KINDERHOOK–Repairs to the Village Hall roof will have to wait as the board reviews the two remaining bids for construction on the project.
The board opened the bids for the proposed $600,000 project at the last regular meeting in July but did not decide on a contractor at the August meeting.
Trustee Bob Puckett told the board that after the lowest bidder for the job toured the building and went up to the roof, the company withdrew its bid.
“I don’t know why they backed out,” Mr. Puckett told the board at the August 13 meeting. But he did tell other board members at the meeting, “The original lowest bidder was way lower than the other two bidders.”
Mr. Puckett said the board received three bids last month ranging from $290,000 to $510,000. He said had been talking with Marilyn Kaplan, the architect who came up with the original plans and scope of work for the project, about alternatives. He said that were looking at possibly changing the types of materials for replacing the roof included in the original plan. If the board decides to make that change, it will mean having to rebid the project and that would delay the start date for of the repairs until next spring.
The roof has been leaking and the board had to repair masonry near the roof in recent years. Mayor Carol Weaver said that if the board has to wait until next year for the construction work to begin, “I think it’s important to get an engineer to go up there and see if we can make it to spring.”
The board will meet with Ms. Kaplan to discuss the alternatives and plans to talk with the other bidders soon. The mayor said the board needs to be ready to make some quick decisions to deal with the roof.
The board also discussed the sewer project. This spring and summer, crews have been working throughout the village to connect buildings in the Business District to the Valatie Waste Water Treatment Plant.
Project Manager Jim Dunham said that he hoped that construction would be done in August, but he told the board, “I’m sure we’re going to be in September now” before the project is completed. He’s hoping to have some of the 35 properties in the district hooked up to the system soon.
Also at the meeting the board:
•Hired Saxton Signs for between $2,600 and $2,900 to sand and pant the flagpole on the village square
•Heard from residents on Williams Street about the speeding along the street. The mayor said she would contact the state police about patrolling the street and she would ask the town for permission to borrow its speed monitoring sign.
The next regular board meeting will be Wednesday, September 10 at 7:30 p.m.
To contact reporter Emilia Teasdale email eteasdale@columbiapaper.com.
