SOUTH SALEM, N.Y. - The Lewisboro Town Board approved spending $10,000 on engineering services to clarify the final price tag for its new headquarters building for the Lewisboro Police – as well as opportunities for potential cost savings.
The resolution was approved unanimously by the four Town Board members in attendance at the Aug. 10 meeting. In addition, building consultant Robert Fischman provided an overview of how this step would benefit the town and the project. Fischman is a South Salem resident and project-management consultant whose firm, Sustainable Promise LLC, has offered its expertise to the town on a variety of building projects.
“Earlier this month, we received the actual design/development documents – which includes all components of the project build such as site work, building, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing,” noted Town Supervisor Tony Gonçalves. “We do not want to get ahead of ourselves in case the project changes in any way during the planning review.”
The second phase would include development of the documents for going out to bid, permits and construction. “Before committing to that expense, the Board decided to hire Nasco Construction Services for a more accurate estimate based on the actual design,” Gonçalves said. “This gives us time to really see what this is going to cost and if we have to go back to the drawing board to make some adjustments. They'll look at the detail that's in the design and they'll crunch numbers based on that and on current construction costs.”
One element under consideration is the use of prefabricated building components for much of the structure. This would generally provide cost savings over a new “stick-built” police building. However, under New York State labor law, municipalities are required to pay prevailing construction wages for all projects – which typically match union contracts. This rule would apply to both contractors and subcontractors – including prefab firms.
The modular approach will still be on the table, however. “Modular companies are factory-like with people working on multiple projects during their workday, so logging project-specific wage standards is not something they do,” said Gonçalves. “If modular companies can satisfy the bid specifications and build the modular components in their factory while adhering to all requirements including prevailing wage standards, I believe they can still respond to the bid.”
In working with Nasco on projects in the past, Fischman noted that the firm will often analyze different alternatives that make up a larger building system. This gives the customer – the municipality – the ability to analyze the costs of different options for systems such as heating/ventilating/air-conditioning (HVAC).
“Nasco will be able to take these elements and price them out accordingly, so that you have something of a menu of costs,” said Fischman. “You may have things that cost X for this and Y for that, but those elements may also reflect different operating expenses down the road. The estimating company's going to be able to identify the upfront cost of each of those and we can then weigh those [other] elements and how that will affect the town's operating budget.”
Gonçalves set the September 14 Town Board meeting for when phase two of the project would be discussed – and, possibly, that measure put to a vote.
The Aug. 10 meeting was relatively short, clocking in at just one hour and four minutes. But besides this and several other important pieces of new business, eight Lewisboro residents also took the podium during public comments to voice their concerns on a variety of fronts. Their chief gripe: the proposed cell tower adjacent to the Spring Street salt dome.
Callie Kuntz, owner of Echo Farm, was among the South Salem residents who spoke out against the tower. “Echo Farm is protected by a non-development easement,” Kuntz said. “It states that we will never build upon the land or develop it. It protects wildlife and the existing green scape. We chose to protect this open space and keep it green for future generations. This cell tower proposition negates the whole agreement. To protect the beauty of a property and then put up a cell tower makes no sense.”
Kuntz also noted that Spring Street is the entrance to South Salem. “To put a tower at the entrance of that zone is unspeakable,” she said. “Please consider other options for a cell tower or no site at all. I have no gaps in coverage all over town.”
South Salem resident Doreen Nastasio called for an independent study of the proposed tower and its impact on surroundings – particularly nearby wetlands. “The exact boundary and distance should be confirmed by a current survey before any decision is made,” Nastasio said. “Please do not choose the Salt Dome simply because it's the last site left on an old list or because fewer residents may be expected to object.”
Fischman was among those who voiced opposition to the proposed tower, noting that his backyard already is in view of another cell tower. “Not being a NIMBY-ist… but I've already got one in my backyard,” he said. “And I would venture that there is not much need [for an additional tower].”
Elizabeth Jones expressed her dissatisfaction with the placement of electric-car chargers in a historic location, in addition to opposing the tower. “I have been a resident of the town of Lewisboro for 68 years,” Jones said. “It hurts my heart to see the disregard displayed by this board by the placement of these chargers in front of the few historic sites that we have in town, namely St. John's Church, dating back to 1855 and across from a historical cemetery.”
Jones noted that the tower site is across the road from Far View Farm, the historic home of Henry Wallace – who was vice president under Franklin Delano Roosevelt. “I'm sure he would turn in his grave to learn that the view from his beautiful farm will now be tarnished by the sight of an unsightly cell tower.”
Matthew Tyne suggested that for an area with a designated historic zone, South Salem is becoming overbuilt with both municipal and commercial structures. As examples, he mentioned the proposed police headquarters, the electric-vehicle chargers nearby, the salt dome, the phone company, various city services, and other structures.
“The disproportionate burden of city or town infrastructure that is being located in this one area is in danger of turning what is the charming entrance to our hamlet into an industrial area,” he said.
Among other business, the Town Board approved the following:
A resolution to approve the replacement of the ultraviolet disinfection system at the Wild Oaks Sewer plant, and another to replace the plant’s Flygt decant pump;
A resolution to establish a town Climate Smart Communities Task Force;
A resolution approving LaBella Associates of Poughkeepsie and Albany for third-party building-code inspections and review on the town’s project at the Wolf Center.
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