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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-01-22-SMPC-min �y4'7°a Ca'.4N1Ryx n TOWN OF LEXINGTON Ad hoc School Master Planning Committee (AhSMPC) APPo'L I4' Minutes Date January 22, 2015 Place and Time- School Administration Building,Upper Level Conference Room, 8 00 A.M. Members Present Judy Crocker, Co-chair, School Committee Bill Hurley, Co-chair, School Committee Paul Ash, Superintendent of Schools, Patrick Goddard, Director, Department of Public Facilities (DPF) Jon Himmel, Permanent Building Committee (PBC) Peter Kelley, Board of Selectmen(BoS) Carl Oldenburg, PBC Members Absent None Liaisons Present Rod Cole, Capital Expenditures Committee Liaisons Absent Mollie Garberg, Appropriation Committee Alan Levine, Appropriation Committee Semmes, Maini, and McKee Associates (SMMA) Phil Poinelli, Educational Planner Joel Seeley, Project Manager Others Present Jessie Steigerwald, School Committee Mark Barrett, DPF Kate Colburn, Lexington Parents Advocacy Group (LPAG), Fiske Elementary School(Fiske) Parent Teacher Organization, Bettina McGimsey, Sidewalk Committee and Parent Teacher Association-Parent Teacher Organization Presidents' Council, Meredith Applegate, LPAG, Parent Teachers Association, Hastings Elementary School, Lisa O'Brien, LPAG Recording Secretary Sara Arnold Mr Hurley opened the meeting at 8 10 a.m. 1 Update and Discussion Regarding Phase III Master Plan Mr Poinelli reported the following • The draft Phase III Master Plan was originally distributed on January 12 without the section on Lexington High School(LHS) a LHS supplement was subsequently sent. • SMMA has been collecting comments and SMMA continues to "tweak"the contents All edits should be submitted by tomorrow (January 23rd) Dr Ash reported that the school principals are in the process of submitting their comments • The Enrollment Working Group(EWG) submitted a re-write for Section 1.3 in the draft report's Executive Summary, and this is being incorporated with identifying credit. It was noted that the EWG never recommended using high end estimates for determining the need for additional space in the schools, the Phase III Master Plan is using a range based on 50% and 90% calculations • The editing should be completed within a week. • It is expected that a final Phase III report can be submitted to the School Committee in early February Some specific recommendations for clarifying material in the draft Phase III Master Plan were made, and it was suggested that the implementation discussion be expanded. It was generally agreed that the report should describe the nine options identified during the process undertaken by this Committee for addressing the anticipated increase in school enrollment and it should identify this Committee's support of Option 9 It will not include any School Committee comments or input. It was also agreed that • estimated funding would be in 2016 dollars, • Option 9 would include two variables. one with and one without Massachusetts School Building Association funding support for replacing Hastings Elementary School (Hastings) and • Option 9 would not include the costs for"right-sizing"Bridge and Bowman Elementary Schools Mr Goddard reported that he is in the process of drafting an executive report for this Committee to consider adopting He will send the draft to Ms Crocker and Mr Hurley Mr Kelley discussed his plans to submit a minority report in favor of replacing Hastings as soon as possible, irrespective of MSBA funding, and making it large enough to address the space shortages at the elementary level. It was noted that the School Committee is interested in seeking funds for designs that will take the options in the Phase III Master Plan from theoretical concepts to a level that addresses actual needs This would involve more detailed discussions with principals and would address specific issues for each school, such as space for special education programs Mr Poinelli commented that the SMMA cost estimates include a 20% design contingency Mr Hurley and Ms Crocker discussed the School Committee's concept for moving forward, assuming all the necessary approvals, as follows • The Master Plan is completed in February • At a March 2015 Special Town Meeting (STM) a request would be made for design funding. The design process would provide details that are needed before making final decisions • Construction documents would be brought to another STM, this could include a funding request for installing prefabricated units • A debt exclusion vote would be brought forward for funding "brick and mortar"renovations/ rebuilding • Redistricting would be implemented to balance school enrollments with available space Variations of this process identified by the School Committee included renovating/rebuilding Hastings without MSBA financial assistance renovating/rebuilding Hastings with MSBA assistance,which could result in a school that is not large enough to meet the currently identified elementary level enrollment needs system-wide and expanding Hamngton Elementary School(Harrington) after renovating/rebuilding Hastings with MSBA assistance to address additional space needs Dr Ash reported that the Statement of Interest required for pursuing MSBA funding support is due in April. Both the School Committee and BoS must approve the submittal. There was discussion about accommodating the pre-kindergarten program. Harrington was built with a pre-kindergarten section,but that is now too small. Pre-kindergarten coulc be included at Hastings or as part of a Hamngton expansion or as a stand-alone facility There was also discussion about the needs at the middle schools. The School Committee envisions the design process refining those details. Ms Steigerwald arrived, and the School Committee opened its meeting immediately following 2. Next Meeting. The next meeting is on January 29"'when Minutes will be approved, and there will be discussion about presenting the final Phase III Master Plan to the School Committee 3 Minutes A motion was made and seconded to accept the January 15, 2015 Minutes, as amended. The motion passed. VOTE 6-0 4 Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 9 40 A.M. These minutes were approved on January 29, 2015 Materials distributed/used at the meeting. Public Meeting Agenda, January 22, 2015, AhSMPC