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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