Whitman DPW Building Committee Scores General Contractor Page at 84

WHITMAN — December 8, 2025 — Whitman's DPW Building Committee gave general contractor Page a composite DCAM score of 84 and moved toward issuing the project's final payment requisition. The committee worked through eight scoring categories on the state's standard evaluation form, with individual member totals ranging from 76 to 86 before the group settled on 84 — a passing grade but one members said reflected a grading system that penalizes contractors heavily for even a handful of below-average marks. The sharpest criticism centered on Section 3, scheduling, where the committee assigned a seven — below average — citing inaccurate schedule updates and the contractor's handling of an underground oil tank discovery that disrupted site work; the committee noted Page's subcontractor Pompeo refused to accept financial responsibility for the incident. The committee also approved a $7,059.48 change order to correct a drainage problem at the main building entrance, voted to pay approximately $1,976 in Amazon IT invoices after removing one $315.25 line item already processed at a prior meeting, and authorized the subcommittee to sign off on the final requisition — estimated at $70,000 to $87,000 — once closeout documents are complete and the drainage fix is confirmed. Members flagged an urgent safety concern: false fire alarm activations over the prior weekend were monitored by contractor Minutemen but never relayed to the Whitman Fire Department.