Sudbury PBC votes to shift $233,500 in ARPA funds from fire station to Atkinson Pool

SUDBURY — February 9, 2023 — Sudbury committee redirects $233,500 in fire station ARPA to save Atkinson Pool. The Permanent Building Committee voted 4-0-1 Thursday to recommend the Select Board move the leftover fire station allocation to $275,000 in emergency pool piping repairs, with the remaining $41,500 to come from the Select Board's unallocated ARPA reserves. Owner's project manager Neil Joyce of Construction Monitoring Services told the committee the fire station could give back "half of our contingency at only 12 percent complete" because the need at the pool is greater. Member Mark Sivier abstained, arguing the fire station money should stay put until the project is done. Vertex reported Fairbank Community Center contingency is burning at more than six times its sustainable rate — $247,000 in a single month against a $39,500 target — with a newly discovered septic leach field problem potentially adding up to $160,000. The committee also unanimously approved nine Fairbank change orders totaling roughly $102,000, including $46,446.73 for redesigned reception desks and $21,683.23 for cleanup after an undetectable PVC water line was broken during excavation. The recommendation goes to the Select Board on February 28, contingent on fire chief approval.