Ayer Senior Center Panel Approves $209,619 in April Invoices, Eyes October Groundbreaking

AYER -- May 14, 2026, Ayer's Senior Center Building Committee approved $209,619.66 in April vendor invoices and heard that a contractor pre-qualification process launches next week. The committee voted unanimously to pay four invoices covering Vertex, architect Catlin, water main contractor CHB, and the Ayer Police Department for traffic details running at roughly $600 per day. Project engineer Dan Vladimiroff reported that about 1,100 linear feet of water main and Comcast conduit have been installed east along Bishop Road since April 23, with directional drilling under the railroad tracks the next major hurdle. On environmental permitting, a Natural Heritage application submitted April 17 is under review with a 90-day window running through July 17, and the MEPA filing window with consultant Goddard opens May 30. The planning board's site plan review now requires a unanimous vote from three remaining members after two members resigned following the April 29 first hearing, with a second hearing set for May 26. The project team is targeting an early October contract award and groundbreaking, with the cost estimator reserved for the last two weeks of June for a near-market estimate at approximately 95 percent construction document completion.