HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-08-05-PBC-min.pdf TOWN OF LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS
PERMANENT BUILDING COMMITTEE
Minutes of Tuesday Auaust 5 1997 Meeting in the Selectmen's Meeting
Room, Town Office Building, as approved September 16, 1997
The meeting was called to order at 7 32 p m by Chairman Bruckman with
other committee members Johnson, Kelley, Poinelli and Touart as well as
School Committee Chairman Peltz and Director of School Building Opera-
tion John Moynihan present Also attending were HMFH representatives
Dorthia Hayes , Philip Lewis, Deborah Collins and Jayshri Patel
Details and specifics in spread sheets occupied the first part of the
meeting, with the PBC making some decisions and deferring others to the
School Committee
Bowman and Bridae roofs were last installed in the mid 1980 's and will
need replacement by the time work is scheduled in the elementary
schools The merits of rubber, PVC or built-up roofs were discussed
with differences of opinion on rubber and built-up but agreement that
PVC would not be acceptable Committee VOTED to replace those roofs
A later general discussion on roofs noted that a built-up roof requires
use of skilled workers not always available locally Membrane roofs
must be directly adhered and properly installed This is easier with
the peel-back stick stuff that has become common recently
Window replacement having been already been turned down for Bridge and
Bowman, the committee asked if the side walls would meet the energy
conservation (R-value) requirement of the building code
Doors replacement or refinishing/refurbishing was debated, with the
issue left to whether replacement would cheaper than repairing/refinish-
ing Architects explained how clearance required for wheelchair
maneuvering involves more than the width of the door frame Moynihan
asked if the state has a minimum size requirement for a door light
Architects answered no, but that they prefer a solid door with side-
lights Ceramic tile floors in bathrooms must be replaced if the
plumbing in the room is being changed
Floor coverina - whether it should be carpeting or VCT - was discussed
at length, with the committee deferring to the School Committee for the
final choice Moynihan favored VCT because carpet costs more, requires
frequent and proper shampooing, and does not last as long Acoustics
and educational practices at the various levels are also considerations
Both carpeting and wet areas are needed in elementary classrooms, while
carpeting is required only in selected areas such as libraries , special
needs areas , computer rooms and administrative offices Both carpeting
and VCT require use of Levelastic, with more for VCT Cost figures are
needed from the architects for the School Committee to make a floor
covering decision Kelley voiced favor for the PBC to decide Chairman
Bruckman recommended 75 percent carpet and 25 percent VCT in elementary
classrooms and the committee VOTED this
Blackboards or marker boards were debated with drawbacks and advantages
listed for both In any case, the committee recommended no replacement
of existing boards unless their condition was poor or their walls were
being moved or reconstructed
PBC Minutes of 8/5/97 - Page 2
Casework plans that included sink units for elementary classrooms were
shown by Collins, with the committee later expressing a strong need to
hold down costs and therefore limit new casework to new construction,
avoiding replacement of existing wherever possible In discussing
built-in versus moveable storage, the PBC and Moynihan favored built-in
Ability to darken each classroom is needed Vertical blinds were
recommended by Lewis
Coat and boot storaae in corridors was favored over classroom coat
areas , except for Kindergarten rooms, where children need more super-
vision and may depart directly from their rooms to the outdoors
Technology clan awareness is lacking among the architects Moynihan
explained that work is in progress, and the contract specified that by
October 15 each elementary classroom is to be wired for five stations,
each middle school room for three stations and high school for two
stations, plus one for the teacher in each room The high school
Science Building was not included in the plan, which provides for
transmission of data only Various committee members commented upon
the need for full integrated voice/video/data/intercom, etc system and
wondered out loud how the schools are going to get there
Middle School plans were generally liked by the committee, but they
advised parity between Diamond and Clarke Moynihan pointed out that a
large number of the Clarke windows do not work, and the deteriorating
sills with asbestos content were not replaced in the last renovation
round Locker room and kitchen floors were pondered Moynihan and the
committee recommended that the current epoxy floors not be replaced with
ceramic tile (equally slippery? and just as hard) unless the underlying
slab is cracked In corridors , the flooring must be replaced due to
asbestos content
Other decisions for the middle schools included getting rid of the
electric heat and plans for additional display cases in the entry hall
at Clarke At Diamond the condition of the gym floor was questioned
How many sandings are left on the current wood-over-cork-over-slab
floor? How bad is the crack reported found in the slab?
Plumbing raised no issues
HVAC systems should be gas-fired wherever gas is available, Moynihan
stated Answers on cost are needed Oil tanks would have to be removed
wherever gas heating is installed
Plans for next week's meetinas were outlined as the architects were
departing Tuesday evening more spread sheets will be reviewed and
Thursday morning the committee asked for the landscape architects to
return to go over the remaining plans
Proiect manager candidates ' reference checks were reported by Moynihan
Both took projects from beginning to end, according to their past
employers and both had quite good reports, with slight reservation
Moynihan was asked by the committee to do the negotiating, describing
PBC Minutes of 8/5/97 - Page 3
the job as 40 hours a week to get up to speed, until September 15, and
then possibly drop down to about 30 hours weekly VOTED to request
Moynihan to negotiate with Faye D'Avignon in order to get her on the job
now, with discussion of the job after design development to be postponed
until after the anticipated Proposition 2 1/2 vote
Discussion of Movnihan's handout The first two pages give costs for
purchasing 24 portable classroom needed if a new Fiske School is not to
be built and moving them from school to school as needed in the next six
or seven years These costs would be reimbursable If a new Fiske
School were to be built, only 12 units would be required and they would
be leased rather than purchased The third page gives the swing space/-
phasing scenario with no new Fiske The last page details costs
associated with construction of general elementary school space, art and
music rooms, computer labs and learning centers Committee noted that
these figures do not include the necessary additional 30 percent project
cost that must be included, whatever the scope of the project, and
recommended that any information from the committee include this
The PBC added that funding to design a new school does not now exist and
none could be possible until after the Proposition 2 1/2 vote Calling
the new school quandary "labored and painful", the committee emphasized
the need for presenting the community with all facts related to the
issue Another possibility envisioned for Fiske' s future might be
"gradual replacement," starting with the school ' s worst components
first, basically using the present footprint This would keep the open
vista on both sides of Adams Street that includes the Chiesa Farm and
playing fields
HMFH contract dilemma was revisited by Moynihan, who reminded the
committee of the discrepancy between the committee's expectation that
design development would cost $2 35 million while HMFH proposes $2 6
million Message from the committee to John Miller "We cannot pay for
anything not in the Master Plan We must stay in the budget (i e not a
penny more than and preferably less than $83 million) "
Meeting adjourned at 10 45 p m
Respectfully submitted,
Erna S Greene
Secretary