Ragged Mountain Redevelopment Project...

Wed, 05/20/2015 - 4:45pm

Holly S. Edwards

From left, Camden Snow Bowl General Manager Landon Fake, Gartley and Dorsky President Will Gartley and Ledgewood President Peter J. Pelletier appear before the Camden Select Board May 19 to talk about Phase 2 of the Ragged Mountain Redevelopment Project, due to start Tuesday, May 26, the day after Memorial Day. (Photo by Chris Wolf)

Camden Select Board at Tuesday night’s meeting, from left, Don White, Leonard Lookner, chairman Martin Cates, John French and Jim Heard. (Photo by Chris Wolf)

CAMDEN — The Camden Select Board Tuesday night voted unanimously to approve a construction management contract with Ledgewood Construction, which is managing Phase 2 of the Ragged Mountain Redevelopment Project.

The Ragged Mountain Redevelopment Project got underway last spring, after voters in November 2013 approved a $2 million bond to add to the $4.5 million in private dollars was raised by the Ragged Mountain Recreation Foundation for the project to improve and expand services at the Camden Snow Bowl. The ultimate goal is to make the Snow Bowl not just Maine's only coastal combined ski and outdoor recreation facility, but to make it a year-round destination for outdoor enthusiasts.

Town Manager Patricia Finnigan told the select board Tuesday night that Ledgewood Construction had been selected by the Redevelopment Team and the Building Committee to manage both the site work and the future new lodge construction.

"The selection came after a thorough and competitive selection process for a construction manager," said Finnigan. "We interviewed eight teams and Ledgewood, by far, received the most points and because of the breadth of their experience, their understanding of the project, and what they can bring to us, I am very, very pleased to have Pete with us this evening."

The original plan was to have two phases, but now it will have three. The first phase was completed in time for the 2014-2015 ski season, and included tree removal, mountainside grading, piping for increased snow-making capacity, new trail construction and installation of the new triple chairlift, among other things. The work was completed, but the weather and a host of equipment issues delayed the official opening date of the mountain until Jan. 31.

Originally, storm water improvements, erosion control and management, and grading work on the south parking lot were to occur during Phase 2, when the new lodge was to be built, but cost overruns and project delays last year have since prompted Phase 2 to be split, with the new lodge being pushed out at least a year.

"The site work was always in the budget, and it still is, but it was going to be done at the same time as the lodge," Finnigan said Wednesday. "But now we are doing the site work first, and then we will work with the community to raise the money needed for the lodge."

In February, the town learned that the $6.5 million project had become an $8.4 million project. Phase 1 of the project had originally been budgeted at $4.3 million, with the new lodge budgeted at $2.1 million. To build the lodge now, at least another $1.6 million is needed, although the final design of the new lodge has not been announced and that could impact the cost and additional money needed to make it happen. As it stands, there is currently a nearly $2 million budget shortfall.

Finnigan said contracting with Ledgewood guarantees that no more will be spent on the site work than is in the contract.

"The benefit of working with a construction management team is that while they can't go over the guaranteed cost, if they do under it, the town sees the savings," said Finnigan.

The value of the contract is $573,578, of which $69,273 is the General Requirements line, which includes a project manager ($18,200) and a superintendent ($33,800). The remainder of the General Requirements line covers rental of a temporary field office, office supplies and equipment, temporary communications, fencing, a dumpster, a project sign, a superintendent's truck and fuel, and other items.

The bulk of the cost of the contract, which is the actual work that Ledgewood will manage and oversee, is $463,783 and that is the Sitework line. The site work breaks down into three lines, including Layout/Survey work for $1,000; Earthwork for $387,783, which was awarded to the lowest bidder, Ferraiolo Construction Company Inc.; and Soil Stabilization for $75,000.

Another $75,000 was built in for contingency and the difference is comprised of permit fees, general liability insurance, performance bond fees, etc.

Presenting the plans Tuesday night, for Phase 2 of the Ragged Mountain Development Project, were Ledgewood President Peter J. Pelletier, Gartley and Dorsky President Will Gartley and Camden Snow Bowl General Manager Landon Fake.

Members of the Select Board discussed how Change Order requests and approvals would be handled, and whether they had purview to vote on their approval as a cost-control measure.

Finnigan told the Select Board that the contract guarantees no cost overruns, but that if something comes up outside the contract that requires additional funding, it would be discussed.

Select Board member John French asked Pelletier if he would be willing to appear before the town on a regular basis and review the budget.

He said "whatever it takes." "We are your partner, we are a team. This is a quick project, just three months, but if you want me to appear monthly to answer your questions, I am happy to do it."

Pelletier told the Select Board that his company "acts as your agent," with open books and open to any questions about anything having to do with the project, including the numbers. He said they work with designers and engineers to develop bid packages, and also prepares a suggested bidders list to go out to bid with.

Having selected Ferraiolo as the winning bidder, Pelletier and Gartley said that the work is slated to begin Tuesday, May 26, the day after Memorial Day.

Pelletier said that Peter McPherson has been assigned as the project superintendent, and said that McPherson would be "boots on the ground, every day."

"We will reach out to all the neighbors and provide Peter's cell number to them and anyone else who wants it, who might have questions or concerns, " said Pelletier. "The key is good open communication in working through the issues and concerns."

In addition to a good communication plan, Pelletier and Gartley talked about the work details, and the timeline the work would be performed.

Gartley said there are three major items included in the contract, and the first would be to tackle the drainage issue at the bottom of Foxxy. He said a lot more water was directed there when water bars were added up on the hillside to redirect water runoff, but that the drainage channel can't handle it.

"That needs to be done first, because it overwhelms the channel and drains into the pipe and right into Hosmer Pond," said Gartley.

Second, he said, is the area next to the new triple chairlift, which is also in need of better drainage. Third, the entire area around the maintenance building needs to be corrected. They plan to re-grade, remove layers of mud and redirect the drainage that does occur there.

"As you go up the mountain, there are a lot of spots where riblets have formed and where grass did not come in like it should have, water bars need to be redone, etc. But these are things we could not see until now, when the snow has gone. Now we can see what needs to be done and we will walk up there and identify what is needed and we'll prioritize it and give it to Ferraiolo to give us pricing on," said Gartley.

If more money is needed than the contract specifies, the Redevelopment Team and Building Committee will be approached.

"It should be relatively easy to make sure we are getting fair numbers. The lion's share of the work is already in the bid, so we feel pretty comfortable where are and where we need to be," said Pelletier.

• Camden Snow Bowl project up to $8.4 million, fundraising resumes (Feb. 3, 2015)

• Making tracks in some dreamy snow at Camden Snow Bowl (Jan. 30, 2015)

• Snow Bowl to fire up chairlifts; refunds offered to passholders (Jan 21, 2015)

• Camden Planning Board to begin Snow Bowl lodge review (Jan. 9, 2015)

• Camden Select Board brings in old friend to help with Snow Bowl progress (Jan. 7, 2015)

• Camden Snow Bowl to start making snow Jan. 5 (Jan. 2, 2015)

• Camden Select Board pushes Ragged Mountain redevelopment project forward over protests of many Hosmer Pond neighbors (Dec. 18, 2014)

• Snow Bowl progress report to Camden Select Board continues to be positive (Dec. 3, 2014)

• One by one, 20 chairlift towers went up at the Camden Snow Bowl (Dec. 1, 2014)

• Helicopter to help raise, place 23 chairlift towers at Camden Snow Bowl (Dec. 1, 2014)

• Report: Ragged Mountain Redevelopment Project $500,000 over budget (Oct. 8, 2014)

• Camden Planning Board approves Snow Bowl lighting plan as proposed (Oct. 6, 2014)