Abutters learn about plans to deal with construction woes

Date: 7/13/2010

July 12, 2010

By Debbie Gardner

Assistant Managing Editor

WILBRAHAM -- About 30 people attended the informational meeting hosted for abutters and residents who live near the construction site for the new Minnechaug Regional High School last Tuesday evening.

"We had a small turnout ... but I think we were able to basically explain our expectations of the general contractor and discuss some of the protections in the general contract that will protect the interests of the district, of the town, and of the neighbors around the school, Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District Superintendent M. Martin O'Shea said.

O'Shea was among the group of town officials and project planners -- including representatives from the police department, the department of public works, school designers the Mount Vernon Group, Project Manger Ray Kinghorn from Aercadis and John Lovejoy, co-chair of the school building committee -- which presented an overview of the stipulations governing the construction site and answered questions for meeting attendees.

Among the stipulations in the building contract are that the general contractor not interfere with the normal use of streets in the vicinity of the project, that deliveries to the site must occur between 9 a.m. and 1:45 p.m., and that workers conduct themselves in a professional manner.

"They have to avoid the use of profanity, lewd behavior, smoking, and there has to be an opportunity for us to do criminal background checks and sex offender background checks," O'Shea said.

He added that there are also provisions regarding noise level and dust.

According to O'Shea there was "a lot of discussion" regarding then use of access roads to the school by both students and the contractor.

"We basically told the townspeople that we would monitor the situation and make adjustments if we need to," he said.

The current plan calls for the contractor to use the Tinkham Road access to the school.

O'Shea said that the overall outcome of the meeting was positive.

"It is my feeling that even the abutters are excited about the project," he said. "They just want to make sure that we minimize the disruption to the neighborhood and that's what our goal is, too."

O'Shea added that Kinghorn candidly admitted there will be "hiccups" in a project of this size, and that both residents and the contractor need to be aware of that as construction moves forward.