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July 5 Update to Staff: Water damage at National Life

Updates will be posted here as they become available. Please also find 'reduced workforce' notifications on the Human Resources website.

July 5, 2018

 

Fire Retardant Remediation

The company selected to do the remediation of the damaged fire retardant will begin next week.  They will be working at night and will tent all impacted areas on Davis 2, 3, and 4.  It should take approximately two weeks per floor, and we don’t know on which floor they are starting.  On Davis 1, the fire retardant did not get damaged, so no work is needed there.  BGS will be ensuring that testing occurs so that dust isn’t moved around as they turn on and off HVAC equipment. 

Davis 2 Moving Arrangements

As detailed in my email last week, we are arranging to have movers come and move packed up boxes to Dewey and City Center for the week of July 16th.  We have had one request to ensure there is sufficient time that Monday morning to pack up any remaining items as we know some will be on vacation through this whole period.  We are working to make that happen, and we’ll update everyone when we know when the movers will come.

Important Note: The space is accessible during the day next week, and if you would like to move yourself, that is fine.

Additionally, many filing cabinets were stored in conference rooms or focus rooms, we are working with BGS to have those brought to a central location for easier access. More information to follow.

Important Note: If you can reuse boxes, we would appreciate it.  We’re going through boxes faster than BGS can get them for us.

Final Important Note: This is a great opportunity to go through all of our files and ensure we’re not moving unnecessary, duplicative, or no longer needed paper.  I have begun to and would encourage all to take the time to go through everything.  We all accumulate and rarely have time to purge.

Davis and Dewey Planning

This week we began to work through more details of the pending long-term moves.  We are at the early stages, but things will begin coming together quickly.  The Agency CO and Departments will be working to ensure your requirements are met.  More to follow.

Temporary Workstation Improvements

Needed workstation requests have been submitted by FPR and F&W to the ANR CO, and we will no work with BGS and NL to get them accomplished as quickly as possible.

Please contact your Department’s Records Officer or your Division’s Records Liaison(s) for assistance with records management as you move. They are happy to help you ensure that your records are managed or destroyed in accordance with an approved records schedule. Find your records officer, records liaison, and records management policy here: http://anr.vermont.gov/public-records” 

June 29, 2018

Good Afternoon ANR,

We are still waiting to hear how the fire retardant remediation will occur, but we are told that it will be done off hours and not impact work spaces.  More details to come as we learn more.  Below are a few important updates and reminders for everyone:

Staff Locations:  Attached, you’ll find the updated “where are we” list.  There has been a bit of movement over the last week so check it out before you go looking for a colleague.  Of note the ANR CO and DHR are back in their original spaces.  Several members of DEC’s legal and enforcement teams have landed on the west side of Davis 2 as well.  Just as a reminder, to facilitate the long-term move, F&W, FPR, and DEC AQCD will remain in their current locations.  You will see below, we are working to make those temporary situations better for employees.  We want everyone to be comfortable and productive.

Temporary Workstation Improvements:  For staff in Dewey, FPR and F&W are collecting information on needed workstation improvements to ensure that staff are comfortable.  Please work with your Commissioners to make sure your needs are being met.  Once compiled, Brenda and Veronica will get the requests for changes into BGS and NL.  For DEC AQCD, if you have concerns, please work through Heidi to get those to Brenda and Veronica, so that we can address them.

Moving the Contents of Davis 2 Work Stations:  Davis 2 is now largely accessible during working hours.  Cleaning crews are finishing up and insulating crews are working at night making the space safe to enter.  For Davis 2 staff who will not be returning to their former work stations (F&W, FPR, DEC AQCD), we’re asking you to make time at some point over the next 2 weeks only (July 2 – 13) to come in to box up all items at your former work station.  You are welcome to take items that you need immediately to your current work station.  However, we will be hiring movers so you do not have to do the heavy lifting yourself. So if you have material that you don’t need right away, please box it up and label it – and everything will be delivered to your desk or a storage area near your current work station.  The movers will be scheduled for the week of July 16 so everything should be boxed up and ready to move before then.

  • Labelling is important!  We need NAME, DEPARTMENT, DIVISION and DESTINATION (i.e. Dewey 1 or City Center) on the front & side of each box.  Labelling the top is not helpful when boxes are stacked up.  Markers, tape and boxes will be available in the Catamount conference room.  Likewise, boxes that are ready to move should be moved to the aisle of your workspaces or grouped in central areas rather than left in individual cubicles.  DO NOT take filing cabinet or lockers with you.  Please empty your office furnishings and leave them in their original location (except in the case of AQCD where we moved lockers out of the way of construction). 
  • For Davis 2 staff who are moving to interim desk space on the west side of the building (DEC Enforcement and legal staff) please let Penny Percival know if you need help moving boxes to your new space and she can help you locate carts or hand trucks.

Dewey and Davis Space Design: We are working with BGS and their consultants to begin programming the space on Davis 2/3 and Dewey 1/2.   We are attempting to maximize the use of existing space and furniture but making changes as needed to ensure effective agency operations.  Stay tuned…

Finally, a big thank you to Steve Chadwick, Brenda Berry, Veronica Mascena, Tara Pecor, Kevin Bracey, Steve May, and James Rogers (if I forgot anyone, forgive me) for helping to make sure all of us can continue to accomplish ANR’s mission during this period of flux.

June 25, 2018

Good morning, all

Over the past week Leadership Team’s focus has been on a) helping settle dislocated staff into their new work spaces (which remains a work in progress); and b) working with BGS on the framework that will guide the overall reorganization of ANR office space on the National Life campus. Deputy Secretary Peter Walke will be leading the design decision-making team for ANR and, in these early stages, will be working with a small, core group that includes a representative from each department. Although we recognize that the circumstances present an opportunity to improve on the functionality of our work space based on lessons learned during the 5 years we’ve been as National Life, cost is also a very real consideration.

At this point, the amount the state will receive from the insurance adjusters for the damaged cubicles is still unclear. Preliminarily, we believe the state will be compensated for the amount paid through the rent payments for the leasing of the cubicles that were damaged (we are in year 5 of a 10 year lease).  NL will likely also receive a percentage of the depreciated value of the cubicles that were damaged from their insurance. It is unlikely the insurance payments will cover the full cost of replacement, and we need to assume that any additional costs will be responsibility of the Agency and plan accordingly. This means a guidepost for design decision-making team as they look at the build-out of ANR work space will be to minimize costs to the extent practicable. Put another way, by necessity the goals for the design are to seek opportunities to enhance the performance of our work space while:  1.) reusing as many of the existing cubicles as possible; and, 2.) minimizing moves of undamaged cubicles in the Davis Bldg as moves would necessitate changes to the electrical wiring and data cables to accommodate new location/type of cubicles. 

We are still in the very early stages of the design work but, as I noted previously, know that this effort needs to move quickly as it is the cornerstone of the overall reorganization of ANR office space on the National Life campus. We will continue to provide regular updates as the design work progresses, and thank you for your continued patience.

There are a couple of other brief bits:

  • Thanks to Penny and Renita for developing the attached “finder” for relocated Davis 2 staff. As Penny notes: I’m sure it’s out of date already, but it gives folks a place to start.
  • A reminder to anyone who experienced personal property losses as a result of the fire, that claims need to be submitted to your supervisor for submission to AoA-Risk Management by August 1. Please plan accordingly.

As always, we are happy to hear your thoughts, comments, questions and suggestions.

 

June 18, 2018

I hope everyone had a nice weekend and was able to get outside and enjoy a bit of this lovely weather. We are still awaiting the bids from the two contractors that will submit proposals to BGS for remediating the damaged fireproofing materials on Davis 2. As such, this morning’s update is rather brief:

  • Much of the conference room furniture from Davis 2 has been moved over to the Dewey Bldg for use by staff working there. This includes furniture from the Catamount Room. We have had a number of requests to use this room for meetings, which will simply not be possible until we have more furniture. The Montpelier Room may be an option for your larger meetings as the wardens are now fully set up over on Dewey 1.
  • Obviously, there have been a lot of moving pieces over the past two weeks. Penny and Renita are developing a “where are we?” list that will be distributed to all staff later this week to help you track down any missing colleagues.
  • As I noted last week, it is difficult to provide staff access to any work stations on Davis 2 while the duct cleaning work continues as this area is considered an active construction site, with large sheets of plastic covering all furniture and fixtures. We are working with BGS and NL to provide another window of time for staff to access their work stations this week to obtain additional belongings and will let you know when than has been scheduled.

After this morning, the frequency of these updates will be reduced to twice per week – with the next update coming on or about Wednesday, when we should know move about the fireproofing work.

 

June 15, 2018 Update from Secretary Moore

Today’s update is quite modest, as we are largely in a holding pattern awaiting the estimates and proposed timelines from the contractors who are bidding on the fireproofing remediation.

  • The skywalk that connects the Davis building with the parking garage has been fully reopened, including the hallway through Davis 2. This means that, as before the fire, staff can access the Main Bldg from the parking garage via the skywalk and Davis once more!
  • There will be a lot of furniture in motion today, as tables from the conference rooms in the Davis Bldg are escorted across the parking lot to Dewey in order to have them available to the staff relocating into that space.
  • Agency leadership met with BGS earlier this week to initiate the conversation about full restoration of the damaged space. There are some, limited, opportunities to modify current layout as these areas are brought back into service based on our experience “living” in this space over the past several years. While working to create a better outcome, we will need to remain cognizant that any changes will come with a price-tag. BGS and Agency leadership are developing opportunities to incorporate your input and feedback into this process.

As always, please don’t hesitate to be in touch with questions, comments or concerns.

 

June 14, 2018 Update from Secretary Moore

 

There is a lot of information to share from yesterday, some good and some less-than-ideal, so I will get right to it:

  • The DEC Air Quality and Climate Division will be relocating to a temporary space on the 3rd floor of City Center in downtown Montpelier, which will enable the full team to be together. The space was recently vacated by the Green Mtn Care Board and is fully furnished with work stations and a large conference room. The move-in will take place next week.
  • Knights Consulting Engineering was hired to perform the “pull” test on the fireproofing.  It is reported by the engineer that “pull” tests do not work on the particular type of insulation applied at National Life.  Therefore, any fireproofing that was exposed to water must be mitigated.
    • Two qualified firms have been identified to perform the remediation on the fireproofing.  A company from New York was on-site yesterday, and a company from Williston Vermont will be on-site today.  Each firm will provide a scope of work and bid.
    • The scope of work will establish both the timeline for the work to be completed and whether it may be possible to reoccupy the west-side of Davis 2 while the work is completed.
  • Duct cleaning is taking longer than expected on the 2nd floor and BGS has asked National Life (NL) to accelerate this effort and switch to an off-hours schedule. Based on current information, we believe the whole of Davis 2 should be finished by next Friday (06/22/18), with the west-side (mountain side) completed by this Tuesday (06/19/18).  These are not hard and fast dates.  Unfortunately, it is difficult to provide staff access to any work stations on Davis 2 while this work is only going as this area is considered an active construction site, with large sheets of plastic covering all furniture and fixtures. We are working with BGS and NL to provide another window of time for staff to access their work stations next week to obtain additional belongings and will let you know when than has been scheduled.
  • The skywalk that connects the Davis building with the parking garage will be reopened today, Thursday, June 14.  No access to the 3rd or 4th floor will be provided.  These doors will be locked for ingress, but functional for egress. It is my understanding that the intention is to allow for passage along the Davis 2 corridor and into the Main Bldg, but I am not clear if that will be possible today or if access will be limited to the stairwell at the end of the skywalk. Regardless, this should be welcome news for anyone working on Davis 1, 5 or 6.
  • As FPR and FWD continue to move staff across the parking lot and into their temporary work space in Dewey, NL is working with ADS-ANR IT to “drop” or extend power to a cluster of workstations in the Dewey lower level.  NL still has to investigate power/data along the AOT storage wall.

As always, please don’t hesitate to be in touch with questions, comments or concerns. We remain grateful for your patience and flexibility as we continue to work to see all displaced staff resettled!!

June 13, 2018 Update from Secretary Moore

 

The update for Tuesday, June 12, on the remediation efforts in the ANR space on Davis 1 and Davis 2 is rather brief while we await (mostly patiently, at least speaking for myself) the results of the testing on the fireproofing materials:

  • The damaged furniture and fixtures on Davis 1 have been removed and replaced, and I am told new work stations are ready for occupancy(!!) meaning Davis 1 has been restored to full service. Thanks to all for your patience while this work occurred, and to the good folks at NGS and National Life for their efforts in getting us to this point.

    • Please remember, cleaning of the air ducts is on-going. If anyone on Davis 1 observes debris from the duct cleaning process at your work station, please notify Renita Marshall (renita.marshall@vermont.gov) immediately so that we can have the situation remedied.

  • All damaged work stations on the east-side of Davis 2 have been removed.

  • The stairs in the Davis building have been reopened, although access to the 3rd and 4th floors remains restricted (e.g., locked).

  • ANR-HR has relocated to Davis 5 and is sharing space with VTrans-HR. Laurie, Jane and Barb are “open for business” in this new location, and Penny assures me they are easy to find.

  • Several folks have inquired about whether they should be making changes to their mailing address to reflect their new location. This is not necessary at this time; we have and will keep BGS updated on the locations of different programs and your mail should continue to find you.

June 12, 2018 Update from Secretary Moore

Good evening, all.

Quite a bit of news today, and most of it to the better side of good. The update for Monday, June 11, on the remediation efforts in the ANR space on Davis 1 and Davis 2 is as follows:

  • ADS-ANR IT is actively installing necessary IT infrastructure to support up to 50 connections on Dewey 1.
  • The damaged cubes on Davis 1 have all been removed, and I am told new work stations were installed today. Electricity and data wiring will be installed tomorrow, and these stations should be ready for occupancy on Wednesday, June 13.
  • BGS began removed the damaged cubes on Davis 2 this afternoon. Thank you all for your cooperation and quick work in packing up and removing all materials from the affected areas.
  • The first phase of the testing to assess any damage to the fireproofing on the structural steel was completed on Friday; results are expected back next Friday, June 15. BGS has secured a contractor to perform the second phase of the testing tomorrow, June 12. These results can take up to 48 hours to be available, but this should mean that both sets of results will be available Friday which will help everyone understand how much longer the remediation may take.
    • If the test results are favorable, it will be the availability of furniture and fixtures that will determine the timeline for the return to Davis 2 (likely 6 +/- weeks).
    • If the test results indicate damage to the fireproofing, we will not be able to reoccupy any of Davis 2 until the material is removed and replaced (could be 4 months, or more).

Long story short, there should be a much clearer picture on the timeline for our return to Davis 2 by early next week.

  • Cleaning of the air ducts is on-going. As noted previously, duct cleaning in Davis 1 will be performed outside of normal business hours. Air vents will be blocked with film to prevent debris from falling into workspaces during this process. If anyone on Davis 1 observes debris from the duct cleaning process at your work station, please notify Renita Marshall (renita.marshall@vermont.gov) immediately so that we can have the situation remedied.
  • And finally, a gentle reminder not to use the stairwell in the Davis Building to access upper or lower floors. Thank you for your cooperation.

Also, attached is the latest update on the air quality sampling being conducted by BGS. The key takeaway is: Overall mold levels on Davis 1, 2, 3 and 4 were low on June 8, 2018. In particular we are concerned with the “Type II” molds listed in the attached laboratory report. Such molds are known to grow readily indoors in the presence of excessive moisture. The levels of these “Type II” molds were below or close-to the levels that were found outside. No chains of mold spores, typical of indoor mold growth, were observed in the samples.

 

June 10, 2018 Update from Secretary Moore

Staff in the damaged cubes on Davis 2 have been asked to remove all materials Monday morning (tomorrow!) between 8am and noon, so that the damaged cubes can be removed this week. It is our current understanding that materials in both the 2-drawer under desk filing cabinets as well as the larger vertical filing cabinets can all remain in place. Staff should clearly label their 2-drawer cabinets with their name and work station so that they can ultimately be returned to their rightful location. On-site storage will be available for materials that staff do not want to take with them. Penny and Renita will coordinate.

Good morning, everyone.

As I had noted in my message Thursday night, Friday morning the Leadership Team met with Comm. Cole and Deputy Comm. Fitch from BGS to review progress and discuss temporary space that could quickly be brought into service. We had a very productive meeting and developed a strategy that should have ~50 work stations available on the 1st floor of the Dewey Bldg (same level as the Fit Pit) for staff by Monday, June 18. There are ~30 cubes that are already set up either in the space formerly occupied by VTrans or where the NRB had been. The remaining work stations will likely be 5’x2’ tables (arranged  in a layout similar to the existing cube pattern). In addition, there are 9 work stations that will be available on Davis 6, in ACCD’s space, on or about Monday, June 18. Commissioners/Supervisors will be communicating directly with their respective staff about who will to move into each of these spaces during the first half of the coming week. 

For those of you doing the math, we currently have approximately 100 staff from Davis 2 without work stations – so taken together these spaces meet a little more than half of our need. If the on-going testing on Davis 2 (see update below) finds no damage to the fireproofing, we may be able to re-occupy the west-side of Davis 2 in short order. If there is damage to the fireproofing, we will need to find other space. There is additional space in Dewey 2 that is likely to be available in a matter of a few weeks; in addition, a small team will also be visiting the space recently vacated by the Green Mountain Care Board in the Montpelier City Center Bldg early next week as we continue to evaluate options. More on those fronts as information becomes available!

The update for Friday, June 8, on the on-going remediation efforts in the ANR space on Davis 1 and Davis 2 is as follows:

  • ADS-ANR IT evaluated the IT infrastructure on Dewey 1 and have indicated there are drops for approximately 30 work stations and Wi-Fi service with sufficient bandwidth to support another 20 (or so) connections.
  • The damaged cubes on Davis 1 have all been removed. BGS is working with National Life to access their “surplus inventory” and expects to have these work stations replaced during the first half of the coming week. Unfortunately, it does not appear that it will be in time for tomorrow, Monday, June 11.
  • ADS-ANR IT will be removing monitors and docking stations from all of the damaged cubes on Davis 2 on Monday morning, June 11.
  • Staff on Davis 2 have been asked to remove all materials
  • Cleaning of the air ducts is on-going. As noted previously, duct cleaning in Davis 1 will be performed outside of normal business hours. Air vents will be blocked with film to prevent debris from falling into workspaces during this process. If anyone on Davis 1 observes debris from the duct cleaning process at your work station, please notify Renita Marshall (renita.marshall@vermont.gov) immediately so that we can have the situation remedied.
  • The first phase of the testing to assess any damage to the fireproofing on the structural steel was completed on Friday; results are expected back next Friday, June 15. BGS believes they have located a contractor to perform the second phase of the testing; ideally this testing will be completed during the coming week so that both sets of results are available Friday which will help everyone understanding how much longer the remediation may take.

Please continue to check your email and the ANR homepage (under “NEWS”) or the ANR main line (828-1294) for regular updates this week. I anticipate continuing to provide daily updates thru Friday, with the frequency decreasing as we move into the week of June 15. Also, the message on the ANR main line will no longer include information on the remediation after June 15. If this is your primary pathway for receiving information, please let your supervisor know so that they are able to make sure you receive regular updates.

I appreciate the feedback and concerns that have communicated over the last week, and your patience as we work to address them. As always, please don’t hesitate to be in touch with questions, comments or concerns.

Best,
Julie

 

June 8, 2018 Update from Secretary Moore

I have just received word that BGS and National Life have come to an agreement on removing the water-damaged cubes from Davis 2, starting Monday. This is great news, from a remediation perspective – but will mean that this coming Monday morning folks whose work stations had been marked with blue tape will need to return to National Life and remove all personal and state property from these cubes. We will have access to the space from approximately 8am-noon, so I am writing with as much advanced warning I have had myself to make you aware of this timeline.

I am also working to secure storage space on-site for any materials that you won’t need immediate access to, and will share information on where that will be as soon as it is confirmed.

Please DO NOT come to Davis 2 UNLESS your work station was marked with blue tape in order to give your colleagues as much room to work as possible.

Best,
Julie

June 7, 2018

Good evening, everybody.

We have confirmed with National Life staff that on tomorrow, Friday, June 8, from 8:30-10am, ANR staff will be able to retrieve items from Davis 2 that are needed to continue remote work. You may show up any time during this window, but there will be a hard stop at 10am so that the contractors can resume duct cleaning. If you haven’t already, please let Renita (renita.marshall@vermont.gov) know if you plan to come in and access your work station. Renita will be in the Davis lobby tomorrow morning and we are asking that you check in with her upon arrival and, again, when you leave.  In determining what you want/need to take with you, please assume you may not be allowed back into this space until a week from Monday, on June 18.

The update for today, June 7, on the on-going remediation efforts in the ANR space on Davis 1 and Davis 2 is as follows:

  • As was noted previously, we continue to expect Davis 1 to be returned to full on Monday, June 11, with replacement furniture and fixtures installed in the damaged work stations. We should receive final confirmation as to whether this will be the case tomorrow.
  • Cleaning of the air ducts is underway. National Life engaged Chuck’s Heating and Plumbing to perform this work. As noted previously, duct cleaning in Davis 1 will be performed outside of normal business hours. Air vents will be blocked with film to prevent debris from falling into workspaces during this process. If anyone on Davis 1 observes debris from the duct cleaning process at your work station, please notify Renita Marshall immediately so that we can have the situation remedied.
  • Moisture testing in the full height wall partitions was completed today. The wall partitions on Davis 1 sustained no permanent water damage, as well as many of the partitions on Davis 2. Unfortunately, all of the partitions used to form the mail room and the Osprey conference room were found to have water damage and will need to be removed. We have also learned that the vendor no longer makes compatible partitions, so replacement pieces will likely need to be “cannibalized” from Davis 3 or Dewey.
  • We learned today that the evaluation of water damage to the fireproofing materials on the steel super-structure between Davis 2 and 3 will actually need to be conducted in two phases. The first phase will be completed tomorrow, as was indicated in my message yesterday. Unfortunately, thus far National Life has been unable to find a contractor with capacity to do the second phase of this work. They recognize this is a “critical path” item and are continuing to aggressively pursue firms capable of undertaking this work.

The Leadership Team will be meeting tomorrow morning to consider what feels like a pretty wide range of potential return dates, particularly to space on the east-side of Davis 2, and look at options for establishing temporary work space elsewhere on the National Life campus. I am not sure that it is realistic to think we will have a fully-baked plan to share with you tomorrow, but please know that we are working hard to devise the least disruptive path forward. The available information on the timeline for a return to a fully-functioning work space has obviously evolved both continually and somewhat erratically this week. We appreciate your patience and understanding, and are committed to continuing to share what we know when we know it.

Finally, attached is a memo BGS put together which summarizes all of the testing work that they have completed to date. As noted near the bottom, Crothers Environmental will be back in Davis tomorrow and specifically testing the air quality on Davis 1 and 2 for mold. This testing is being performed out of an abundance of caution and not because we suspect the presence of airborne mold. BGS is developing a regular schedule for air testing; we will continue to share the results of this and all future air testing.

And, as always, your questions, comments and concerns are welcome.

Best, Julie

June 6, 2018 - Update from Secretary Moore

Good evening, all. 

I have heard from a number of staff who need return access to their work stations to retrieve additional materials and belongings. I have a message into National Life staff who are managing the current phases of the remediation to identify a suitable time on Friday for this to occur. I will share that information as soon as I have it, but expect that will not be tomorrow.

The update for today, June 6, on the on-going remediation efforts in the ANR space on Davis 1 and Davis 2 is as follows:

  • As was noted yesterday, we continue to expect Davis 1 to be returned to full on Monday, June 11, with replacement furniture and fixtures installed in the damaged work stations.
  • CO and FPR business offices staff will be temporarily relocating to the space formerly occupied by the NRB on the ground floor of the Dewey Building, starting tomorrow morning. With the end of the fiscal year crunch taking its toll, it was important to ensure Business staff had a suitable location for their work.
  • Contractors have begun to clean the duct-work on Davis 1 and Davis 2; unfortunately, and contrary to what I had heard yesterday, this is a multi-day endeavor that may take up to two weeks, per floor, to complete. This work will only take place after hours on Davis 1; work on Davis 2 will continue during the day up until such a time as the space is partially or fully returned to service and staff are brought back. If duct-cleaning in Davis 2 is not complete at that time, it will be finished after hours.
  • There are two “critical path” inspections later this week that will determine the timeline for returning Davis 2 to service:
    • Tomorrow, June 7, wall partitions in areas that received water damage will be tested for moisture content. The vendor has provided information to BGS that leads them to believe the partitions may be essentially “sealed” and if this bears out under testing will NOT need to be replaced. This has the potential to expedite restoration of Davis 2.
    • Friday, the Fire Marshall will be on-site to evaluate and look for any water damage to the fireproofing materials on the steel super-structure between Davis 2 and 3. If the fireproofing is found to be undamaged, attention will be turned to replacing missing ceiling tiles and other restoration efforts. If the fireproofing materials need to be removed and replaced, we will be looking at a very different timeline

I will share more details on the results of both of these inspections as I receive them.  

  • ADS-ANR IT is evaluating additional IT infrastructure on Dewey 1 (outside the NRB space). There are approximately 20 vacant work stations which should be available for displaced staff to use by next week. Peter and I will be meeting with the Commissioners and PJ Telep on Friday to determine how to best use these stations.

Please continue to check your email, the ANR homepage (under “NEWS”) or the ANR main line (828-1294) for regular updates.

I appreciate the feedback and concerns that have communicated over the past couple of days, and your patience as we work to address them. As always, please don’t hesitate to be in touch with questions, comments or concerns.

Best,  Julie

June 5, 2018 - Update from Secretary Moore

Good evening, all.

Tuesday’s update on the on-going remediation of the ANR space on Davis 1 and Davis 2 is as follows:

The contractors plan to clean out the air ducts on Davis 1 and 2 starting at 9am tomorrow Wednesday, June 6. Although the contractors will limit their work during normal business hours to Davis 2 (which remains completely vacated), the noise may be a considerable disruption to anyone working on Davis 1. As such, employees on Davis 1 have the option to:

  • Telework from home;
  • Utilize the Winooski room as a temporary work space; or,
  • Work through it.

Affected employees are asked to communicate their plan with their supervisor.  Anyone wishing to utilize the Winooski Room, should let Renita know as soon as possible so that she can ensure the room doesn’t get filled beyond its capacity.

As far as the bigger picture, I’ll start with the good news:

  • Davis 1 is expected to be returned to full on Monday, June 11, with replacement furniture and fixtures installed in the damaged work stations.

And then the less good news:

  • The west-side of Davis 2 (facing Camel’s Hump, so Litigation, Secretary’s Office, FWD) isn’t expected to be returned to full service until Friday, June 15. The extra week is largely a function of the need to replace the wall partitions in the Osprey conference room and mail room. The replacement of the partitions is anticipated to be disruptive, and it may simply not be practical to have staff return to that space before that work is complete. I remain hopeful it will be sooner, but also don’t want to sugar-coat the current estimate.
  • The east-side of Davis 2 (facing the parking lot, so EEOs, DEC Legal, Air Quality, FPR) may be another 6 weeks before it can be returned to full service. As I noted yesterday, more than 30 cubes and a number of wall partitions received water damage. In conversations this afternoon, BGS indicated that the lead time on ordering new work stations is at least 4 weeks. This timeline continues to develop, but this is the best information currently available to us.

I know that this schedule is far more challenging than “one week” initially anticipated, as it is becoming clear that the timeline for procuring the furniture and fixtures will drive our return to Davis 2 far more than having the contractor capacity to remove and replace ceiling tiles and carpet squares.

Over the next few days the Leadership Team will be working with BGS and ANR-IT to identify suitable temporary work spaces on the National Life campus where staff from the east-side of Davis 2 can be stationed until the repairs to the space are complete. We hope to be able to be able to present a plan for such by the end of the day this Friday, June 8.

The Leadership Team is committed to sharing what we know at the end of each work day, so please continue to check your email, the ANR homepage (under “NEWS”) or the ANR main line (828-1294) for updates.

As always, please don’t hesitate to be in touch with questions, comments or concerns.

Best,
Julie

 

June 4, 2018 - Update from Secretary Moore

Good evening, all.

I want to start with my thanks to all affected employees on Davis 1 and 2 for your strong cooperation this morning in retrieving personal and work-related items from your stations. Special thanks to PJ Telep, Kevin Bracey, Tara Pecor and Steve May (and others on the IT team I may have missed) for ensuring all displaced employees have the computer resources they need to be able to work remotely.

Your collective quick work allowed the remediation contractor (GW Savage) to resume their operations first thing this afternoon, which in turn will help expedite our return to the space.  In particular, the contractor was working this afternoon/evening with the intention of completing their work in Davis 1 back and having these areas back in service tomorrow. Charlie Cole from National Life will be on-site at 7am tomorrow (Tuesday) morning and will provide an update on progress, which I will work with Emily and Renita to ensure is passed along to staff in that area as soon as it is received so that you can plan your day accordingly.

Currently, we are still anticipating that all ANR staff will be able to return to their work stations next Monday, June 11. Obviously the work is on-going and this is subject to change. I will send out an email update each afternoon/evening to keep you all apprised, and an abbreviated summary will be posted on the ANR homepage (under “NEWS”) as well as recorded to the ANR Main Line (828-1294). Please check one of these resources regularly to ensure you have the most current information.

As I noted in my message yesterday, although ANR spaces on the 2nd and 1st floor of the Davis Building sustained some water damage, it was to a much lesser degree than the floors above.

In total, 134 ANR employees would normally work in the spaces that have been vacated in order to expedite the remediation; 35 desk spaces sustained some amount of water damage. While most displaced employees will be teleworking this week, several groups have been temporarily “rehomed” as follows:

  • Parks Reservation staff have been moved to space in Dewey adjacent to Fish & Wildlife;
  • Fish & Wildlife game wardens have been relocated to the Montpelier Room; and,
  • DHR staff are working out of the DHR Central Office at 120 State St, Montpelier.

Finally, attached is a memo from the BGS Environmental and Safety Coordinator, regarding the steps you should take in handling and treating personal belongs that may have gotten wet; these are largely common sense but serve as a good reminder.  Also, BGS indicates that the initial environmental testing data indicate that there are no elevated mold levels in the building where the flooding occurred.  This is good news and will be something we continue to monitor.

Again, my thanks for everyone’s cooperation and general can-do response to these less-than-ideal circumstances. Please don’t hesitate to be in touch with questions, comments or concerns.

Best,
Julie

 

Notice to staff sent on June 3, 2018 from Secretary Moore

Good afternoon, all.

As I expect you have read in an email from DHR, a cubicle on the east side of the 4th floor of the National Life Building (facing the parking lot) caught fire on Saturday afternoon, causing extensive damage to VTrans offices on the 3rd and 4th floors. ANR spaces on the 2nd and 1st floor sustained some water damage, but to a much lesser degree than the floors above.  A copy of the Davis 2 floor plan is attached, with the generally impacted areas indicated.

Work is already underway to dry effected areas and remove damaged floor and ceiling tiles, and clean air ducts throughout. After an initial assessment of the situation this morning by leaders from state government, myself included, it was determined that the work would be greatly expedited were Davis 2 to remain empty for the next several days.

As such, employees on Davis 2 should report to the Catamount Conference room at 9am tomorrow. Employees will have access to their work space for a limited time to retrieve items necessary and should plan to work offsite for approximately one week. Please do NOT arrive before 9am as you will not be able to access to your work space.

The expectation is that affected staff will work from home during this period unless otherwise assigned by their Commissioner.

If you already have what you need to work off-site this week, you do NOT need to report. However, tomorrow morning is anticipated to be the only opportunity to retrieve work and personal items from Davis 2 this week. It is unlikely staff will be given access to this space after tomorrow morning until the remediation is complete.

Agency leadership, HR staff, and IT staff will all be available in the Catamount room tomorrow morning to answer questions and provide support.

Employees in Davis 1, Davis 6 and the Main Building are unaffected and should report to work as normal tomorrow. The only access to the Davis building for the immediate future will be through the North Lobby and travel within the building will be limited to elevators, not stairwells, due to work crews, cleaning and remediation efforts.  In addition, for those who will be at National Life on Monday, please the bring a sweater or something warm. The air temperature is expected to be cooler than normal because the air conditioning will be constantly running.

Please note: ANR staff should NOT attempt to access any buildings on the National Life campus today, Sunday, June 3.