AMHERST — A broken elevator at the Bangs Community Center could be repaired in time for a Thanksgiving meal to be served next month.
Ronald Bohonowicz, facilities supervisor for the town and schools, told the Council on Aging Thursday that the downtime for the elevator, which sustained a damaged hydraulic jack during a state- mandated inspection last week, may only last four to six weeks.
“This is a high priority within the town,” Bohonowicz said.
While signs posted at the entrances to the building indicate that the elevator could be out of service for four to six months, creating issues for people with mobility issues who use the building, Bohonowicz said a speedier fix should happen.
“The bottom line is we have an improved timeline we can execute,” Bohonowicz said.
Meeting with the senior council for the first time, Town Manager Paul Bockelman said he is confident the repairs will be complete and “this is not a doom and gloom scenario.”
He estimates repairs at in excess of $65,000.
“Money is not going to be an object in getting the elevator repaired,” Bockelman said. “We will figure that out.”
The Thanksgiving dinner for senior citizens will not happen if the elevator is not working. The event has been held at the Bangs for 40 years.
Questions have arisen about whether the state would be liable for the damage, amidst rumors that more than 2,500 pounds was put in the elevator during the test.
Bohonowicz said the elevator failed after metal weights were loaded to capacity, and that this is a normal part of the inspection every few years.
“I don’t want to point blame at the state,” he said.
Felix Browne, a spokesman for the state’s Department of Public Safety and Security, said the weights didn’t exceed the listed capacity.
In an email, Browne said that the state elevator inspector and the licensed mechanic are not responsible.
“The elevator never had any more than 2,500 pounds on it at any time and was therefore never overloaded,” Browne said.
The state office has a statutory responsibility to test the rated capacity of elevators to make sure they are safe for the public to use, Browne said.
“The test revealed the elevator was not able to handle its maximum rated load and it will therefore be retested,” Browne said. “Only when it passes will it be licensed for use.”
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
