At the request of selectman Walter Vail and Oak Bluffs planning board (OBPB) chairman Brian Packish, building inspector Mark Barbadoro has inspected all Oak Bluffs town-owned buildings, and provided a written report on his findings. The 10-page report was compiled over a two-month period of structural inspections. The report also evaluated American with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance.
Not surprisingly, town hall got the worst marks of the group.
“The town hall was built in 1965, and is in a state of disrepair. The building was never laid out to be a town hall, and the current floor plan is inefficient and does not serve the town’s needs,” Mr. Barbadoro wrote. He listed 25 structural and safety issues, most of which were documented in a tour he gave the MV Times in July. He also took a dim view of the numerous ADA violations:
“The town hall continues to have ADA complaints filed against it, and has been modified through the years in a haphazard manner. Either the town should hire a design professional to address the deficiencies and create a plan to completely renovate the building, or a new building should be built.”
The trouble-prone library, built in 2005, is overdue for a considerable number of repairs, in Mr. Barbadoro’s estimation. “Although the library is a relatively new town building, it’s showing signs of premature wear and tear. The roof is leaking in several locations, and both the cooling system and the boiler have leaked or are leaking as well. This building needs a maintenance plan that includes periodic painting, and carpet cleaning should be implemented to protect the town’s investment.”
As a result of the leaks, ceiling tiles and the carpeting share a mottled stain motif. At town meeting this year, voters unanimously endorsed a $30,000 expenditure of free cash to replace the carpets.
“The library is a big disappointment,” Mr. Barbadoro told The Times. “The first repair you make on any building is to find the leaks and fix them. It wouldn’t make sense to replace the carpet before the leaks are fixed. If I open the emergency doors on the second floor, there will be standing water in the stairwells.”
Mr. Barbadoro found the library to be fully ADA compliant.
Aging roof aside, the Oak Bluffs School received a good report card.
“The school has been regularly inspected by building, fire and health departments. The result of regular inspections combined with proactive management has kept the building in a well-maintained condition,” the report states.
Voters at annual town meeting approved $50,000 for the planning required to repair and replace the roof. The school got an A for ADA compliance.
Other than a small leak in the relatively new roof, the police station is shipshape, according to the report. The station was built in 1965, and served as town hall until nine years ago.
“Despite its age, the building is in good condition,” Mr. Barbadoro told The Times. “The builders did an excellent job. If it’s properly maintained, it can last for decades to come.”
In his report, Mr. Barbadoro said that the officers he spoke with, including Chief Erik Blake, indicated that no significant changes were needed, other than tracking down the cause of a mysterious foul odor that sometimes wafts through the building during the winter, which Mr. Barbadoro believes is most likely “rising damp mold.”
The station has ADA issues. The handicap parking space needs to be widened, a bump needs to be removed from the entry ramp, and handrails need to be installed.
The Council on Aging (COA) building, built circa 1975, has also aged well, in Mr. Barbadoro’s opinion. He noted that a total renovation was done in 2006, and that a new kitchen floor was the only interior repair needed. On the exterior, new gutters will be needed in the not too distant future. COA director Rose Cogliano told Mr. Barbadoro that she felt the building was meeting the needs of Island seniors.
Not surprisingly, the new 20,250-square-foot, $8,288,000, fire station scored well. “Its condition is nearly perfect, and it will serve the town for many decades to come,” the report states.
Still there are punch-list items, such as a leak at the corner of the rubber roof and at the intake vent of the HVAC system that need to be fixed: “This could be a flashing problem, or it could be that rain is entering the vent intake and leaking through the ductwork. There also remain three or more outstanding items to be completed on the site plan … It is time to finish the list.”
Upkeep needs update
Mr. Barbadoro said his report was only a first step in improving the overall condition of town-owned buildings. Moving forward, he said, it would behoove the town to add a full-time facilities manager. Currently, the highway department is responsible for maintaining town buildings.
“Richie Combra hires people to fix buildings when they need repairs, but Richie is also the highway department director; he wears a lot of hats. He doesn’t have time to run around inspecting buildings, or to fix some rotted siding,” Mr. Barbadoro said. “There is one janitor working 20 hours a week just to cover town hall, the police department, and the library. That doesn’t leave time for repairs and painting. There’s a small leak in the police department roof. It’s not a big deal, but someone could fix it now before it becomes a big deal.”
Mr. Barbadoro said at his previous job in Acton, there was a municipal buildings department. The supervisor would not only make repairs, but take a proactive approach, scheduling painting and other improvements on an ongoing basis. “Oak Bluffs owns more than 52 rooms; we could keep a full-time person busy just with the painting,” he said.
“I think a facilities manager would be very valuable,” Mr. Combra told The Times. “It’s overwhelming to be in charge of everything. We’re woefully underfunded. We have two part-time people, working 20 hours a week; that includes public restrooms. That’s not enough to keep our buildings in good shape.”
