Ayer Senior Center Committee Rejects Full Electrification, Approves $455,000 in Value Engineering

AYER -- April 16, 2026, Ayer's Senior Center Building Committee voted unanimously to abandon full building electrification after finding that required electrical upgrades would exceed the value of anticipated National Grid rebates. Meeting April 16, the committee also accepted $455,000 in value engineering reductions against a project budget of approximately $11.49 million, approved $107,423.24 in March invoices covering Vertex OPM fees, architectural services, a final land survey bill, and five Goddard environmental consulting invoices, and set the next meeting for May 14. Project manager Matt presented an updated schedule showing the MEPA permitting process concluding in mid-September, with site construction beginning in late September to early October, a timeline committee member Dennis called concerning because it pushes foundation work into winter conditions. A letter of support from MassDevelopment Executive Vice President Michael R. Sweeney, addressed to the MEPA office, was read into the record, citing the project's replacement of a 1,700-square-foot non-ADA-accessible basement facility with a 13,000-square-foot standalone building. The committee voted unanimously to retain raised pedestrian walkways in the parking lot design, accepting only $30,000 in granite curbing savings while deferring further parking lot changes until after Planning Board site plan approval, with a public hearing scheduled for April 28.