This spring we’ll be undertaking our largest and most expensive project since the church was remodeled in the late 1960’s after Vatican II.
Our roof is now 130 years old and is being replaced this year before further leaking causes serious damage to the structure of the building. The roof should have been replaced many years ago, but the cost has always seemed out of reach.
Allowing for issues such as rotted decking, our best estimate is that the replacement slate roof will cost approximately $900,000 based on the low bid of $855,000 we received last fall from Cold Hollow Contracting. The $900,000 reflects a modest 5% contingency for unexpected costs.
Because the Diocese would not allow us to start the project without having the total cost covered with currently available funds, we had to combine virtually all our reserve funds to get there. That includes the proceeds from sale of St. Michael’s School (back when Father Mike was here), sale of North American Martyrs Church in Marshfield, the bequest from the estate of Ruth Hayes, and other gifts, including of course our individual donations to the roof fund.
Late last year we already paid $256,500 to lock in the purchase price of all the cooper and slate at 2021’s prices. Cold Hollow is prepared to complete the roof in this construction season to maximize efficiency, in light of the elaborate staging and equipment required to access the roof and the almost certain inflationary increases in labor and material costs coming in the next year.
As you may already know, Bishop Coyne has agreed to help us by having the Diocese dedicate $100,000 towards our roof! This is great news for our Parish because we now have the fortunate opportunity over the next few months to have our donations to the roof project ensure that we won’t have to wipe out every last dollar of our reserves. We need to be able to pay the rising prices for fuel as well as the church’s emergency costs that arise unexpectedly.
On behalf of Father Julian, the Parish Council, the Finance Committee and our Building Committee, I wish to extend my sincere appreciation to everyone who has made contributions to the roof fund. Now is the time for those of us who have been richly blessed in so many ways to “dig deep”, and, in the case of those of us who have already made donations, to maybe dig “even deeper” (if we are able) to make this essential, long overdue Project happen.
We have been blessed with the tireless commitment of our resident parish engineer, Bernie Chenette, who has given countless hours of his time and expertise to the roof and so many other substantial improvements to St. Augustine’s Church over many years. Rest assured, Bernie will I’ll be tracking the progress of the Roof Project closely, and you can expect to hear from him, from time to time, explaining the changes you will see outside each week when you come to mass.
Thank you again for your generosity and God Bless You.
_Reported by John Kessler, parish council chair person on March 12th & 13th, 2022.