HomeMy WebLinkAbout1957-09-24-ATOBC-min 1
ADDITIONAL TOWN OFFICE BUILDING COMMITTEE
Septembez4 214,, 1957
A meeting of the Additional Town Office Building Committee
was held in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, on
Tuesday evening, September 24, 1957 at 8:00 P.M* Chairman
Brooks, Messrs. Reed and Hunter were present. Mr. William
Roger Greeley and the Secretary were also present.
The discussion held was about as follows;
Mr. Greeley presented each. member with a chart of
Summary of Prices for Furniture and Equipment.
Greeley; We have gone all through these ag4ln in the last
four or five days and gotten new bids from every-
body.
Chairman: This is entirely new then.
Greeley: This is entirely new as of today. I have copies
of the bids. They add up to 0,616 but the Chief
made a suggestion that we have a short eight-drawer
file for cards to substitute for a letter file for
hig department which comes to $149.48. Some of
these are from Lexington as you wished. As we
left it with Harold Stevens it was this. We
failed to get even one bid on the whole business
and it was decided to divide this up into pieces
no larger than 14,000 and award it on a proper
contract form to the people whom we feel to be
low Of those we have tried. Unless the Committee
has changed its thought, we will arrange to make
up those contract forms, ready for you to .
scrutinize and sign to a total amount of 0,616
plus, if you vote it, the Chief's drawer files.
Chairman: Won't that replace one of the other files?
Greeley: I am of the opinion to have one extra file is
good judgement. if you have the money it would
be good judgement to have one file ahead.
Chairman: Has he indicated he needs that filet
Greeley: Yes. We think it is a proper thing to have.
Chairman: If it will serve you, we propose to divide this
up in 01,000 or less parcels and bring in orders
signed by the parties furnishing the goods ready
for your signatures if you find them correct.
Chairman: Without studying everyone of these, in general
we use the pow prices?
Greeley: Yes.
Hunters Except item 17.
tle
2.
Chairman; From a standpoint of quality and size and all
other things, they are
Greeley: From what you indicated through the Department
heads.
Chairman: On item #15 Business Equipment is g99.18;
Peabody Office, 0155 and Wolkins, 01.5. There
seems a difference In the price. Is there some
reason?
Greeley; Yes. They are not exactly duplicates. They are
the same quality as far as we could pick out figures.
Reed: Are the folding chairs steel chairs?
Greeley: Yes.
Hunter: The items from Smith's Paper Store are not the
low prices.
Greeley: No, but we thought from you it would be good
policy.
Hunter: I think so, yes.
Greely: The man who handled this in the office was coming
out tonight, but he had an accident in his family
and could not come, I had a talk with him about
an hour ago and I am telling you what he told me.
I went over it yesterday.
Hunter: For the metal file item #16 there la quite a
difference in price between Smith Paper and Business
Equipment and Shaw Walker.
Chairman: From a standpoint of bids it would register a
question as to quality.
Greeley: That is in the Chief's department. The only way
I can answer it is to see if he would be willing
to have this.
Chairman: We would like to buy it for that.
Greeley; Item 16 is for two units.
Hunter: Is the price quoted here unit price or for two.
Greeley: For two units. There is a big difference.
Chairman: On the folding chairs, Business Equipment is
$4.30; Gledhill $4.15 and Jackson $4.50. Why
did we go to the highest ones
Greeley: We examined them and we found Jackson's is a
better chair.
Hunter: Does Gledhill consistently bid lower?
Greeley: No. They are a good company.
Reed: The amount is $3.316 something. Will that be
coming out of the money we dust had appropriated?
Chairman: That is right.
Reed: Do you have other money?
Chairman: Yee.
Greeley: What I would like to suggest, so there won't be
any mistake, is that you 1 .t Mr. Oakman come out
and go over this with the Chief.
Rood: He is not available as he is on vacation.
3.
Chairman: Do you have a copy of the report of what was needed?
What I am getting at is there was a table in some
room there and the Chief was under the impression
they were going to use the table in the guard room
which is a dilapidated looking affair,.
Greeley: We have four tables.
Chairman: It seemed to me there was a table in the assembly
room up front here.
Greeley: There ore four conference rooms so that could be
an extra fifth table if you want it.
Hunter: Item 9 end item 10 are identical.
Greeley: I have the same list in the specifications, but
it does not toll where they are without the plan.
Chairman: Well we wontt waste any more time on it because
Bill said he thought he had one in ROM° other
department that can be used,
Greeley: Could we see you, for instance tomorrow or the
next day, and go into any doubtful items a
little further, like these tables.
Chairwn: If the Committee is satisfied with this tabula-
tion of prices we could proceed on the basis of
that. We still have enough money because the
figure I used was ? 3,900 in making up the budget
plus some other money.
Greeley: That extra you put in was probably for us for
commission.
Chairman: No.
Greeley; There won't be anything signed tonight. If you.
authorize us, we will bring in seperate con-
tracts and have them in herelf you would like.
to and both Sign at the same time or we will
have them signed and then bring them in to you
to examine.
Chairman: There are a fear things that bother me; for in-
stance, the difference in price on files. Are
we getting the right kind of; equipment? There
is quite a difference in the price.
Greeley: We undertake, on all those, to meet the spool-
fidations.
Reed: Probably the reason for taking the low bid was
to keep under the $1,000.
Chairman: There seems such a difference in price, there
must be a difference in equipment.
Greeley: We can examine the file itself. Why don't we do
that?
Chairman: Did they specify any brand names that could give
us the kind of equipment. Shaw Walker, is that
one of thee'
Greeley: Yes, that is one. This is Hillside metal which
meets our specification. , but I don't know them
by sight.
4.
Chairman: Maybe it is too much bather, but I am wondering
if these fellows should not submit a brochure >'
with the firm names. Is that asking too much?
Greeley: Not at all. We would be glad to fib with you.
I think that, pinned to each contract we make, there
should be a complete statement of the make, etc.
We would expect that and it would be no extra
bother. Then you would be sure to get what you
want.
Chairman: We don't want to waste money, but we don't want
to buy something that is not good.
Hunter: Teo you think that is the right item bid on there?
Greeley: Which item?
Hunter: Item #16, for 42" counter height.
Greeley: For this thing. I agree where the prices are
so far apart that we should check them. We asked e,
onlyood companies so we have good stuff.
Chairman: The other file that the Chief asked for is not
listed here is it?
Greeley: No.
Chairman: How much additional?
Greeley: 0349.48. We have that only over the telephone.
There would be seven contracts according to this
and: we will draw up seven contracts with the
definite description of each item so you will
know just who makes it and so on.
Chairman: I wonder if we need so many contracts.
Greeley: They practically refuse to oo operate with any
other firm. They will give us a price on what
they handle only.
Chairman: Might that not tend to make the prices higher?
Greeley: They won't do it today so we have no choice.
It won't bother you. We will bring the contracts
in all made out in printed form,
Hunter: In most cases you have taken the low bidder.
Greeley: We will check on those that are so far apart.
Chairman: Could someone come back and' say "Why did you
this man is 10 more, etc."
Reed: I think it would be quality for one thing. I
don't think anyone will question this.
Chairman: Well, that is all right.
Greeley: The legal answer has been that it was for the
best interest of the Town.
Chairman: Is it all right to authorize Mr. Greeley to get
these contracts made up?
Reed: I would say so. Then we can get going.
Hunter: Yes.
Reed: Just the discrepancy on the files. We should
know what the man is bidding on.
Greeley: Then we will do that. We shall have those
ready for you on what dater
Chairman: As soon as you can.
Greeley: Would a week from today be all right,
Chairman: A week from today would be fine.
Greeley: If we have them before then I will give them
to you John,
Greeley: Putting it beside the door so It can be seen
from the street or from the driveway. It will
be lettered on both sides so it can be read
from the parking space. This is the full size
of it. We thought we would lave this with
you in case you want to check with anyone.
Signs in the grass are a nuisance and are in
the way of mowing.
Chairman: It seems, to prevent people from going into the
police door, we should have something to get them
headed toward the right entrance. This looks very
good to me.
Reed: Coming in the driveway, it can be sen?
Greeley: They will see it as soon as they get past the
building. It can't be read from this building.
Before they get to the police door they could
read it very plain.
Reed; We should have a sign over here pointing over there,
Greeley: Wo don't know the cost of this yet. A blacksmith
in Newton will do the iron work for between 0100
or MO. This would be made by a sign painter.
We thought it should be on both sides.
Hunter: I think it should be,
Chairman: yes, A lot of people will, go in the parking space.
Greeley: We will get figures and present them to you.
Chairman: How are they getting along with the odds and ends?
Greeley: Very povrly. I think it is because of the iron work.
Chairman: They have submitted drawings and they have been
approved.
Greeley: Yes,
Chairman: How long ago?
Greeley: Four or five months.
Chairman: Assuming we buy the furniture within the next two
or three weeks what condition is the building going
to be in? We want to get it delivered.
Greeley: I think thepainter has not finished because he
wanted to do everything including the iron work at
the same time. If the iron work is not here this
week, we will have to tell Blake it must be done
without the iron work and in that case the building
will be ready in another ten days.
Chairman: I see they have done some work on the lawn.
Greel4y: I went over and told them that it would not be
approved. Load we want a good lawn and it
does not seem good to me at all.
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Greeley: I looted at it Monday with .Blake and told him
he would have to get right at it or we would
have to get someone else. No4 I am trying to
get someone else. People do not like to make
enemies of people In the same trade.
Reed: Get Tony Modoono.
Chairman: Do you think he would figure this?
Chairman: hiss he been paid?
Greeley: No. They don't care anything about their money.
Chairman: Was that letter enough nottoe to keep Blake from
paying them?
Greeley: Don't worry. Blake won't pay him.
Chairman: It does not look like lawn grass.
Greeley: We specified that seed amoung others and that seed
came up and the others didn't.
Chairman: How much of an item is it?
Greeley: Only 0300 for that seeding.
On the general question of finishing up, I don't
believe you can help us any more than giving the
three-day notice and we will keep after Blake
all we can.' I can't promise anything. I Shall
check every two or three days to see what the
situation is. I think Harold Stevens will tell
you there is nothing in the law to force a man
to do something. You can take it away and then
try andfind someone else to do it.
Chairman: Is there anything we can do in the way of a
letter to Groissor and Schlafer?
Greeley: We know you can't get it done anywhere else. It
will take months to get this material. Groisser
and Schlager furnished the wrong material knowing
it was wrong and we caught it.
Chairman: You will have the information on this sign as to
what it will coat, etc.?
Greeley: Yes. That won't take long. It is a little job.
Greeley: The garage faucet to wash ears. They first said
743 and now they say 73. I think we should
lot V°.rnon Page put it on when they get through.
Chairman: Sure.
Greeley: The other question in the removal of the loam
that Gayer ordered to be taken further than he
was obliged to in the specification. That was
done without our knowledge and we refused to
authorize it. I feel the Selectmen should back
Gayer up and pay for that. We tr ve refused to
authorize it, but of course Blake has a claim
there.
Hunter: It seems like an excessive amount.
Chairman: Bill brings up the windows which was a mistake
and Blake should consider that. i
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7.
Greeley: Bill is on the Board of Selectmen and should
pin Blake down.
Chairman: I don't think it is a job for the Selectmen.
Greeley; This Committee did not authorize it why should
you worry about it? The Selectmen, through
ir. Gayer, ordered it. If Bill, being on the
Board, can get Blake to forget it for what he
saved on the window okay. I don't think this
Committee is responsible. You did not crier it and we
did not order it. Blake has no claim on this
Committee. I think he has a claim through Gayer.
Chairman: We will talk to Bill about it.
Mr. Greeley retired at 8:50 P.M.
Chairman: As long as he understands it is not up to this
Committee .. I would not like somthing like
that coming up when we are all clear on the
thing.
Hunter: I think Blake was at fault in taking orders
from Mr. Gayer.
Chairman: 'I can see how it happened. Blake asked where to
dump it.
I would like to see Greeley put more pressure
on them to get the thing done so when we move
the furniture in the painters won't be there.
The meeting adjourned at 9:00 P.M,
A true record, Attest:
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