The Colrain and Shelburne selectboards rejected two change orders from Bourgeois Wrecking & Excavation Inc. that would increase the bill to tear down four buildings near the town line by $5,000 for each town, a move the company said came after unexpected removal of asbestos and refuse inside the structures.

The selectboards had joined forces to contract with Westminster’s Bourgeois Wrecking & Excavation to demolish three buildings — two abandoned houses and a small barn — at 375 and 379 Main St. in Shelburne and one house at 102 Main Road in Colrain. The work was completed on Jan. 5 for roughly $120,000.

Shelburne paid about $70,000 from its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money and Colrain paid about $50,000 from its general fund. Shelburne’s properties were taken by the town for back taxes, with Shelburne Selectboard member Robert Manners noting the buildings had been abandoned for about 10 years. As for Colrain, the town does not own the 102 Main Road property, so a lien, set at the price of demolition, was placed on the land that will have to be paid if the property changes hands.

Nine contractors had attended the initial bid meeting that included an on-site inspection but people were not allowed inside some of the buildings. Therefore, Bourgeois Wrecking & Excavation, which emerged as the lowest bidder, wrote in its change order for Colrain that because the windows were boarded up, workers did not know about debris inside the structure before placing the bid.

According to the change order, there was 1 to 1½ loads of debris with asbestos that needed to be removed at a cost of about $5,000. The company also stated there were 20-30 soda tanks, engine stands and motors, which are “not ordinarily found in homes.” Additionally, water inside the building needed to be continually pumped out, doubling the weight of the debris.

The 379 Main St. building in Shelburne was also not accessible to bidders at the mandatory site visit. In the change order, Bourgeois Wrecking & Excavation explained there were 12 mattresses inside, which cost $100 each to dispose of. As was the case in Colrain, there was 1 to 1½ loads of debris with asbestos.

The invitation to bid at all sites stated that the debris was to be treated as “asbestos-containing waste material,” which required the contractor to transport debris to an approved disposal facility. Therefore, members of both selectboards argue that the bid should have accounted for what was found at the site.

“They were told there was likely an issue,” said Colrain Selectboard member Thom Griffin.

Bourgeois Wrecking & Excavation continued in its change order by saying it had absorbed some of the extra cost for the demolition.

“We are asking for some consideration in granting the request,” the company wrote.

The Colrain Selectboard rejected the request on Feb. 14 and the Shelburne Selectboard rejected it on Jan. 26.

Bella Levavi can be reached at 413-930-4579 or blevavi@recorder.com.

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