Sudbury pool bids come in 41 percent over budget, forcing rebid or scope cut

SUDBURY — February 24, 2025 — Sudbury reviews FY26 capital with a $1 million pool bid surprise at the center. The Select Board, Finance Committee and CIAC met jointly Feb. 24 to walk through Town Manager Andy Sheehan's $1,219,400 capital operating budget plus standalone articles totaling more than $9 million, but spent most of the night on the Atkinson Pool: Combined Facilities Director Sandra Duran reported that the low bid for the remaining renovation came in at $2.37 million against a $1.9 million budget — a roughly 41 percent overrun on the $2.325 million authorized in 2024. Including a separately drafted $429,000 HVAC and tile expansion, the additional ask could reach about $779,000. "It's the market," Duran said. Select Board member Daniel Carty called it "a serious miss"; Finance Committee member Hank urged the town to consider whether to remain in the pool business at all. Health Director Vivian Zeng warned combined-chlorine levels are at the state maximum and "could fail at any point." Other articles previewed include a $3.53 million Haynes roof, a $2.755 million Nixon roof, a $725,000 stock Bulldog pumper to replace a permanently out-of-service 2006 engine, and $950,000 for town-wide roads and culverts.