Nashua Approves $43.5M Bond for New Public Works Garage and Fleet Maintenance Facility
The bond will fund design, construction and equipment for a facility to replace a building with asbestos, PCBs and other hazardous materials, with projected annual savings of $875,000.
Source: Nashua Ink Link ↗
Nashua, New Hampshire’s Board of Aldermen approved a $43.5 million bond Oct. 13 to design, build and equip a new Division of Public Works garage and fleet maintenance facility, replacing a facility officials say creates unsafe working conditions and leaves 75% of the city’s vehicles exposed to the elements.
Public Works Director Lisa Fauteux and Jeff Alberti, president of Weston & Sampson Engineers, laid out the deficiencies at a public hearing Oct. 6. Under current conditions, 201 vehicles, or 75% of the fleet, must be stored outdoors because the existing building cannot accommodate them. Staff take breaks in the vehicle storage area because dedicated employee support space is undersized. Mechanical systems have exceeded their useful life, and an independent study found hazardous building materials including asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), lead paint, carbon monoxide and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) throughout the facility.
The new facility is designed to house 170 vehicles, or 64% of the fleet, compared with 25% under the current building. City officials said moving that additional inventory indoors is expected to reduce unscheduled repairs and overall fleet maintenance costs.
Board of Public Works Vice Chair Matty Gregg said the project is projected to generate annual savings of $875,000 and cumulative savings of $25 million to $45 million over 50 years.
Construction cost escalation was a central argument for moving ahead. Rob Prunier of Harvey Construction said at the Oct. 6 hearing that construction costs were climbing at a rate of 4% to 5% per month, averaging 4.7% over the prior four months. “There is a cost of doing nothing,” Prunier said. “We’re running at about a 4 to 5% per month escalation clip right now. During the last four months it’s been ranging around 4.7%, so waiting five years to do this could change that price to $52 to $54 million.”
Alderman Tim Sennott said he initially had sticker shock over the price but acknowledged that delay would likely push the cost higher. Alderman Ben Clemons, who said he was initially opposed, cited the long-term savings figures as the deciding factor. “If the savings are even half true, the savings alone will cover the debt service,” he said.
Alderman Paula Johnson voted against the bond authorization. She pointed to two other major capital projects already in the pipeline, a library renovation and a new fire station, and raised concerns about the cumulative burden on taxpayers under a 20-year bond. “I have to say, what is our priority in all of these projects?” she said.
Full plans for the new garage and maintenance facility are available in the Oct. 6 Board of Public Works meeting minutes.
