GREENFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS (RECORDER.COM) November 29, 2013
Chris Shores, Recorder Staff
GREENFIELD — In the years to come, Greenfield town officials will be able to electronically access the floor plans of their $66 million high school, click on a specific section and see a photo slideshow of the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems that are installed there.
The Greenfield High School Building Committee voted earlier this month to spend $37,755 from its contingency fund for the documentation service provided by Multivista Construction Documentation. The international company will begin immediately taking on-site photos, which town officials will be able to access on a password-protected website and a hardcopy backup file.
George VanDelinder, the town’s central maintenance director, said that Greenfield will be able to use the software during future maintenance projects. Building committee members can add their own files to the digital floor plans — including spreadsheets and photos taken by Jeffrey Dome, the project’s clerk of the works.
“All that information will be right there at our fingertips,” said VanDelinder. He said that the documentation software has been so popular in Springfield that officials there have required its use in all future construction projects.
Mayor William Martin pointed out that the software could also be used to protect the town in any legal proceedings that arise with construction contractors or subcontractors.
Robert Tombs cast the lone vote of dissent. He said he had no problem with the software but was uncomfortable with language in the contract, which was unclear about how long Multivista would be involved in the project.
VanDelinder said that although the contract listed 15 monthly payments, Multivista had committed to finishing the project. Finance Director Lane Kelly said last week that the contract had been revised to reflect the full length of the project (through summer 2015) before the final agreement was signed.
Building Committee Chairman Timothy Farrell said he believes the software will demonstrate to residents that the town is committed to maintaining the new high school more than they did for the current building.
“The intent is to build a new school … but we also want to make sure it’s taken care of in the future,” he said.
The town had put the job out to bid but Multivista was the only one who replied.
New committee member
A Greenfield mother and co-owner of a plumbing and heating company has joined the School Building Committee.
Martin appointed Lynn Facey, who runs the Greenfield-based Facey Plumbing and Heating with her husband Dave, to a vacant spot on the committee earlier this month.
Facey attended Greenfield schools as a child before graduating from Mohawk Trail Regional High School. She also taught in the Mohawk system.
Her children attend Greenfield schools.
