Similar scope of work the subject of April 2010 meeting
The Bethlehem Town Board last night approved the borrowing of money to fix the leaky roof over Town Hall’s courthouse and police station and to repair a section of the parapet lining the building’s roof.
The stamp of approval was placed on $470,000 of work in all, the lion’s share of which will cover a reworking of the parapet wall on the front of Town Hall. The Town Board has already approved repairs to the parapet on the east side of the building, a portion of which gave away on March 1 and damaged four cars parked below.
The bonding approval was granted in a special meeting. Other improvements to Town Hall were also discussed, including expansions to second floor office spaces and renovations to the cells in the police department. Altogether, there was about $850,000 worth of work before the board.
The meeting closely resembled one held last April when the board discussed, but did not approve, a package of Town Hall work that included the roof and parapet work.
It’s like Groundhog’s Day in the movie, Councilman Kyle Kotary said last night. `We’ve had this conversation over and over again.`
Recollection of last April’s events is varied. Several Town Board members have said they explicitly instructed town staff to move forward on the parapet and roof repairs but wanted to hold off on the interior work. But no funding for any of those projects was approved until August 2010, when the board authorized design work for all the Town Hall renovations.
There was still no approval for construction at that time.
The design work is now wrapped up and the town should bid the authorized repair work shortly.
Like last year, Supervisor Sam Messina said the town should bond for the whole package of Town Hall work, including the office expansions.
`They would not in any way thwart the work going forward on the emergency repairs,` he said.
But other members of the Town Board said they’d like to hold off on those other items until the next board meeting on March 23. Councilman Mark Hennessey said he’d only learned about the work in the police station the day before the special meeting.
`The other Town Hall improvements…I don’t think that’s something we absolutely have to do,` he said. `Tonight’s meeting was really about making the repairs to Town Hall that need to be made.`
The board decided to borrow money for the repairs. The capital reserve for the general fund stands at $570,000, some of which is earmarked for other projects. There is a reserve of $2 million in the water fund, but that money can’t be spent for the building repairs. There was also concern spending the reserves down too far could leave the town exposed in the event of other emergencies.
Plus, the borrowing environment is favorable at the moment, said Comptroller Suzanne Traylor.
`Interest rates continue to be incredibly low and in our favor in the short term,` she said.
Since there is a delay between authorization and when the bonds are issued, the town could wrap the additional repairs in to this bond should they be approved on March 23. It’s advantageous to bundle bonding items together because the town pays its bond counsel every time it borrows.“
