Town Project Representative

Hired To Oversee NHS, Town Hall

By John Voket

Just don’t call him clerk of the works.

The Board of Selectmen unanimously agreed December 1 to contract William Knight to represent the town overseeing several municipal projects scheduled to take place in the coming years. He will work under the title town project representative, which was formerly referred to as “clerk of the works.”

After being introduced to and approved for the contract by the Public Building and Site Commission (PBSC) November 25, selectmen approved the hiring, and directed First Selectman Joe Borst to issue a letter of intent to the former contractor and construction worker. Mr Knight’s official contract is under final review by the town attorney, but by signing a letter of intent, the town’s official oversight watchdog on projects including the high school expansion and municipal facilities development at Bridgeport Hall will be able to get onto the building sites immediately.

Mr Borst told fellow selectmen this week that Mr Knight’s compensation at $27 per hour will come mostly from a school district reimbursement for office space at the future town hall at Fairfield Hills. The balance of the new official’s anticipated annual compensation of about $56,000 will come from the municipal budget.

Town Finance Director Robert Tait, who was on hand at the selectmen’s meeting, reminded the officials that Mr Knight would be a contractor, and not a town employee.

According to a job description draft made available by the first selectman’s office, Mr Knight’s duties will revolve around overseeing and coordinating the supervision of the Newtown High School addition and town/school office projects. He will specifically coordinate assigned activities with various town departments, contractors, and outside agencies.

He will, coordinating with the PBSC, be “liaising with project managers and construction professionals and the commission.”

It was determined at the November PBSC meeting that direct day-to-day supervision would be handled by the first selectman.

Mr Knight will:

*Assume responsibility for assigned services and activities related to the supervision of public building projects, including post-bid inspection, construction, and related functions and professional contracts; ensure completion of projects as specified and designed within budgetary, regulatory, and time constraints.

*Serve as staff for the PBSC, attending and documenting project site meetings as required, maintaining daily logs and field books of construction progress, site visitors, weather-related issues, problems and resolution. Report this data at each PBSC-scheduled meeting.

*Review the design of assigned construction projects for clarity and constructability.

*Coordinate with and monitor the organization, staffing, and operational activities for the construction and overall project; respond to questions and inquiries from the developers, contractors, engineering professionals, and town staff regarding municipal construction projects.

*Provide problem solving resolution with all parties, and make decisions to achieve an acceptable outcome to ensure project timeline is maintained. If such a resolution requires a significant project change or results in a change order request for funding above an amount determined based on the project and approved by the PBSC, an emergency meeting of the PBSC must be initiated to resolve the issue.

*Liaise with end users, occupiers of site and other affected parties on a regular basis, to ensure they are fully informed on all aspects of the project, ensuring their operational needs are considered, and where necessary resolving potential conflicts within the scope of the contract documents.

*Review contractors and construction managers reimbursable requests for payment.

*Ensure construction files and records are appropriately maintained. This should include change order requests and approvals, meeting notes, submittals, shop drawings and as-built drawings, etc

*Coordinate and document construction activities with those of other town departments, outside agencies, and organizations on each PBSC project; resolve sensitive and controversial issues.

*Perform a variety of construction conflict resolution duties; resolve engineering problems in the construction phase with advisement from the design engineer; act on behalf of the town in meeting with and resolving construction problems with project contractors, private engineers, town departments (owners), and developers.