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Date: 9/28/2022
BRIMFIELD – Tensions are running high between the Brimfield Building Committee and the Select Board after major decisions have been made regarding the committee, their spending and ongoing work.
The trouble began during the Aug. 15 Select Board meeting when members asked that the Building Committee hold off on any spending on projects. George Adams, board member, explained that the suspension of funding was a result of other crucial projects in town that need to be prioritized, such as the Town Hall Annex, the Town Hall and others.
During the Aug. 29 Select Board meeting, they discussed forming another Building Committee so that the current one can carry out their work, while another one could focus on new ideas and locations to move these services to.
Adams noted that the major “problem” is that the current committee has been together for about seven years, yet there are no minutes posted and only 24 video meetings are posted online. He said, “This is an open meeting violation.”
To correct this issue, Adams expressed that the only way to move forward is on a clean slate and to reorganize the committee. He said he would like to see the current 12-person committee with fewer than seven members, and fewer department heads serving on it, such as the police and fire chief.
Suzanne Collins, vice chair, said that she believes the Building Committee has been doing a “fine job” and would not like to see them lose the history they have created. If a new committee was to be formed, she shared that a few members of the current one should join the new one.
After some discussion, the board ultimately voted to continue with the existing Building Committee, chair and co-chair until Nov. 1 to complete what needs to be completed and keep the Select Board updated along the way.
On Sept. 13, the Building Committee hosted a meeting for the first time since this decision was made. Chairman Michael Miller began the meeting by publicly apologizing for “dropping the ball” on not approving meeting minutes for several months. He noted that they are working on approving these minutes and although they may not be posted online, they are available to the public.
To kick off the discussion, Michael Wales, committee member, read aloud a letter that he wrote to the Building Committee, Select Board and the town’s taxpayers. He shared, “This committee was formed by a Town Meeting vote in 2015 and tasked with studying and finding solutions to the many issues our town buildings face. We began this task with a 16-member board, consisting of department heads and townspeople, many of whom were familiar with the building projects and other building projects.”
As a committee, Wales said they have focused on areas with the most problems, including the safety complex and police station, and put off the Town Hall, library and annex until a later date.
“Mr. Adams’ contention that having department heads on the committee creates undue influence and prevents open conversation is hereby proven false. The librarian, the senior center director, the tax collector/treasurer, all chose to delay projects for their own departments and go forward with the area of most need - the safety complex,” said Wales.
He noted that the entire Building Committee was involved in interviewing and hiring the project manager, architects and others for this project. Together, they developed a plan and budget, which was voted on by townspeople. As time went on, he said that a subcommittee was appointed to address any changes with the plan and budget, to approve or disapprove any items under $5,000 if it stayed within budget. Wales shared that the subcommittee did a “fine job” of the day-to-day handling of the actual construction.
“Contrary to Mr. Adams’ accusations, the Select Board was fully aware of this subcommittee,” said Wales. He addressed Adams complaints regarding meeting recordings and minutes by explaining that the Cable Department was invited to all meetings. Wales noted that from 2019 to 2020, they did not host many meetings, and little was done because of COVID-19.
“After making accusations that we are unfit to serve, Mr. Adams then backed off and said what a great job we have done and how gut wrenching it must have been to have the first project voted down,” said Wales. “What is gut wrenching is to have Mr. Adams, who has been involved in town government for all of two months, insist on deconstructing a board that has now served for seven years – and brought in a $4 million project without going over budget – in order to bring people who, he feels, have a better ability to look at his fresh new ideas.”
Wales continued, “We as a committee are very proud of the long hours and hard work we have put in for the town and believe we would have had the ability to look at any new ideas with open minds. We should not have to apply for unpaid positions on a new board and prove our worth to Mr. Adams and his Select Board.”
Miller followed up by saying the way the committee has been treated is “disgusting.”
Michael Doyle, former Select Board member, said, “I was a selectman for three years and before that I was on the Finance Committee. Through all four of five years, I was a liaison to you guys [Building Committee] and I attended almost every meeting. The professionalism, the courtesy, the openness that you all displayed is amazing. What they’re doing to you is completely wrong.”
Adams was the only Select Board member to attend the Sept. 13 Building Committee meeting. He said, “I agree with everything Mr. Wales said, I agree pretty much with what Mr. Doyle said. The work you guys have done – I’ve said it publicly, I’ll say it here tonight – the work you guys have done, no one is questioning that.”
He expressed that his concern with the Building Committee began with the lack of minutes. Adams said that he was only looking for a list of outstanding projects, as that information could not be found from minutes. However, he noted that Fire Chief Don Contois did supply him with that list.
Miller told Adams that he is “legally wrong” for making that motion during the Select Board meeting, as the Building Committee rules are that members are maintained until a project is completed. In June, Brimfield residents voted for the committee to continue – not the Select Board, noted Miller.
After a lot of back and forth, Adams said he will meet with the Select Board to discuss all this further. Miller shared he would like the Select Board and Building Committee to work together and requested that the two have a joint meeting to discuss how they will move forward.