HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-05-13-PBC-min.pdf TOWN OF LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS
PERMANENT BUILDING COMMITTEE
Minutes of Wednesday May 13 1998 Meetina in Room S-10 , Lexington High
School , as approved May 20 , 1998
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Kelley at about 7 10 p m ,
with other committee members Bruckman, Cannalonga, Johnson, Poinelli and
Touart present, as well as Director of School Buildings Operations
Moynihan, and members of the ad hoc advisory committee Busa, Boyle,
Kennedy, LaPointe, McSweeney and Natale as well as School Committee
member Long
Questions arose about the room in which the group was meeting Moynihan
pointed it out on plans of the existing Science Building as a 800 square
foot room that is supposed to be about 1200 square feet according to
state standards Presently in the high school renovation budget is
$800 ,000 for expansion of the four back first floor lab rooms to fill in
the overhang space across the back of the building and refurbish all
existing laboratory rooms Differences between present and proposed
were enumerated presently only two sinks beside the teacher's for wet
experiments New plans and layouts call for six sinks , plus the
teacher' s Each sink could be used by four students stationed around
sink peninsulas
Noted that present could lab tables probably be rehabilitated with new
tops , but that wet stations are still needed Present renovation cost
figures are for replacement of laboratory fittings and base cabinets
with existing wall cabinets to remain and be refinished Now 16 labs
exist in the Science Building, but 21 labs are needed and planned for
The group moved on to tour the facility, stopping first in the Science
Lecture Hall Acknowledged that a second floor could be created by
decking across to about the third tier from the top without demolition
of the remaining concrete tiers (possibly saving $90 ,000?) but that the
contemplated system-wide science storage area would be limited in size
Presently there is very little storage space for science supplies and
materials , and they are scattered throughout the school system
On the second floor above the lecture hall would be 2 ,100 s f for
system math and science coordinators ' offices as well as a science
projects room (a place where long-term projects and experiments could be
kept while in progress, a need currently not met)
The group then toured the gym, walking over the wooden floor at the end
of its life and observing the folding partition that no longer works
They then toured the girls ' locker room and were told that gender
equality would be achieved in the new plans , as well as a fourth
teaching station in a "fitness center' that would be carved out from a
central area in the present locker rooms
Next the group passed through parts of the first and second floors of G,
H, and J houses, experiencing some of the narrow ways students have to
pass on the first floor, and observing the handicap access problem with
every classroom door (Needed 18" clearance on pull side and 12" on push
side of every door to be operable by someone in a wheel chair In order
PBC Minutes of 5/13/98 - Page 2
to get around this problem, every classroom entrance has been redesigned
and must be rebuilt, with each door outfitted with new hardware
The tour crossed over to the present music rooms, planned to become one
of the two commons adjacent and across from the present food service
center Moynihan told of his plans to house two classrooms in what is
now early education (formerly a shop area) to accommodate the
anticipated September, 1998 enrollment
The final venue of the meeting was in F house in a classroom formed from
two of the small second floor classrooms There lighting and how the
building and program interface was discussed When asked if he thought
the building appropriate for its present program, Moynihan informed that
the plans are according to the program now being followed in the school
(and for the past 10 years) He said that the Phase I cuts , with some
notable exceptions such as not to replace 35-year-old boilers, were
probably the only ones he could support
For any further cutting or an evaluation from the point of view of
education program, the ad hoc group would have to meet with the School
Committee PBC members agreed that any changes that would affect the
educational program were outside the PBC purview SC member Long
suggested that the ad hoc committee come up with their own program
proposal
Meeting adjourned at 10 05 p m
Respectfully submitted,
Erna S Greene, Secretary