HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-04-04-PBC-min.pdf TOWN OF LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS
PERMANENT BUILDING COMMITTEE
Minutes of Tuesday April 4. 2000 meeting in the Conference Room, School Administration
Building, as approved August 30, 2000.
The meeting was called to order at 7 10 p.m. by Chairman Kelley with other PBC members
Cannalonga, Himmel, Johnson, Kennedy, Poinelli and Touart present. Also attending were
Director of School Building Operation John Moynihan, Interim Project Manager/Owner's
Representative Dan Vallee, Superintendent of Schools Pat Ruane, Capital Expenditures
Committee (CEC) members Tom Griffiths and Shirley Stolz and Lexington Minutemen reporter
Lawrence N. Pruyne. Appearing later in the meeting was Philip Lewis of HMFH.
Materials distributed included the following:
Meeting Agenda
HMFH 4/4/00 letter to John Grant of Peabody Construction noting change of their
contract sum to reflect revised HVAC amount.
HMFH 4/4/00 letter to Peter Kelley on Eastern Contractors references
Article 7 discussion with CEC members centered on refinement of the amount of funds extra
required to bring the contingency allowance up to eight percent. After a quick enumeration of
reasons for the erosion of contingency percentage (conservation/drainage added requirements at
high school, time stretch of job due to phasing and "robust' bidding climate, as well as inflation
due to delay of first debt exclusion override rejection), the exact amount to request Town
Meeting to appropriate was reduced from the $4 million agreed upon at the March 28 PBC
meeting to $2.8 million. This number was reduced in two ways: The actual amount needed is
only $3.6 million due to some rounding up of project management budget amount; and$800,000
could be transferred from leftover unspent appropriations of previous school capital projects. A
Monday meeting of financial committee representatives with Comptroller and Town Manager
(the "Gang of eight")had already arrived at this figure, to which PBC members assented.
Modular Classrooms problems were reported by Vallee, The contractor Schiavi does not have a
building permit due to communications mishap. Taking out the proposed foundation and
substituting piers four feet down in the ground would allow the contractor to have the classrooms
ready in time. About 72 piers would be needed and would have to removed at the conclusion of
the classrooms usage which the contractor is required to restore the area to previous condition.
The classrooms are also required to be anchored and strapped down.
High School construction issues: Curb cuts onto Worthen Road are now being redesigned to be
24 feet wide for one-way traffic on each of the two curb cuts. The Fire Department backed off its
two-way requirement for each, which would have required 30 feet. The new design should be
ready tomorrow
Excavation for the library expansion will begin next Monday Electric and sewer lines will
need to be relocated, the gas line is already deep enough to be out of the way and RCN will not
be on the scene until August. Testing agencies will need to be engaged, and prices are due on
PBC Minutes of April 4, 2000-page 2
Friday Lewis pointed out that McPhail can be available for testing needed right away There is
already a proposal for asbestos inspection from ATC, but this represents the upper end of the cost
range. The minimum would be for three inspections: 1) when the barriers are put up, 2) when the
job is in progress and 3) when the job is done. The schools should have somewhat more than the
bare minimum but not the amount quoted by ATC. The abatement contractor will be putting up
barriers on April 15 and beginning work on April 17 Prices for the recommended scope should
be obtained. It was pointed out that critical judgment would be needed when it comes time to
test soil bearing for the support wing; suggested that McPhail should be called in for this work.
Environmental testing baselines have already been obtained for indoor air quality Testing has
been done for mold, dust particles, etc. and the testers will be coming in every two weeks during
construction. They will test air both indoors and outside. Results are being distributed to the
principals of the three schools.
Change Order No. 1 letter from HMFH cites the bidding law in requesting a reduction of
$410,000 from what Peabody has asked for. Another reduction should come from a classroom
that is not being built at the high school. If the contractor signs the change order, he has signed
off on his rights to appeal. Poinelli recommended that a Change Order be written for Peabody to
sign. Moved and VOTED unanimously that HMFH should be authorized to revise the bid
amount to include a 1.5 percent contract bond and zero days at the HVAC bid amount if the
general contractor required the sub bidder to get a bond. (The GC must pay for the bond.) The
Change Order will probably require two signatures, Peter Kelley and Town Manager(?).
References on Eastern Contractors, lowest bidders on the middle schools, give mixed reports.
Only one of their project managers, Frank Marino and one of their supervisors, David Iagallo,
received more praise. Both HMFH and Poinelli's firm as well as others have had some
experience with Eastern. Another good superintendent is needed. Moynihan recommended
checking with the owners who have engaged Eastern. To conclude, Lewis suggested that
members of his firm assist in dealing or talking with Ramesh, the head of Eastern. Agreed that
prior to signing a contract with Eastern, Lexington insist that their best management team of
Project Manager and Superintendent be assigned to the job. Also suggested that Lexington be
armed with its heaviest hitters in negotiating with Eastern - Town Manager and Julie Grogan of
Town Counsel's office.
Executive Session was VOTED unanimously at 9:58 p.m. to discuss personnel matters.
Meeting adjourned at conclusion of the executive session, 10:35 p.m. until Wednesday, April 12,
7.30 p.m. at Cary Library to discuss the library project.
Erna S. Greene, Secretary
Respectfully submitted, / c,2,fry cRJ