Branford Finance Board Supports Extra $1.7M for Animal Shelter Project
Following two meetings to gather additional information and review potential scenarios for a path forward, Branford's Board of Finance (BOF) has unanimously supported appropriating an additional $1.7 million in funding needed for the renovation of the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter, which serves Branford and North Branford. Next, the BOF's recommendation goes to the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) for committee review and recommendation, which will then go to the full RTM for a final vote on making the appropriation. The matter is set to be discussed in committee as part of a special joint meeting of the RTM Public Services Committee and RTM Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday, July 7 at 7 p.m. at Branford Fire Headquarter, 45 North Main St.
With its vote at a special meeting June 28, the BOF is recommending the RTM approve a revisied appropriation and bond for the project that will add $1.7 million to the bottom line. The resolution raised the $2,895,000 appropriation approved by the RTM in September, 2020, to a new total of $4,595,000.
While the Town needs to bond the additional $1.7 million up front, the following pathway to funding scenario, developed by Branford Finance Director Jim Finch, was accepted by the BOF June 28: a transfer of $650,000 from the Town's General Fund (which currently tops $28 million); a contribution of $214,500 from the Town of North Branford, bond proceeds of $250,000 and additional donations and contributions of $585,500 to be raised by the CosgroveSavingLives campaign.
As previously reported, as of May 2021, the campaign had already exceeded its goal of gathering $1 million in money committed toward the project as donations, grants and pledges. In June, an additional $300,000 was raised during a benefit event, said shelter director Laura Burban, speaking to the BOE on June 28.
At the June 15 meeting of the BOF, Finch discussed options which can be developed with the Town of North Branford, such as a payment arrangement over time, to receive the $214,500 in additional funds.
The $1.7 million appropriation request was first brought to the BOF at its May 24 meeting. As previously reported, the increase is due in part to the significant level of labor and material escalation costs across all trades, combined with 2021 findings by the newly-hired construction management team that some needed items were not in the estimated, approved 2020 budget appropriation (most notably, the Town added $311,000 to the project to incorporate driveway widening and parking lot site work). However, the size and scope of the building project, which will renovate and expand the shelter to double its size to 6,350 square feet, has not changed.
In reviewing the cost increase, the BOF heard an overview of the project's original cost of $2.895 million, based on estimated costs using the architect's design concept for the building; followed by an explanation of the $3.5 million, 70-percent construction cost budget developed by project manager Enterprise Builders (Norwalk), which joined the project on February 16, 2021. Enterprise developed "value engineering" (VE) solutions of about $600,000 to help bring costs of the $3.5 million budget down. Between $200,000 to $300,000 of those VE choices were accepted for the project; allowing documents to be published for competitive project package bidding on April 22, 2021. When bids were opened in May, after reviewing the lowest responsible bids, a $3.8 million project construction cost was revealed. Enterprise's fee is 3.5 percent of the total of construction cost.
The Town of Branford owns the shelter building at 749 East Main Street and is responsible for the animal control officers staffing the department, which also provides services to the Town of North Branford. North Branford currently has an agreement with the Town of Branford which assigns approximately 30 percent of the shelter's municipal operating expenses to North Branford.