Weston Select Board working group moves to hire outside engineer for water tank project

WESTON -- February 5, 2025, Weston Select Board working group will hire an outside engineer to review its $43 million water tank project and sent the March 12 warrant forward 3-0. Working group chair Tom, with members Lori and Lisa, agreed to scope the Owner's Project Manager engagement narrowly to design, permitting and bid review, deferring construction-phase oversight. Wright-Pierce engineer Rob Williamson said OPM costs typically run 1 to 2 percent of project cost; a limited design-phase scope would likely be "a fraction of a percent." The project would raise three town tanks 40 feet to serve roughly 300 to 400 high-elevation homes currently lacking adequate pressure and fire flow. Resident Trisha Liu of 10 Windsor Circle pressed for a quantified alternatives analysis comparing distributed booster pumps; engineers said the back-of-the-envelope answer was that pumps "cannot increase active storage" and would cost more to operate. Citizen petitioner Allen Day's warrant articles will be presented unchanged.