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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-07-01-PBC-min.pdf TOWN OF LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS PERMANENT BUILDING COMMITTEE Notes from Tuesday July 1 1997 Meetina in School Administration Building, with School Committee and representatives of the Appropriation and Capital Expenditures committees The meeting was called to order by School Committee Chairman Peltz shortly after 7 30 p m with PBC members Kelley, Johnson, Poinelli and Touart present Also present were School Committee members Elberger, Neumeier and Rosenberg; Capital Expenditures members Karen Dooks and C N Touart ; Appropriation Committee members Ron Pawliczek and Alan Levine; as well as Superintendent of Schools Young Director of School Buildings Operation Moynihan and school staff members including business director Sandy Gurian, Jennifer Wolfram, and two others Also attending were Dawn McKenna and Les Masterson of the Lexington Minuteman After a brief discussion of school health education policy with Dr Young, a rapid progress report from Moynihan on preparation of project site surveys and fact-gathering, and a note that the presentation of Lexington High School plans had to be postponed until the PBC' s Thursday morning meeting, the group launched into a discussion of schedule and swing space during construction of the nine school project(s) Young distributed a three-sheet summary of options for continuing school operation during additions and renovations that he had discussed with John Moynihan and PBC members Himmel and Poinelli Option one involved keeping sixth graders in elementary schools, double session kindergarten, reclaiming the three remaining elementary art/music rooms and leasing some portable classrooms , including one science lab room for each elementary school Young commented on the degradation of educational experience for kindergartners and sixth graders, along with minimal impact on transportation and redistricting costs The second option called for building a 500 student seventh elementary school on the Young Street site The new school would house the proposed early childhood center and would be of sufficient size to obviate need for additions at the six existing elementary schools The superintendent noted this plan's need for significant townwide redistricting and additional transportation costs In later discussion it was pointed out that the renovation work on the existing elementary schools would probably fall into Category III of state school building aid and cause the town to wait two or more additional years for reimbursement Questions also arose about the site's size, suitability and access The third option would be to build a new Fiske School on the current Fiske site This school could be on-line by 2000 to house the Fiske students while the old Fiske would be available to accommodate one elementary school each year Young characterized this as able to support the educational program essentially intact However, full financial comparisons of new Fiske versus fixing up the old are not yet available Two portable classrooms each would be needed at Harrington and Hastings , while the middle and high schools would be able be renovated after new construction becomes able to house students All three options would involve holding sixth graders in elementary schools PBC Minutes of 7/1/97 - Page 2 Questions arose about availability of portable classrooms, new, and/or refurbished Moynihan told the group that there are more used classrooms for less money and that science lab rooms would cost more than generic classrooms Poinelli pointed out that refined costs would become available in the next two weeks By July 23 decisions about schedule and swing space will be needed Elberger commented that operation and maintenance costs must be factored into financial comparisons of new versus renovated quarters Because the middle schools ' space needs are most critical , their additions would be scheduled to take place first, with the high school beginning construction and renovation simultaneously PBC members reported that they have received 55 responses to the town's advertisement for an Owner's Representative/Project Manager This person should be aboard soon to take on assignments from the PBC and to relieve Moynihan of some of his present extra burdens connected with the project Urged around the room to continue early progress involvement with the PBC, School Committee and the financial planning committees The next joint meetings, to which the PBC and SC are invited, will take place July 17 and 29 in the Selectmen's Meeting Room In order to deal with simultaneous meetings, it was suggested that representatives of the PBC and SC might attend these meetings Meeting adjourned at 9 20 p m Respectfully submitted, Erna S Greene, Secretary