City Manager Robert Belleman says the crews are to blame for a pipe that burst on Dec. 13 on the third floor of City Hall sending water into Room 317 and the accounting office, two rooms that were not damaged by water during an Oct. 12 fire that shut the building down and prompted a major restoration project.
“I’m concerned that those responsible are not taking the proper precautions so we can move forward with the restoration and resume operations in the building,” Belleman said Monday during the Bay City Commission meeting.
Gregory Construction Co. of Bay City is the general contractor on the $1.6 million project to replace roof tiles on the historic building. Mihm Enterprises of Hamilton is the subcontractor doing the majority of the roofwork. Officials from neither company were present at Monday’s meeting.
Dan Seguin, project manager on the roof replacement, could not be reached for comment by The Times.
Belleman said the pipe burst after a roof worker covered an open skylight with plastic, failing to properly insulate the area. The cold weather led to the burst pipe, he said.
“Plastic, in my opinion, is insufficient in Michigan weather,” Belleman said.
City officials said last week’s incident follows an incident in November in which a hole in the roof was not properly covered by roofing crews and a rain storm sent water into Room 306, often used as a meeting room, which also was not damaged during the October fire.
A Bay City Fire Department investigation previously showed that the fire was the result of sparks from a grinder being used by a roof worker. Gregory Construction officials have declined to comment on the fire.
Belleman said officials from the city’s insurance company, Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority, are in discussions with the insurance company that represents Gregory Construction and, if necessary, will file any claims against the general contractor and its subcontractors.
“I’m sure they’re nervous because they’ll be on the hook for any subsequent damage,” Belleman said. “I can’t explain why they’re not taking the proper precautions.”
On Monday afternoon, City Hall sustained even more water damage when a fire sprinkler pipe burst, sending a significant amount of water into a basement crawl space.
The incident remains under investigation, but city officials said it does not appear to be directly related to the roof project.
Belleman said Monday’s pipe burst may have been caused by lower levels of heat in that area of the building. City workers drained the fire sprinkler pipes as a precaution, sending water out of the building through a pipe. The company that installs the sprinklers is expected to come out and make any needed repairs.
City Commission President Kathleen Newsham, 8th Ward, said it is a concern that there have been such issues at City Hall.
“This prestigious, beautiful City Hall is going through so much,” she said of the building, that was built in 1896. “(The contractors there) have to be conscious of what they do when they leave the work site and the building is exposed to the elements.”
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