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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-12-11-PBC-min Permanent Building Committee (PBC) 201 Bedford Street, Room 221 Lexington, MA December 11, 2014, 7:00 p.m. Members Present: Jon Himmel, Co-Chairman, Eric Brown, Co-Chairman, Carl Oldenburg, Dick Perry, Charles Favazzo, and Philip Coleman Member Absent: Lee Noel Chase and Peter Johnson Guests: Gary Ainslie, DiNisco Design Partnership and John Park, Hill International Lexington Department of Public Facilities (DPF): Patrick Goddard, Director of Public Facilities; Mark W. Barrett, RA., Project Manager Recording Secretary: Sara Arnold The Meeting convened at 7:09 p.m. 1.Estabrook Elementary School (Estabrook) Update: It was reported that the Estabrook Elementary School (Estabrook) project is under warrantee until September 2015. A summary of punch list items, targeted for completion by May 2015 by Shawmut Construction (Shawmut), was reviewed. Two items not included in the punch list are the installations of a dedication plaque and of a grease trap. It is anticipated that $205,870 will be returned from the GMP contingency included in the contract. It was also reported that there is $1.7 million left on the Estabrook retainer, and there are two closeout options for payment of retainage: it can be paid out when the punch list items are complete or at the end of the warrantee. It was generally agreed that the Town should work with Shawmut to start the closeout process, which takes 60-90 days, as soon as is reasonable; if more is subsequently owed, the Town can issue a change order. There was discussion about a letter that had been distributed by Mr. Park requesting a contract amendment to cover costs through the spring of 2015, up to $33,000. This is for 220 hours at the rates included in the current contract. If additional hours are required, Hill International will not bill for them. There was a motion and second to approve a Hill International contract amendment for services through completion of the project in an amount not to exceed $33,000, as recommended by DPF staff. The motion was approved: 6-0-0 2.General Business: Approve Invoices: This Committee reviewed November invoices that had been previously reviewed by DPF staff. There was a motion and second to approve monthly invoices for contractors, consultants and Town Counsel, as recommended by DPF staff, for a total of $160,594.08. The motion was approved: 6-0-0 PBC Meeting Minutes 121114 Page 1 Update on PBC/DPF Letter to Town Manager: A letter from this Committee to Carl Valente, , needed three signatures. The letter suggests changes in the role played by this Committee in relation to processes with staff and other committees/boards associated with small Town projects. After some additional \[Note: The letter had been formally approved at a previous meeting.\] After the letter goes to Mr. Valente, it will be reviewed by Town Counsel, and if acceptable, it will go to the Board of Selectmen. By-law changes ultimately need Town Meeting approval. It was noted that the letter is a first step. 3.Ad hoc School Master Planning Committee (AhSMPC) Update: Mr. Himmel, Mr. Oldenburg, and Mr. Goddard reviewed issues associated with increasing school enrollments, per the Enrollment projections, and the desire to support current School Committee policy by adding space in the schools to meet those increases. There is an immediate space shortfall that is particularly acute at the elementary level. Symmes, Maini, and McKee Associates (SMMA), consultants for the AhSMPC, has identified a panoply of construction projects, including installation of prefabricated units, to solve the shortfall over time. Comments included: An increase of 260 elementary students is expected within five years. All elementary schools are currently at or over capacity except Estabrook. Fiske Elementary School staff members indicate that they currently have additional staff in classes that exceed standard class size policies, and this is working; other options include using art, music, and/or gym space for classrooms on a temporary basis. The School Committee is interested in installing modulars at some of the elementary schools by the fall of 2015 and requested a January Special Town Meeting (STM) to make the funding request. A January STM was not supported by the Board of Selectmen; they want a better understanding of the big picture before supporting a short term fix. SMMA estimates that modulars at Bridge, Bowman, and Fiske Elementary Schools (Bridge, Bowman, Fiske) would cost $2.4 million. ls can reasonably manage until 2016 before adding space. SMMA and DPF staff question whether the Town can lease and install modulars of adequate quality by the fall of 2015. There was discussion about the PBC this process. Having liaisons assigned to the AhSMPC, this Committee can make recommendations to the AhSMPC, and the AhSMPC will be making recommendations to the School Committee. It was noted that this Committee has an ltiple projects and how new projects fit into the total picture for the DPF. These are important considerations. Mr. Himmel suggested that identifying evaluation criteria to facilitate the decision process for all committees would be valuablehe had included some suggestions on the agenda for this meeting. Mr. Goddard shared data regarding school enrollment projections. SMMA PowerPoint slides were used to demonstrate options for addressing the demand. Comments included: It is estimated that replacing Hastings Elementary School (Hastings), which was identified for replacement/renovations 59 million. PBC Meeting Minutes 121114 Page 2 Clarke Middle School (Clarke) has physical constraints to adding space; Diamond Middle School (Diamond) has more flexibility. There is an acute need for more pre-kindergarten space. It is not always enough to add classroom space; more classrooms increase demand on the core spaces (gymnasium, library, cafeteria, art room and music room). Mr. Goddard and Mr. Himmel discussed a two phased approach for addressing the need for additional space at the elementary and middle schools: Phase 1: Add space at Fiske and Harrington Elementary School (Harrington) and at Diamond as one project ($40 million based on SMMA estimates); followed by redistricting students out of Bridge, Bowman, and Hastings, and changing the middle school feeder schools. The timing could be as follows: January 2015: Start the selection process to hire a designer under Chapter 7 March 2015 Annual Town Meeting (ATM): Request design and engineering funds October 2015 STM: Request construction funds and additional design funds as needed depending upon the Spring Town Meeting funding strategy. January 2016: The Town holds a Debt Exclusion vote September 2017: The three projects are complete if construction funds were approved Phase 2: Renovate/rebuild Hastings by pursuing the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) process requesting supplemental funding; monitor enrollment to determine whether additions/alterations are needed at Bridge, Bowman and/or Clarke. This phase would begin when MSBA approves the project, or sooner if the Town decides to forego MSBA funding. Pros identified with this approach included the following: The cost for the three schools, based on preliminary cost estimates provided by SMMA, would exceed $5.0 million, the threshold for a Chapter 149A project. This would allow DPF to hire a Construction Manager, which would facilitate and expedite the project. This would not be an MSBA project, so that process would not hinder the timing. The 2019 projected enrollment needs would be addressed at the elementary and middle school levels by the fall of 2017. At that time, the enrollment projections could be revisited to see whether additional space would be needed going forward. Because Fiske and Harrington are new schools, the Town would get more life out of additions to those schools than if added to older buildings. The Hastings project would be delayed until it is determined when/if Lexington will get MSBA supplemental funding, allowing more flexibility when the project is pursued. Because 2013 installation of prefabricated units at the high school addressed the immediate need for space at this level, a replacement of the high school can follow the Hastings project. Comments included the following: Adding space at Fiske is a challenge kindergarten wing, it is necessary to get to the schematic stage before knowing if this will work. Mr. Coleman agreed to meet at the school with Mr. Goddard over the weekend to further evaluate this potential. It may be possible to present two articles to Town Meeting: one for Diamond, Fiske, and Harrington as a 149A project, and one for adding prefabricated space at Clarke, if the School Committee wants to pursue the SMMA-suggested Clarke addition along with the Phase 1 project proposed above. PBC Meeting Minutes 121114 Page 3 It is generally accepted that redistricting at the elementary level is going to be required at some point, but this is never an easy process. hen possible to look at whether modulars are needed short term. Adding modulars requires a different kind of architect from There needs to be political support for these expenditures. The School Committee needs to determine the process they want to pursue for getting the funding to proceed. Mr. Perry noted that the cost of adding on to Harrington and Fiske (without the Diamond portion of Phase 1) was $19,000. He also calculated that MSBA would provide approximately $19,000 for Hastings if they approve that project. He asked whether the Town should replace Hastings without MSBA support and make the facility large enough to eliminate the need to expand other elementary schools. It was also noted that the Town can likely build a new school in three years if it was accelerated, but with the MSBA supplemental funding process it usually takes up to five years. It was generally agreed that Mr. Himmel and Mr. Goddard will further evaluate s suggestion, and they will gather more information regarding the two phased option. Mr. Himmel and Mr. Oldenburg will share PBC thoughts with AhSMPC, which is meeting on December 18 th. 4.Adjournment: There was a motion and second to adjourn. The Motion was approved 4-0 The meeting adjourned at 10:25 p.m. Meeting Materials: Meeting Agenda; Letter from Hill International to Mr. Goddard, December 5, 2014, regarding an extension of the OPM Contract Date; November Monthly Invoices; Letter from PBC to Carl Valente, December 11, 2014, regarding by-law recommendations; Draft EWG Enrollment Forecast 12/9/2014; Middle School Projections with right sizing/redistricting, 12/11/2014, distributed by Mr. Goddard;SMMA PowerPoint slides: Lexington Public Schools, Ad hoc Schools Master Plan Committee, Middle and Elementary Schools; December 11, 2014 PBC Meeting Minutes 121114 Page 4