DPW is a priority

Date: 1/29/2015

Longmeadow’s Department of Public Works (DPW) facility has been in deplorable condition for years.  It was that way when I toured the DPW site ten years ago as a Capital Planning Board member; very little has been done to improve the place since then. The pictures that the town’s voters saw at our fall town meeting are clear evidence of the mess that has been allowed. At that meeting on Nov. 18, hoping for change, the voters approved  an article to spend $250,000  for a “site evaluation/site analysis, programming study, schematic design and design development of up to two sites for a new Department of Public Works complex.” 

Last week I was informed that nothing has been done on this work, nothing in two months! As a experienced project engineer/manager I know that time is money;  on this job it appears that we are totally wasting time at the future expense of money, as project costs go up continuously over time. In addition the conditions under which the town maintenance staff must do work continue to be deplorable. The place is as inefficient as a sweat shop of the ‘30s. Productivity has to be low and should OSHA show up, the place would likely not pass muster to say the least.  I ask the Select Board to move the project forward starting now.  If the town manager can't make it happen then bring in a third party experienced in this type of work to lead the effort and get the analysis, study, design and development work done. This town and the DPW staff need and deserve this facility.
 
Roger B Wojcik
Longmeadow