Over the years, Deerfield residents have shown a definite tight-fisted streak. Sometimes, when it involves joint projects, like reconstruction of Frontier Regional School a few years back or the South County Emergency Services project today, the Scrooge-like inclination has caused friction with Deerfield’s neighbors.
But we have to admit that most of the time, Deerfield’s penny-pinching pays off, and sometimes big time.
Usually, local officials celebrate if a public construction project like a new school comes in on budget, or maybe even a little under budget. But we can’t remember when a roofing project projected to cost $3 million came in at half the cost.
But that’s what Deerfield pulled off with Deerfield Elementary School’s new 71,000-square-foot asphalt roof.
Original estimates, dating back to 2014, ranged from $2.34 million to about $3 million. Select Board member Henry “Kip” Komosa, who was bird-dogging the project for the town, said in the end the job cost $1,569,806. He should know, because it seems his persistent attention to the project and its details during construction made all the difference.
The project’s initial budget, approved by Town Meeting, included a new drainage system — which wasn’t needed in the end. Komosa discovered the drainage system was clogged but not broken, and “was more of a maintenance issue.”
The board also found cheaper shingles, and reused materials that were still in good condition. And they kept an eagle eye on change orders which usually consume all the contingency money built into a construction budget.
Select Board member Carolyn Shores Ness said recently, “What it really boiled down to, is that the Select Board had a presence at every weekly meeting. We kept the architect focused, and refused to allow architectural errors in the design to be charged to us.”
Shores Ness noted that at least two board members attended every meeting, allowing the board to immediately vote and make decisions.
“It was a team effort by (Building Commissioner) Dick Calisewski, Kip Komosa — and I basically showed up so we could vote. We didn’t let anything slide, and were able to vote right on the spot,” Shores Ness added.
“It was a really painful process, but … it worked out beautifully. It’s a safer roof, and it’s good for another 20 years,” she said.
We don’t doubt that the region’s other local leaders are as concerned about saving their taxpayers money, but maybe the rest of us can learn a thing or two from Deerfield’s parsimonious predilection.