Committee backs $31.2 million DPW facility plan

Other Committee · Meeting of October 29, 2026

SHREWSBURY — The Municipal Facilities Optimization Committee agreed to advance a $31.2 million DPW administration and fleet maintenance building plan, down from an earlier $46 million estimate. The committee also voted unanimously to amend HKT Architects' contract from $96,500 to $104,200 for additional mechanical, electrical and plumbing design work, and elected Steve Walsh as vice chair. Project representatives from construction manager Fontaine Brothers said the recommended plan keeps the existing DPW garage in service as cold storage rather than replacing it, cutting program size by about 3,200 square feet.

One committee member called the reduction "a good number," noting the team "reduced the cost by 30 percent to 33 percent, from $46 to $31 million." No formal vote on the recommendation was required; the committee reached general agreement to bring it to a Select Board workshop the following Monday, ahead of an anticipated May 2027 town meeting and ballot vote.

In the full story:

• Meeting minutes and routine bills
• HKT Architects contract amendment for MEP services
• Election of vice chair
• Designer and construction manager updates: the cost recovery plan
• Discussion of meeting schedule and Select Board presentation
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 1,999 words

Source: the Other Committee meeting of October 29, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.