Yep this [Music] tools um you yep recording in progress okay uh I don't see any public here so I don't have any um public comments there is
Dominic great uh so do I hear a motion to approve the minutes of December 10th I move we approve the minutes from December the 10th uh can we add to that as amended by
Stephen as amended by Stephen Stephen what did you find I didn't find anything I left out a a a small word that uh clarified a sentence all right all right all right do I hear a second I'll
second Brad okay Brad seconded um any corrections and changes other than what Andrea had uh suggested uh well and uh I actually took that sentence out
because I felt like talking about funding wasn't really long-term funding wasn't really relevant to the topic y I agree I asked her for a clarifying statement and I didn't get that so I just remove that sentence if that's okay
with everyone yep that's fine okay so hearing no other changes roll call vote Stephen thas I Brad Foster I
I don't see Dale here uh Penny hi Molly hi Jeff hi and myself I the minutes have been approved okay
Dominic do you want to talk about the MVP Grant proposal and although we probably are not going to vote um I'd like you to tell us where we're at with that sure and apologies for not having
um something for you to vote on um today we received a proposal a week ago and um the project manager was on leave with um family emergency and um now that he's returned I was able to make contact yesterday so
we've been trying to scramble to get something together um he wasn't able to make adjustments as his overhead is overseas on another project so anyway we've been trying to accommodate um
tonight's meeting um the reason that I needed to review this with our um designer solar design for the um revision or for the design of a um a
battery system for the PV um for the roof PV um we got a proposal for them um for them to do the documentation that we want to use um to apply for the MVP Grant um their proposal was I think very
high and it was um I needed to review it with them first so um they included in their scope of services um work that they've already performed so there was a lot of coordination um that was already
performed between me um solid design design and um Maryanne to better understand how we can meet the MVP requirements so solid design were incorporating a lot of that background
work that they've already done they looked at specifying the batteries how do they design um quadrupling them and then the systems requireed to make that work interface with our building um and the rollup generator system as well so
it's highly customized um it's something that um they've already put a lot of time in to kind of get to where we are um The Proposal also included obviously the
documentation that they need to do um and then following that if we're successful with the MVP Grant the commissioning of all of that so they um feel the need that they should you know provide their services to make sure that
all of this works which makes sense so in my discussion yesterday with the PM it at least gave me some more clarity as to the scope of work um I was able to
get um revised numbers from them yesterday but I have not been able to I didn't have a chance I basically saw an email come um a few minutes ago before um this meeting so I haven't been able to formalize something to submit to you
I was able to have them reduce that number to about 30% from where it was originally which is their bottom line um the way that they priced their proposal was in two phases one was for
construction or for documentation and the other was for commissioning um my intent to review with solar design was um and I wanted to discuss it with you was um I feel like
the town is somewhat exposed in approving this um uh proposal without actually having the grant guaranteed right so that was kind of my position to go back to solid design so the way they were
able to revise their proposal now is that they have a base fee for the documentation which we need for the MVP Grant application and then any commissioning Services can be negotiated thereafter once we have the Grant and we
have the um the contractor on board who's going to do that so a little bit of negotiating there about how this system will be commissioned so I have a high level number right now um which I'm happy to
share because I don't think we'll get a lot of movement out of um solar design but I don't know if that helps expedite an approvals process tonight um without having a formal document to
share um I think high level elain Maran maybe was a little bit more familiar on the schedule of the MVP Grant what we're trying to do to get in on a certain date I don't remember on the top of my head whether we're trying to make a certain
date I can definitely get documentation turn around it by tomorrow to share to you um don't know if that helps the group at all whether you need to meet again and make an approval um so again apologies for the kind of scrambling
last minute here um and that level amount that includes both the um the commissioning and the designing that high level amount is so I have two numbers one is
um documentation and commissioning came in at around 18 Grand it was below 18,000 um without the commissioning compon component it's around 14,000 thereabouts um and the the 14,000 is
what we need to go forward with the revision of the MVP Grant and correct me if I'm wrong what we're talking about is we are Rev in our proposal um for the MVP Grant to take
out the Ford Lightning truck that was originally in the Grant and put in battery storage that is correct and and my understanding from MaryAnn's communication with the MVP folks was that they were already made aware of our
intent yes and what solar design have already been able to work out as far as compliance um of quadruple battery system that design will work with our system that's already been vetted with
our electrical engineers Bala so um and MVP have been made aware that the Ford truck is out of the picture for our application we're looking to use batteries and it seemed from Maryanne that high level they were on board with
that yes yes they are right so uh but what we need to do is to approve this 14,000 in order to move it forward to go back and revise the MVP Grant proposal
so that they all see that and agree to it right so the that 14,000 and change is going to provide the town with the documentation that we need to include in that grand app so it'll be all of the
electrical solar design documentation that we can then also so um share with CDI the GC for them to price so we can kind of have two things going simultaneously as I understand it yes
and these dollar amounts are after the 30% reduction yes okay and we're not duplicating any commissioning services with our other commissioning
firm um that so that's a good Point Jeff as far as um that would be something that we would need to negotiate with the commissioning agent we already have on board I think the expertise of solar
design specific to the custom customized uh battery system might be better kept with solar design but again you know they they will definitely know the ins and outs of this system and and be able to troubleshoot I would say
more effectively than the commissioning agent seems highly specialized I don't want to pay twice for the same thing that's all so the battery is not part of Base Bid And so it's specific commissioning is currently not a part of
that contract correct me if I'm wrong Neil that's um I would expect that our commissioning agent has nothing no placeholder for that currently um as it's not a part of the base bit at all yeah I don't believe
their their work would be limited to what was in the contract right um You have a question um I have a question are you asking me yes okay um I just don't know what commissioning means can
you so commissioning is really um ensuring that the system works after installation so it's troubleshooting testing um and um coming up with Solutions if things are not working properly so
commissioning we have a commissioning agent already on board um that is looking after the mechanical equipment um they're also we're also doing envelope commissioning so testing the building
envelope um for you know sound construction um uh there there's many things that go into that and so commissioning is also considered for this um battery system just to make sure that the installation was done correctly
that everything works properly and as it should and so this work the 14,000 is necessary to apply for the grant and if we get the grant it'll cover the cost and we
have whatever risk there is that we do the work and and we don't get the grant yes yes but we have been assured um the folks at MVP have
already given us well they haven't given us the grant they're they have said that we are getting the Grant and it was based on the Ford Lightning truck and now we're going back and revising to put
in the battery storage instead of a Ford Lightning truck which was not viable and they have agreed to that so it's kind of where are we in this process we need to have the
$144,000 in this in order to complete the whole process and to get the MVP Grant which they keep telling us we are getting and the grant will cover this work yes okay yes and uh this is Penny I
have I have another question and none of what we're talking about Dominic covers the cost of the actual battery storage we're just talking about designing it and commissioning it that's correct and so we don't have a cost for the storage
itself we have a high level estimate and I don't have that up right now um I'm trying to remember what it was I can get that for you um I'll get back to you with that question so we do have a high level number I think to get a more
accurate number we with the documentation that we get from solid design if this proposal is approved they'll take a week or two to get the documentation whatever the timeline is and then we share that with CDI who will price it again and so that will be the
hard number but solar design did a high level estimate of market value what they would expect inst you know General installation so um if you don't mind giving me um just a this is all new to me so I'm trying to
understand and also um translate this into the the minutes that I'm so this is basically changing the grant proposal as they told us we could
in order to replace batteries with for the truck and so the solar solar design has to design the system and then we have to price out what the batteries cost and then we
bring it to the MVP who says yes this is this is fine this we're we're going with this um process and you have the Grant and so it'll all pay for it
right um but do have to make the leap that we we accept solar designs um estimate for their design of the system
before we actually get the Grant in hand right okay and is this is this a state Grant or a Federal grant State thank God yes yes it's state and and have they asked us to sort
this out by a particular date or is it um up to us I think it's on us but it's as soon as possible because it is in this fiscal year okay so that's why I'm bringing it
Forward today so that we can move ahead with it and uh they have been very accommodating to us so far but I don't want to stall this any longer than necessary Dominic did you get that number yeah I have an estimate not
including permitting or installation but for materials basically um we're looking at around 65,000 and the and the truck itself was I believe they said was it
85,000 was the original for the Ford Lightning something yeah that I I don't recall it was in the bpk I'm pretty sure that was the number they had so we're talking about something similar in dollar amount but very
different in um concept Neil do you have any um input for us on this no not particularly no Insight on this and so I guess what we need to do is we need to
vote on um agreeing to solar designs estimate cost in order to move this step forward knowing that there's a potential that it's approximately
$14,000 that we possibly will have to cover ourselves but we're being assured that it will be covered by the Grant in order to move the step forward
to to applying for this grant that we've already received but modifying it how about that but do we only have to approve the $14,000 for the
documentation the design right now yes yes yes Stephen um so the uh documentation number 14,000 is that um reflect a possible
reduction because of duplication of work or is that something that's still to possibly come in other words could the total amount be lower or uh is that the amount the the initial
I'll I'll quickly go through it again the initial um proposal included two phases one for documentation and one for commissioning um I believe and so the second proposal breaks it out so that they're only charging for the
documentation and that would then at least release um them to provide the documentation that we could go to the MV group Grant um to secure that first um the commissioning I think is a
requirement um but just the same as we aren't sure exactly how much this is going to cost right we still need this documentation so that our contractor can price the actual work because they're going to perform the work so that's also
an unknown which needs to be coordinated into this grant somehow Elaine I'm not exactly sure whether um that's you know that there's flexibility there in the grant approval um that's also an unknown so the
commissioning is an unknown that Sol the design have broken out right now because that's something that happens after installation anyway and we also don't know what the actual construction cost is we have a high level number an estimate but not um the bid price let's
say right and so to move this forward we need to approve this documentation portion in order to get it to CDI to cost out the actual construction of
it and then put that in the grant Proposal with the commissioning and move forward but we can't move forward before we approve this phase and the 14,000 does or does not
include commissioning does not does not okay want to make sure and one more uh stupid question when you say documentation you're talking about design is that what the documentation is
yes that it'll be the full design and um uh presented in in drawing form and with that then um the GC will have everything they need to at least price and then use the same documentation to install yeah
thank you tell me if I'm right on this it sounds like this is probably extreme but we're between a rock and a hard place in that we can't move forward without doing this step and we don't have total information
about this step or the rest of it but in order to get the rest of it we still have to do this step yes in that case I would say let's do it do I hear a do I hear a motion
I move that we well first of all you had said 14 plus I'm not sure um we don't want to cut that number short right what was the the number Dominic that do you have an exact I don't no so I'll have
that to you tomorrow so I don't know if um can we say can we make a motion to approve up to 15,000 yes we can is that adequate comment yes that that I will have the
documentation tomorrow yes so up to 15,000 for documentation for documentation of battery storage for
design y stor system design of the B battery storage system did I hear a motion from somebody I I made a motion was just what you said I'll second that that's
Stephen any more discussion on this hearing none I will take a roll call vote El Missi Foster i i j i mo i wack bu I poo
I all right so we are there and we will uh we'll definitely have to come back to discuss when everything is designed and costed out um I believe
well no actually we won't because this will go in for the grant proposal and this is the the $155,000 max is the only thing that we will have to pay for uh
um if the grant doesn't doesn't come to a uh fruition but I believe it will I I'm pretty sure it will um thank you so beyond that I would
like um either Neil or Roger to give us kind of an overview update because three of us have been going to the construction meetings but we haven't had those any meeting um to update the committee on where we are and how what
the progress of the actual project is so if you wouldn't mind giving a a quick overview we framing they were not there two days this week because of the Roger can you Roger can you get closer to your
microphone here we go yep you hear me now yes okay um resume with framing today there as for the the uh the center wall down line too which
kind of divides the building there from the southern end there almost up to the children's area with the wall framing and the rafters on the east side
um have done the South End wall haven't done the North End wall or the jog um the bulland materials and the decking arrived on Monday under Mark today Windows would be like late
February you're ready um we did not get a updated project schedule from CDI this week you did not not did not okay that answers a question I sent you today okay yeah yeah not give us an updated one and
I think the weather May when are we going to get a new schedule can you guys start pressuring them yes we'll have a new one by Monday I would hope so we'll we'll last it would they've been they've been
submitting them pretty regularly each month I think Roger have they not they're not sitting on bid docs if they are there's one bid there's one schedule on bid Docs it goes back to December MH so there's there's smoking mirrors we
can't track it okay I have to email from watching from the outside it seems like everything is moving at a glacially slow pace is that correct observation or am do I just not
understand what's going on I'd say that's pretty pretty accurate that they have been slow with the framing um they've been back and forth with Dominic on on questions and he's given them the information so they're
proceeding and hope is that uh to get the wall done that the things move a lot faster they you know may increase their Workforce they get ready to do the glue
LS can they can they not um finish the framing until the glue Lam is in place is that part of what's holding things up the glow lamps are part of the framing GL lamps are for the they're the exposed portion of the
roof framing over the the meeting room area the children's area that side the west side of the building um now that they're on site that uh so they've got the
walls in place and their expectation is that the roof framer will go a lot faster then the decking is on site um it's not a material issue at this point so how far are they behind
schedule in your opinion when we when I last spoke with Donnie uh he said they were running somewhere between right around four weeks behind yeah and um I don't think he's done
anything to improve that in the first couple weeks in January so I would say by my guess probably somewhere in the four to six week range yeah the schedule that they have posted
shows framing complete by the end of this month that's only a week away yeah I don't think they're going to make it I don't think they're going to make that either yeah to to Rogers earlier point I know one of the things that we were waiting on with the glue lamps but
apparently they have been delivered to the site so that's a good thing they got some work laid out in front of them y so should we be concerned about this Neil um I
I mean yes but I I'm not sure that um there's a financial remedy to the contractor if there are delays incurred on the project there's there's language in Mass General law that allows a
contractor to request an extension of time which is essentially a waiver of liquidated damages but they're not entitled to cost associated with an extended period of performance that said uh our contracts
for services and Dominic's contract for services do not uh not governed by the same laws if you will um and if we are to stay there longer than originally anticipated I would imagine there would
be an increase from each of us not to speak for you Dominic but so we should be concerned about this then am I right in in that exchange am I right that we don't have a lot
of choice uh Force impact we can we I mean we can ask we can request the contractor to provide a recovery schedule the contractor has already gone on record and uh requested
uh informally requested a 30-day extension last month when we raised the issue uh he cited there were several questions uh Missing information from drawings that was impacting his ability
to progress the job and by the time he got that information um he had lost several weeks on the framing schedule so that's not necessarily his fault that the information wasn't there um but you know
at this point we can only push him so far and when it's zero degrees out it's awfully difficult to hold them to a uh to a schedule that when your compressor lines are freezing and
whatnot it just makes it hard right and and granted that's not that's not your problem they bid the job they were supposed to have the frame up and done before winter and they lost time at the beginning because of the foundation issues and then they lost time again
during the frame so I mean and again just to follow that through in and trying to get ahead of it we encouraged the contractor and had a coordination meeting with the envelope system of the building the AV all the
various details and whatnot early so that if they had any questions they could get them asked and Dominic and his crew would have uh an appropriate amount of time to do their ey dotting and T Crossing and get that stuff addressed
and back out so the contractor could build efficiently so we're we're trying to stay ahead of them and we'll continue with those preconstruction conferences ahead of time um and hopefully the contractors will come to work and we'll
be in good shape okay and I recall Neil that you commented I think at our last meeting um you know the Dilemma is if we start having a a dreadfully snowy cold winter everything gets slowed down even more
that is correct how close are they to being closed in do you Roger can you address that yeah could you say that again how close are they to having the The
Building closed in so that they're inside they're still a ways away with the getting the sheathing on the building so you're saying a ways aways that um the end of February yeah I think
so that's I think they said that they said that they would not probably have it closed in until the 1 of March the last time I asked then yeah can't see it being later than that if things progress you know smoothly
with the roof but uh tight yeah okay Windows Marco was saying are uh late February if they're ready for them
M okay can someone who knows about construction explain to me while the why they are putting sheathing on the east side of the roof but none on the west
side is it because of the missing glue l or is it some other thing yeah that's right Penny um the so our building is designed in two sides so the sheathing that you're seeing going up now is on
the um roof Rafters that are 2x 12s whereas the other side the exposed roof is is on the other on the western side of the building are going to be predominantly glue lambs and um the order of construction on that side's a
bit different so we have exposed decking boards tongue and groove de in boards that go on that side of the roof um whereas the Eastern side that you're seeing now none of that's actually exposed and so that's just Shea you're seeing is is the wall sheathing on the
east side which is more of a solid wall there's none on the roof yet large window openings I'm I know the walls are sheathed I wasn't sure if the roof is she that western side uh Eastern side yet not yet but you know most of the
western side is large window opening so not seeing any sheathing on that side or very much of it okay thank you does anyone else have any other questions are there any subcommittee reports I'll make a report on behalf of
the friends um so in 2024 the friends of the library raised a total of $130,000 which is awesome um giving days total plus end of year giving was [Music]
um 46,000 and we had an anonymous $5,000 gift which um is wonderful but quite mysterious and then for the engraved paver we sold 188 or we had 180
pavers purchased and raised $27,000 of which uh 18,000 19,000 is profit so that was great that's going to look great
yeah they will okay okay anybody else have anything else I don't want to keep people if there's nothing to really discuss but I want to make sure that everybody has a chance to
uh let us know if there's something that they're in they need to hear Jeff to your point I did send out an email this evening to Donnie at CDI and asked him to provide an update for
the schedule um as well as shared the concerns of the committee with him directly so as soon as we get an answer we'll get back to you and uh if if nothing else I'm sure we'll hear from them on Monday in our meeting thank you very much y we're on
we're on site on Monday yep and Jeff are you going to be at the uh 12:30 meeting yeah okay yeah all right is our next meeting late
February yes 25th okay yes elain might you have to have another meeting if the grant uh the MVP Grant moves forward um no I don't think so we won't we won't need it until we won't need to
meet until the uh February 25th but we might you never know something might come up I'll let you know it does so our next meeting is scheduled for February 25th which I will not be attending
correct all right do I hear a motion to adjourn make a motion to adjourn who's seconding it all right Jeff was first Brad was second roll call vote th I Foster i
i m IO I thank you all and we will keep moving on thank you thanks everybody you good night