Letter: Proposed Spending Caps For Capital Projects Are Unrealistic
Site of the current DPW, slated for replacement in the capital plan. Photo: Art Keene.
In March of 2016, Weston & Sampson, a Boston “planning, permitting, design, construction, operation and maintenance firm” presented their summary report on the programming, planning, and site selection costs for a new facility to house the Amherst DPW. Estimates for four options were:
Fort River school site = $37 million;
Old Farm Road = $38.3 million;
Ball Lane = $37.3 million; and
renovation of the existing site = $36.7 million.
Just three years ago, in April 2018, the architectural firm of Kaestle Boos, in their Amherst Fire Headquarters Study, estimated that a new, badly needed fire station/headquarters located in South Amherst would cost $24 million.
Now, five years later, the Finance Committee reckons the Town will only have to spend $20 million for the DPW building and $15 million for the fire station — about half as much — since those are the caps they have set.
Am I missing something here? If not, I’m off to buy a fully-loaded 2021 luxury Prius. They cost c. $30,000 but, fortunately, I have set a $18,000 cap on the amount I’m willing to spend, so it shouldn’t be any problem.
Christina Platt
Christina Platt is a member of the Steering Committee of Save Our Library