One of the agenda items during the April 8 Hudson Board of Selectmen meeting was in regards to the renovations at Town Hall.
“In 2023, the Board of Selectmen held a public meeting to discuss the potential need for a new Town Hall building. Community feedback indicated a strong preference for thoroughly evaluating the existing building before considering new construction,” Town Engineer Elvis Dhima wrote in a memo. “In response, the Board of Selectmen commissioned an assessment of the current Town Hall, awarding the contract to NorthPoint Construction of Hudson, NH, through an open request for proposal process.”
It was noted by Dhima that the “assessment identified several key deficiencies including inadequate workspace for town operations. lack of handicap accessibility and compliant restroom facilities and inefficient service flow, limiting the towns ability to serve residents effectively.”
“Following the assessment, the Board of Selectmen reviewed four possible options and ultimately selected Option 2 which includes renovations and a 1,000-square-foot expansion per floor. In the recent local election, a warrant article to fund the design phase of Option 2 was approved, allocating $50,000 for this purpose,” Dhima said.
He explained during the meeting that they had two different options to consider in order to move forward with the next phase of the project.
Option 1 was to waive the bid process “and award the contract to NorthPoint Construction for an amount not to exceed $50,000, based on the following justifications:
1. Proven Cost-Effectiveness & Qualifications: NorthPoint Construction was the most cost-effective and qualified vendor during the initial building assessment phase.
2. Established Knowledge & Project Familiarity: Having conducted the assessment, NorthPoint already possesses detailed insights into the needs of each department and the existing structural limitations.
3. Fixed Cost Commitment; NorthPoint has agreed to complete the design phase within the approved $50,000 budget.
4. Public Transparency & Milestones: NorthPoint has committed to providing three public presentations at the 25%. 50%. and 75% design milestones to keep the Board and community informed and implement input on the design.”
The second option that the Board of Selectmen had Dhima explained would be to authorize him to seek design services through a formal request for proposals (REP) process.
Dhima said they would save about $4,000 by going with NorthPoint.
The Board of Selectmen unanimously approved awarding the bid to NorthPoint.
The next Board of Selectmen meeting is set for April 22 beginning at 7 p.m.