HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-03-28-PBC-min.pdf TOWN OF LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS
PERMANENT BUILDING COMMITTEE
Minutes of Tuesday March 28. 2000 meeting in the Media Center Class Room, Lexington High
School Science Building, as approved August 30, 2000.
The meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m. by Chairman Kelley with other PBC members
Cannalonga, Johnson, Kennedy, Poinelli and Touart present. Also attending were Director of
School Building Operation John Moynihan and Dan Vallee of the Engineering Department, who
is temporarily replacing Project Director/Owner's Representative Michael Melnick. Others
present included Town Manager Rick White, Superintendent of Schools Patricia Ruane, Capital
Expenditures Committee Chairman Charles Hornig and Philip Lewis of HMFH.
Materials distributed included the following:
Meeting agenda
Committee list and mailing list (to be revised when new personnel are hired)
(HMFH) Project Budget Model. After L.H.S. Bids
(HMFH) Peabody Construction Bid Adjustments
(HMFH) Clarke and Diamond School Filed Sub Bids
(HMFH) General Bid Tabulation (one sheet summary and longer version)
Proposals for Elementary Schools to be presented to Town Meeting for appropriation will be for
Design Development for renovation of Bowman and Bridge (now about 30 percent done) and
Estabrook (about 43 percent now). Estimated that it will cost about $450,000 to finish Design
Development for these two schools and for to new schools on the Fiske and Harrington sites.
Each of the two new 500-pupil elementary schools is envisioned to cost about$12.8 million each
or about $25,000 for the two new schools, while each of the two renovations would cost between
$7 and$8 million. Up to 100 percent of the new school cost would be eligible for state
reimbursement. It was agreed that only schematic designs of the new schools, along with
attractive pictures and elevation drawings, as well as an outside expert would be needed for
Town Meeting presentation.
The state has established the spending limits for new school construction, based upon number of
pupils. Poinelli recommended negotiating for the entire fee up front when selecting architects.
Exactly where each school would be sited has not been decided,but it was noted swing space and
during of construction figured heavily in the decision to build two. The time of elementary
school construction could be cut from ten to five years with the two new schools built first and
used continuously along with the old schools for swing space.
Town Meeting consideration of the elementary schools article would have to be postponed until
the Monday April 3 session because an important meeting with the Conservation Commission
and Recreation Committee is scheduled for Thursday March 30. Noted that construction of the
elementary school phase would not begin sooner than 2002. The two elementary schools not
mentioned in the above discussion are each only ten percent or less along in Design
Development, with the Fiske School not done at all.
PBC Minutes of Tuesday March 28, 2000 - page 2
Executive Session was VOTED unanimously at 8:15 p.m. to discuss Project Manager and Clerks
of the Works personnel, and open session resumed from 9:27 p.m. until adjournment.
HMFH architect Philip Lewis joined the meeting when reopened. HVAC rebidding was about
$900,000 less than the first bid but still over the estimated amount by $694,000. Committee
concluded that the rebidding was worthwhile. Middle schools general and sub bid are now all in.
Some concerns were expressed about Eastern's capabilities and practices, but there were also
some favorable reports of their performance.
Contingency Concerns about the three percent contingency now remaining after completion of
bid process. Town Manager said he would like to see the contingency at least five percent and
stated that he could argue quite credibly in favor of asking for more money in Town Meeting
with bids in hand. Noted that the high bids have cut into contingency money needed for furniture
and equipment. Project management budget concerns constituted a significant ingredient of the
debate.
After considerable discussion about need for proper management, it was finally VOTED
unanimously to support (and ask Town Manager to request) an increase of the contingency
allowance to eight percent in Town Meeting. This would translate into a request for $4 million
more money for the project. Committee members hastened to assure that the money would not
be spent unless absolutely necessary In a renovation project it was generally deemed this
percentage to be prudent.
Meeting adjourned at 10:48 p.m. until Tuesday, April 4 at 7:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
ti-Vita" ✓( z
Erna S. Greene
Secretary