Golf clubhouse project set to tee off

After two bidding setbacks, council OKs plan that meets budget


Shovels will break ground in March to construct a two-level clubhouse at the golf course on Conanicus Avenue.

The town councilors at their meeting Tuesday unanimously approved a $2.81 million contract to Mill City Construction. After two rounds of bidding were over budget in November and January, an addendum asking the four contractors to remove site work from their bids allowed two companies to meet the $2.9 million bond threshold approved in 2018. Deslandes Construction also met the threshold during the third round of bidding but was $82,000 more than Mill City. Those bids were opened Feb. 11.

“We kept the footprint intact,” said Mike Gray, director of public works. “That was the goal.”

When the second round of bids were opened Jan. 31, the lowest bidder was Mill City at $3.1 million, although that figure included $160,000 for 1,800 square feet of roofed storage for the golf carts. Even by eliminating that feature, however, the project was still over budget.

So, two days later, a third round of bidding was advertised that “requested a deduct cost from their bids for the town to perform the site work,” according to a memo from Mike Gray, director of public works. “The scope included foundation excavation and backfill, sewer, water and utilities, site preparation for patios, walks, walls and electrical transformer, construction of a new entrance at Conanicus Avenue, landscaping, loam and seed.”

“I wanted to know what the site work was valued at,” Gray said. “We were trying to figure if it was something we could do in-house.”

According to Gray, that work is valued at $75,000, and his crew could accomplish those tasks if they start right away.

“We can do it,” he said. “We’re ready to do this program, but we’re ready to do it now. If we wait until May or June, all bets are off. We’ll just be too busy.”

The owner of Mill City told Gray his company also is ready to begin work.

Following passage of the bond in November 2018 with support from 52 percent of the electorate, the project called for 2,750 square feet on the first floor, which would be operated by the course lessee, with an additional 2,990 square feet upstairs under municipal control.

After the first round of bidding came back in October, however, the lowest bidder was 21 percent higher than allowed, which sent Gray and architect Bill Burgin back to the drawing board. Gray blamed the overbids on the economic climate in the 12 months since the bond was passed.

“It has everything to do with construction and labor,” he said. “Everybody is busy and they are not sharpening their pencils.”

The changes made after the first round of bidding included eliminating the portico entranceway and the 436 square feet of meeting space above it on the second floor. Gray’s memo also said the design team eliminated lattice panels for the mechanical systems on the roof; replaced retaining walls and the ramp to the basement walkout with stairs; changed from stamped and colored concrete walked to “a broom-finish surface”; deleted the east-facing deck on the second-floor conference room; eliminated 18 windows on the second floor; replaced the rafter tail with an enclosed eave; and changed construction materials and detail to the elevator shaft above the roof.

“I still think it’s a great looking building,” Gray said.

Councilman Bill Piva asked Gray whether the project is true to the proposal put forward to voters. Gray said the project remains true to the bond because the changes primarily were aesthetic and materials.

“These are items that wouldn’t affect the use of the building,” he said.

Lincoln Street’s Priscilla Foley, disagreed.

“It is not the same building that people vote on,” she said. “You must consider that.”

As far as golf cart storage, Gray said he will continue to look for ways to build that lot.

“We are still going to work on that cart storage,” he said. “I think it is really necessary for the operator.”