and the 2011 work of a subcommittee of the Selectboard. The town manager shall assist the committee in obtaining such additional information as they may require, at reasonable expense not to exceed $10,000 total without approval of the Selectboard.
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