Sewer commissioners approve GHD amendment tied to $101,200 grant

The Board of Sewer Commissioners voted on June 25 to approve change order Q1403 with GHD engineers, accepting an added $101,200 and a time extension for the firm’s scope of work. Committee member (S3) moved to approve the amendment and Committee member (S2) seconded; the board approved the motion by a 4–1 tally.

The amendment’s scope, described in Exhibit A, prompted detailed questions during the meeting about where the additional $101,200 was documented and whether the town would bear any net cost. Staff member (S4) and Chair (S1) explained the sum is tied to an awarded grant and characterized the contract as a pass‑through: "It's a grant...no money out of our pockets," Chair (S1) said during the discussion. Commissioners nonetheless pressed for clarity because the four‑page scope of services was provided shortly before the meeting.

Several commissioners said they wanted more time to review the detailed tasks in the scope of services before approval; Committee member (S2) moved to table the item so members could examine it. After procedural back-and-forth about whether a second was present and whether the motion had died, the board proceeded to vote on approval. Committee member (S3) made the motion to approve Q1403, which Committee member (S2) seconded; the chair announced the motion passed 4–1.

Commissioners and staff said the amendment will let GHD move forward on modeling and further study of the project’s outfall location. Staff said the board will pay invoices that are reimbursed through the grant, and that project management will continue to require town oversight to ensure the written scope matches prior presentations. The board did not adopt additional conditions on the amendment during the vote.

Next steps: the engineering team may proceed under the amended scope while the commission and staff continue to monitor scope and documentation and the board will revisit related deliverables at upcoming meetings.