HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-11-19-PBC-min.pdf TOWN OF LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS
PERMANENT BUILDING COMMITTEE
Minutes of Monday November 19 2001 joint meeting with the School Committee in the
Conference Room, School Administration Building, as approved December 13, 2001
The meeting was called to order at 7.37 p.m. by PBC Chairman Kelley with other members
Cannalonga, Himmel, Johnson, Poinelli and Touart present, and by School Committee Chairman
Robin DiGiammarino, with others of her committee Scott Burson, Anthony Close and Sherry
Gordon present. Also attending were Director of School Building Operation John Moynihan,
Acting Superintendent of Schools Joanne Benton and Tom Griffith of the Capital Expenditures
Committee. PBC staff Bill Kealy and Dan Vallee also attended.
Materials distributed include the following:
Three lists of items that could be charged to the construction contingency budget (if available)
variously entitled `Project Upgrades" (one each from HMFH and Kealy) and Alternate
List".from school personnel.
From Dan Vallee: `School Renovation Project Update'
Alternates or "Proiect Upgrades' lists were passed around and some items evaluated, but the lists
clearly differed from each other, with some overlap and duplication. Some of the items, such as
replacement of the gym floor at Clarke, were not and will not be done, since only repair is in the
project. Some other items were possibly omitted inadvertently and should be done, such as the
finishing of the stairways in buildings G, H and J at the high school. Other items that have
already been wholly or partially charged to the contingency account already had never been
contemplated for inclusion in the project. Acoustic retrofitting for specific hearing-impaired
students at Diamond and moving expenses that swelled far beyond budget had not been foreseen.
Blinds had never existed at Diamond heretofore. Discussion emphasized that not all of the listed
possible improvements could be afforded. Noted that structural and safety concerns should
receive priority
The HMFH list was reviewed with explanation of the items listed. Chairman DiGiammarino
suggested that the PBC combine the three lists and prioritize. Some of the problems such as
shortage of space for all the buses to stack up at the new Clarke bus drop off place could be
solved without money by scheduling and revised stack-up procedures. On all the lists for all
three schools, landscaping enhancements received low priority Kealy suggested that some of the
desired upgrades could be accomplished more economically minus the contractors' 22 percent
markup if the town or school contracted directly for these services. When the question of
`anything else?" came up, the question of science student desks, acoustic panels for the high
school gym and the noisy at Clarke were mentioned.
The School Committee told that they will be meeting on November 27 and would like to have
some priority information from the PBC by then.
PBC Minutes of joint meeting with School Committee November 19 2001 - page 2
The moving budget overrun was reviewed by Dan Vallee. He explained that the original moving
budget was $120,000 and this was later increased to $140,000 and then $249,000. Even so,
moving expenses have already mounted to about $750,000.
Undate on Project budget was given by Vallee. He forecasted a possible shortfall that could grow
to $1 404,584.23 The two major contributors to this possible shortfall are a special retrofitting
of Diamond and moving expenses. These two items account for more than $1 million worth of
the shortfall. The furniture, equipment and legal expenses budget lines are being examined for
possible savings. It is vital to point out that this is the first time the PBC has received financial
information that is truly indicative of the financial health of the project
Concerns about preliminary estimates for four elementary schools by architects TLCR and J
Stewart Roberts were expressed by Phil Poinelli, who noted that Fiske and Harrington seemed
low and gyms undersized while Bowman and Estabrook estimates are above average per square
foot. The question of renovation versus new construction might yet be revisited.
Meeting adjourned at 10:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Erna S. Greene, Secretary