HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-03-30-PBC-min.pdf TOWN OF LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS
PERMANENT BUILDING COMMITTEE
Minutes of Tuesday March 30. 1999 meeting in the Conference Room, School Administration
Building, as approved April 28, 1999
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Kelley at 7.30 p.m. when a quorum was attained
with other PBC members Cannalonga, Himmel, Poinelli and Touart present. Also attending were
School Committee Chairman Peltz, Director of School Building Operations John Moynihan III
and John Miller and Philip Lewis of HMFH.
Minutes of March 10. 1999 were approved as amended and corrected.
Minutes of March 17 1999 were approved as amended and corrected.
Comments on candidates interviewed March 22 and 23 included reports from Moynihan and
Miller on their checking candidates' references as well as impressions gathered at the interview
sessions of last week. Agreed after brief discussion to pare down to two - Kealy and Melnick-
the applicants to consider. Moynihan will call each of them asking them to submit salary or pay
expectations as employee or consultant, a request to be specified in writing in a letter to follow It
is hoped that these will arrive in time for consideration at next week's meeting. Before contacting
the candidates, Moynihan will ascertain the Town's benefit package for employees. After
considering the applicants' responses, the committee will decide whether another interview is
needed. Applicant Aiello will be told that the committee is still deliberating about candidates.
Architects' Agenda
High School site plan around LABB van drop-off and narking areas now shows a bowed out area
as the vans swing around ABC building on their way to and from the morning check-in with
LABB students. The radius of the curve going around the building has been increased so that
vans and high school students walking from where they have been dropped off can see each other
better This plan change was endorsed unanimously by the committee.
High School library fenestration choices A through E were shown, with committee preference
expressed for plan "E" with note that the windows should be made as safe as possible not to hit
students walking close to the building when windows are open.
Accessibility for high school auditorium and science lecture hall can be arranged fairly easily by
removing seats in the rear of the auditorium orchestra and balcony rear, making room for six
wheelchairs and their companions each. The stage will be accessible from the orchestra via the
hallway to the right of the auditorium. However the orchestra pit is two feet down; the
committee favored applying for a portable lift to be made available to accommodate a
handicapped person who may need to get to the pit. Also shown that seats could be removed at
the front of the Science Lecture Hall for accommodating wheel chairs.
PBC Minutes of 3/30/99 -page 2
Accessibility of Clarke auditorium and two unser level lecture/classrooms presents a challenge
due to the steepness down from the first floor toward the stage. The solution recommended was
to provide four platform areas to accommodate four wheel chair and their companions. The state
access board code requires provision for four wheel chairs in each of the two lecture/classrooms
that can be walled off from the main auditorium. These are not currently being used because the
movable walls do not work, but plans call for their repair and the classrooms would be needed
during school renovation and thereafter. Although providing the "audience/student" wheelchair
spaces is not difficult at the rear of each walled-off room,providing accessibility to the front of
each lecture area would require a special inclined wheelchair lift from the main first floor
entrance to the auditorium.
Diamond accessibility at auditorium is almost up to code as now exists. A handrail on one or
both sides of the rightmost aisle would be needed. Four wheelchair accessible seats could be
provided in the front and two in the rear. A chair lift would be required at the lower end of the
ramp to get up to the stage. Architects were advised to go for a variance at that school.
HMFH said they would like to prepare a package of the schools' problems and proposed
solutions for the three auditoriums to present to the state architectural barrier board.
Middle School libraries meetings are yet to be set up. Lewis reviewed with the committee
HMFH's proposed space use plan, which the committee accepted. Discussion of plans for the
Clarke library postponed to next week's PBC meeting.
Approval to nay on account three invoices from HMFH was VOTED for the architects' work
during February at Clarke $27,882.50, the high school $27 797.50 and Diamond Middle School
$20,040.00.
Meeting adjourned at 10:23 p.m. until Tuesday April 6 at 8 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Erna S. Greene, Secretary