HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-06-09-PBC-min.pdf TOWN OF LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS
PERMANENT BUILDING COMMITTEE
Notes from Wednesday June 9 1999 meeting in the Conference Room, School Administration
Building (no quorum).
The meeting was opened by Chairman Kelley about 7 40 p.m with other PBC members
Cannalonga and Touart present. Also attending: Director of School Building Operations John
Moynihan III, Project Manager/Owner's Representative Michael Melnick and HMFH architect
Philip Lewis with Noriko Hall of Daedalus estimators.
Lack of Quorum was lamented and it was recommended that the chairman be in touch with Town
Manager's office to see that Bill Bruckman, whose appointment has expired, be replaced by a
person who will attend meetings.
Distributed materials included Mike Melnick's Agenda and list of pending issues that might be
discussed or reported on HMFH's Summary of Construction Costs per Design Development
Estimate, materials from Daedalus noted in report of cost discussion with Ms. Hall and the Mass.
Inspector General's report on the Pollard Middle School Construction Project in Needham. The
last-named of these will be brought to the next PBC meeting(s) for perusal of those not present.
Healthy Schools Seminar of June 2 was attended by Melnick and Moynihan. They noted that the
event was attended by many state officials and counterparts of Moynihan and concerned
problems originating from schools improperly designed, used or maintained. If renovating a
school in use, extreme care should be taken to isolate construction from pupils. An industrial
hygienist should be on tap at all times. Another important aspect is good public relations and
information/understanding with all people involved is extremely important. In Brookline the
school employees' union forces this issue to be addressed.
Taking this advice to heart, it was urged around the room that the PBC should seize the initiative
and approach the School Committee as soon as possible so that all school users, staff and their
unions especially, should understand the project's ramifications ahead of time.
HMFH agreement has been reached. From now on the construction drawings and all phases of
the project are to be monitored for possible savings - half to go to the Town and half to HMFH.
Work is now proceeding on an addendum to the existing contract for Design Development.
Conservation and wetland issues will hopefully be resolved in a June 22 hearing, concentrating
on the drainage around the high school. So far the drainage plans around Diamond have been
Oked by the Conservation Commission, and those around Clarke are nearly approved following
some revisions necessitated by differences between 'as built"plans and on-site findings. An
airing of high school drainage issues will take place tomorrow at HMFH's office with engineer
Judith Nitsch. Melnick will attend.
Three invoices from HMFH for month of April work were VOTED approved by those present,
Nika P 6
contingent upon clarification of cut-off date from the beginning of 1999 for inclusion of D.D
work's $3.3 million and one more assenting vote from a member not present.
Other financial matters included Moynihan's presentation of three invoices from Melnick for
work up to June 1 (one for one week and two for two weeks each). These will be taken up by the
Emergency Finance Board who will be meeting in the next two weeks (ahead of end of fiscal
year June 30). Melnick told the committee that he will be on vacation from June 16 through 25
Moynihan and the chairman requested a daily log from Melnick to note work and
accomplishments of each day; Cannalonga asked for a cumulative financial report on expenditure
from the project's budget
Proaress report on nroiect(s) submittal to State Department of Education was given by Moynihan
and Lewis. Moynihan reported that he had received a letter from Commissioner Driscoll that the
submittals were OK, i.e. approved from acceptance on the list. Project number(s) will follow
Following a State Board of Education meeting in August the town will be told of the projects'
ranking(s) as well as when funding will begin (probably in about four years). About 72 projects
were submitted this year and some money has been voted by the Legislature to fund some of the
backlogged prior projects over a period of 20 years.
Cost estimate details for middle schools have now been completed by Daedalus and compiled in
two thick reports. Daedalus' Ms. Hall reported in an accompanying letter that the town could
possibly save five to ten percent by combining both middle schools as a single bid project. The
cost estimates for the middle schools have edged closer to October, 1998 figures put out for
Town Meeting and the December 1998 debt exclusion vote. Further optimism came from a list
of recent bids that all came in for less than DPI estimates,possibly indicating a favorable bidding
climate.
A more detailed explanation of D D cost estimates and amount of available funds for the project
was requested by Moynihan, so that the committee and ultimately the public will understand
what was bought for what money He said he will check past estimates to know what has already
been paid for.
Meeting adjourned at 9:52 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
34,
Erna S. Greene, Secretary