North Stonington — Just shy of two years since voters approved a new $6.36 million emergency services building, and well over 10 years since town officials first discussed the idea, residents driving by the worksite can begin to see progress.

Excavation is underway but now, as the construction phase quickly approaches, selectmen and members of the Emergency Services Building Committee are at odds over how to manage the work, and some in town are getting worried about the project's timeline and bottom line costs.

Suchocki and Son Inc. workers have spent the past few months excavating the 25 Rocky Hollow Road site, meaning phase one is coming to a close. The building committee has approved a final layout plan for the metal building and is waiting for final cost estimates from Silver/Petrucelli and Associates, the architectural firm that designed the plans. 

As it stands, a Stadia Engineering Associates Inc. representative is performing clerk of the works duties for the project's first phase, handling the day-to-day oversight of the excavation. Peter Springsteel, a Mystic architect who was hired as the owner's representative, is acting as a liaison among the town and all other parties involved.

The next step, however, is not clear.

The Board of Selectmen and the committee agree a project manager position should be created for the construction of the building, but the agreement stops there.

Already faced with snags that could increase costs — such as the likely need to add a water tank so the building will have enough flow for fire protection — the committee wants to add the project manager's duties to Springsteel's responsibilities. Springsteel has agreed to accept.

The committee wants the town to advertise only for a clerk of the works for phase two, though members deferred a motion on that to their April 20 meeting.

"If we bring a new project manager on now, we spend two months bringing him up to date, costing us money," committee Chairman Mark Perkins said at Monday's committee meeting. "If (Springsteel) can do this, we don't need it."

But all three selectmen think those positions should not be combined, and, according to a flow chart approved in 2013, the decision is the first selectman's. First Selectman Nick Mullane said at the board's Tuesday night meeting that a project manager should have been on board a long time ago.

"On many occasions, you can get a package deal," Mullane said, explaining one firm could provide a clerk of the works and a project manager at different rates per hour. "Shouldn't we go out and see what's available?"

The selectmen have invited members of the committee to their April 28 meeting to discuss the status of the project and what should be done next.

"This is constructive, what we're doing — we're trying to get ourselves organized," Mullane said. "We can have an honest difference of opinion and we'll respect what we think is best for the job."

Resident Joe Gross, though, questioned the decision to wait until April 28.

"Now we're going to add another two weeks on to the decision for the project manager?" he asked. "Things aren't getting done, and it's scary."

Gross, who also attended Monday's building committee meeting, referred to other issues that came up that night. One was a pile of soil that committee member Brian Elias said at Monday's meeting the committee has been asking the town to remove for weeks. Neither Mullane nor Selectman Bob Testa had an answer Monday night.

"There is the potential where the cost of the removal of this pile, if it isn't done in a timely fashion, then becomes our problem," Perkins said.

Committee members also recently learned Mullane had visited the worksite and directed that each excavated rock be individually measured by three separate parties rather than in bulk, using the industry standard. Members expressed concerns about the effect on cost and timeline and asked Mullane why he didn't come to the committee before making the decision.

Mullane said he was "uncomfortable" with some of the measurements he'd seen written down.

The excavation "is estimated to equal ... another $400,000," Mullane said. "I want to make sure it's accurate. And, I'm sorry, but sometimes getting something through your committee takes too long, so I just did it."

Several committee members took issue with the comment, reminding Mullane the committee exists because the townspeople wanted it.

l.boyle@theday.com

Twitter: @LindsayABoyle