Members cite errors, inaccurate construction, a broken mechanical valve and increased cost
By Charley Falkenburg, Special Writer
MANSFIELD — There’s been a few construction slip-ups at the new municipal complex and the town might be paying extra to fix some of them.
Frustrations mounted when the Township Committee, on Dec. 27, addressed construction errors that have been made at its new Millennium Building on Route 206. Fuel was added to the fire after the elected officials learned they would most likely to have to spend more money and time getting the job done right a second time around.
”Professionals are not supposed to make mistakes. That’s why we pay professionals,” Committeeman Robert Higgins said. “That’s where I think the buck folds.”
Since the town bought the building in 2005, it has approved approximately $10 million in bond ordinances to revamp and improve the facility.
The plan is to unite the municipal, fire and police headquarters from their separate bases on Main Street to the two-story Millennium Building on Route 206, between Columbus-Hedding Road and Mansfield Road this spring.
Fasolino Contracting Corp. Inc., of Sewell, is the main contractor for the building. In March, the Mansfield committee approved a resolution awarding Fasolino $1.403 million for the project.
One of the committee’s main concerns was the height of the counter tops in the offices.
However, Deputy Mayor Higgins told the Register-News on Wednesday that while Fasolino did the cabinets, the contractors were going off the drawings from Remington and Vernick Engineers.
The original plan was to build standard height counter tops with a designated area for shorter ones to satisfy the building accessibility requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. However, at some point it was interpreted to make everything ADA accessible, according to Township Engineer Tim Stazewski at the December meeting.
To Mayor Arthur Puglia, the contractor should have realized there was a misinterpretation in the beginning regardless.
”The people who do this for a living should have said something,” Mayor Puglia said. “I mean, how deep are our pockets?”
Mr. Higgins agreed that the builder should have known something was off, but seemed to place more blame on the engineer, citing that it’s the engineer’s drawings the contractor follows.
”He [the contractor] does what’s there and what the bid was on,” Mr. Higgins said. “It’s another bad on the engineer.”
Since the countertops have already been fabricated, Mr. Stazewski suggested installing them as is and build on top of the existing wall, where the counter top sits. However, the town would have to foot the additional costs to fix the problem because that particular credit was already given back to the township in a previous deduction.
Township Attorney Michael Magee emphasized that the municipality should not have to take the fall for the faults of someone else.
”The town didn’t make the mistake and now we’re being asked to pay for it,” Mr. Magee said. “Why should the taxpayers pay for this mistake?”
There are also issues in the boiler room concerning a broken mechanical valve, hindering the production of hot water. The once-working valve became broken after two different contractors did piping work in the room. However, it appears neither contractor plans on owning up to the malfunction.
The Register-News was in the process of gathering a full list of subcontractors, hired to work on the Millennium Building, as of press time.
At the Dec. 27 meeting, Mr. Stazewski said one contractor has already denied touching the valve and that they are waiting to hear back from the other, who is likely to confirm he did not touch it either.
If that is the case, the town would go forward with getting a quote to have that valve reactivated. With temperatures getting colder, Mayor Puglia emphasized the need to get this issue taken care of immediately.
”It’s going to get cold and then we’ll have broken pipes all over the place,” the mayor added. “This is something that has to be done yesterday, not tomorrow.”
Wednesday, Mr. Higgins said all in all, the contractors and subcontractors have helped the township out significantly and that he had no complaints with Fasolino. However, he did question Remington and Vernick’s professional competence.
The committee also appeared uneasy about the Information Technology (IT) installation progress. Already paying more money to get outside quotes for the installation, the committee was concerned about additional items, such as more wire drops, that have been tacked onto the initial proposal.
Mr. Stazewski said the original amount of drops was based on the concept floor plan according to the fire drill locations. Since then, the floor plan has changed and Networks Plus, an IT services company, has already directed a potential contractor to put in more drops.
However, since wire installation was already included in that contractor’s package, Mr. Stazewski saw it as a benefit for Mansfield.
”We recommend moving forward with him since we would essentially save money in the IT portion,” Mr. Stazewski stated.
As the discussion tapered off with questions still left unanswered, Mr. Higgins stressed the need to have a meeting with the engineers, Network Plus, the contractors and electricians to clarify who is completing each task.
”This needs to be resolved because it’s creating issues and holding up the building,” Mr. Higgins said.

