Selectmen Cuts Ties With Ames Building Project Contractor

DEDHAM, MA — The Dedham Town Hall/Senior Center project was already well behind schedule and now there’s no telling when town officials can cut the ribbon to open their new building.

The selectmen voted Monday night to terminate their contract with CTA Construction, leaving the project without a contractor. The decision came after the board determined that there were several instances where there were not enough workers at the site and the overall failure to complete the project within the required timeframe.

The decision came after Ron Votta, the owner’s project manager, told the board that the building would not be ready by the latest projected finish date, which has been pushed back for months.

“Sad to say a month ago I was very upbeat and happy when I said 55 people were working on the building, really moving along. Now we’re back to six people when we were lucky,” Selectman Dennis Guilfoyle said. “In my professional opinion, there is no way this building is getting done anytime soon. Anytime at all.”

Selectman Dennis Keogh wasn’t very optimistic either, stating that there have been more setbacks than progress.

“It’s our responsibility. It’s the taxpayer’s money being spent. I don’t know if this can get this done with this contractor. It seems there have been too many setbacks. I know we’re going to see a beautiful building...I’m not confident it’s going to be with this contractor,” he said.

Town Manager Jim Kern will now file a notice of termination. Next, the town will look to the surety to fulfill its obligation under the project’s bond and hiring another contractor to finish the work.

The $14.6 million renovation project to move Town Hall and the Senior Center into the Ames Building broke ground in August and was supposed to be finished by last July.

Image: File Photo