Southbridge Fire Station Committee Approves Change Order, Expanded Commissioning Contract

SOUTHBRIDGE -- June 8, 2026, Southbridge's Fire Station Building Committee approved more than $1.3 million in invoices and a five-item change order at its June 8 meeting. The committee unanimously approved Change Order 5 totaling $15,084.20, covering water lines for refrigerators, safety relocation of copper pipes in the apparatus bay, additional sprinkler valves in the training tower, and upgraded electronic keying hardware for lobby restrooms. The panel also added $9,000 in expanded commissioning services to its contract with WSP, covering plumbing and electrical systems in addition to the original HVAC scope, bringing the WSP total to $48,045, still $21,955 under the original $70,000 budget line. A contractor pay application of $1,226,356.40 and four smaller invoices were approved without dissent. Total project expenditures from 2015 now stand at $18,696,065.87, with contingency at $1,171,061.96. Substantial completion is now projected for mid-September, about two weeks past the original August 31 date. Three sprinkler change orders remain unresolved; project manager Michael described the largest as "bogus" and said the committee is awaiting a full materials-and-labor breakdown before acting.