Pocopson supervisors ready to hand off baton

A special work session of the Pocopson Township Board of Supervisors on Monday, Nov. 16, paved the way for a vote to approve the bid package for Phase II of the Barnard House, which will cover the building’s interior renovations.

The Pocopson Township Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on Monday, Nov. 23, to approve a bid package for the interior of the Barnard House.
The Pocopson Township Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on Monday, Nov. 23, to approve a bid package for the Barnard House interior.

For months, the Phase I work on the exterior of the historic residence, which is being repurposed for use as a Pocopson Township administration building and a home for the Kennett Underground Railroad Center, has sparked conflict. While some residents have questioned costs, workmanship, and the building’s suitability for township administration, others have called the criticism unwarranted, insisting it doesn’t represent the majority of residents.

Monday’s work session lacked the testy exchanges that have surfaced at several recent meetings. It was replaced by minutia as Supervisors’ Chairman Barney Leonard and Supervisor Georgia Brutscher reviewed portions of the 600-page bid document for an hour and a half with Dennis Melton, the project’s architect, and two township solicitors.

After the meeting, Leonard repeated assurances he had offered to residents earlier that the board has no intention of soliciting bids.

“That’s for the next board to decide,” he said. “We’re completing the document and just wanted to wrap it up with a bow. It’s ready to go. The next step will be up to the next board.”

“We will have done all of the heavy lifting,” added Brutscher.

Leonard explained that the completion of the bid package culminated the township’s current contract with Melton. “It wouldn’t be fair to leave him hanging,” said Leonard, adding that his successors might pursue a different direction with different personnel. “That’s up to them.”

He said he expected the supervisors to vote to approve the bid package at their next meeting on Monday, Nov. 23. The 2016 draft budget, which will be available for review by residents on Thursday, Nov. 19, includes a $750,000 loan for the Barnard House as well as $200,000 in a reserve fund for capital projects – insurance against cost overruns.

According to township records, about $813,000 has been spent on the project so far.

During the bid package work session, Leonard asked Melton what would happen if a wall were removed at the Barnard House that revealed the kind of structural “secrets” that old buildings often have.

“That’s not going to happen,” Melton said. He added that while there “will be some unknowns,” he did not foresee any major surprises since the project has been a work in progress for so long. “I think we’ve uncovered most, but not all, of the secrets,” he said, recommending a 10 to 15 percent contingency to cover the minimal change orders that might occur.

Melton called the supervisors’ attention to an estimated $42,000 worth of items, including a security system, IT, and some lighting and exit signs that are not part of the bid package but need to be budgeted. Leonard and Brutscher said later that those items as well as contingency fees had been included in the proposed budget.

A vote on the 2016 budget is expected to occur at the supervisors’ meeting on Monday, Dec. 14.

After the meeting, township resident Randy Mims echoed the sentiments of several residents who attended the meeting.

"I was extremely heartened to hear Chair Barney Leonard state that the purpose of the meeting was simply to finish the project Dennis Melton had been contracted for — preparation of the bid packages — and it will be up to another group to take the next step of putting it out to bid,” he said. “I believe it is appropriate, now that new supervisors have been elected based on the will of the community, to slow this process down to allow the next board time to become familiar with all aspects of the project."

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