Whitman DPW Building Committee Approves $755,000 in Payments, Nears Completion

WHITMAN — June 9, 2025 — Whitman's Public Works Building Committee approved more than $755,000 in contractor and vendor payments at its June 9 meeting as the new DPW facility nears a July 15 substantial completion target. The committee unanimously approved a $735,700.94 contractor draw and a $20,000 construction management invoice, along with a batch of vendor bills covering $108,732 in furniture, $13,699 in shelving, network equipment, plumbing, and a builders risk insurance extension. Members referred to the subcommittee — for action within two weeks — both a $13,900 refurbished 2020 Toyota forklift purchase and procurement of welding equipment and a plasma cutter priced at roughly $25,000 combined, pending a third quote. Technology-related change orders have added nearly $90,000 to the contract above the original $95,000 technology budget, a figure the committee flagged as it anticipates further IT purchases. An unresolved dispute over whether the installed Honeywell fire alarm panel meets bid specifications for open-architecture access remained unsettled, with members awaiting a closer review of contract language before deciding whether to press the general contractor.