BRATTLEBORO — The Selectboard last week awarded Pizzagalli Construction Co. of South Burlington a $22.5 million contract for the next phase of construction on the Waste Water Treatment Plant Upgrade project.
Hoyle Tanner Engineers, the project's consultants, and the Wastewater Treatment Plant Oversight Committee recommended Pizzagalli's $22,500,500 bid to the Selectboard. It is contingent on the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation's authorization.
According to Eugene Forbes, senior vice-president of Hoyle Tanner, the town received three bids, opened Sept. 23, of which Pizzagalli's bid came in the lowest and below the engineer's estimate of $22,968,000.
Forbes said Pizzagalli will undertake “phase 2” the biggest part of the project - construction of the main plant. He described Pizzagalli as a “good company” known for bringing projects in on budget.
“These guys [Pizzagalli] are fantastic to work with, in my opinion,” said Selectboard member Daryl Pillsbury, who has worked with the company before.
According to its website, Pizzagalli is one of the largest employee-owned construction companies in the United States, and constructing wastewater treatment plants is one of its specialties. It has offices in South Burlington, Maine and North Carolina.
Town Manager Barbara Sondag explained loans and bonds would fund the remainder of the project. However, she said the town would continue to apply for grants. If the town is awarded any, the grant monies can pay off the loans. She said the town could have risked foregoing loans for possible grants, but may have ended up with a money gap if the grants didn't come through.
Last year, voters approved a $32,800,000 bond for improvements to Brattleboro's wastewater plant.