Frustrated by state restrictions governing small municipal building projects, Board of Selectmen Chairman Ron Ricci is trying again to get Harvard a better deal.
Article 32 in the Annual Town Meeting warrant seeks voter approval for a home-rule petition to the state Legislature that would exempt Harvard from provisions of state law that require seeking bids and paying the prevailing wage set in Boston for municipal projects with an estimated cost of more than $25,000.
Ricci’s proposal, which is supported by the selectmen, would increase the limit to $50,000 and would also exempt public improvements funded by private donations. Ricci said he is motivated by the inability of a town like Harvard to get worthwhile projects done even if the money is there to pay for them or there is no cost to the town.
In a recent interview, Ricci cited the Hildreth House window replacement project, which is currently being done by volunteers. Community preservation funding for the windows was approved two years ago, but when the project went out to bid, there was no response from contractors. And under state law, the town is prohibited from simply finding a local contractor to do the job. But the law does allow volunteer labor as long as no payment is involved. So the only way to get the replacement done was to go out to bid for the windows alone and have volunteers install them.
Ricci hopes for better outcome
Ricci is one of those volunteers, but he thinks that’s no way for a town to get things done. He submitted an almost identical article three years ago, which passed easily at Town Meeting but then died in the Legislature. This year Ricci hopes State Senator Jamie Eldridge will do a better job advocating for the measure, even though it would benefit only one town in his district. And he’s also hoping that rebranding the petition will help: Last time its purpose was clearly in opposition to the prevailing wage law; this time it’s been repackaged as a way to encourage small-business participation and private funding of local projects. As it stands now, small local contractors are unwilling to bid on a project that is subject to the prevailing wage law because of the required paperwork, Ricci said.
Ricci’s proposal would also exempt Harvard from the requirement that jobs be awarded to the lowest qualified bidder, as long as the job is in the $50,000-and-under category. His experience as a homeowner has taught him that the lowest bidder is not always the best choice, Ricci said.
He sees this measure as a boost to local businesses. “I think Town Hall should be painted every eight years, and when it’s painted I want the job to go to a local contractor who will serve the town well,” he said.
Connie Larrabee is a member of the Town Hall and Hildreth House Construction Committee.
