South Windsor Public Building Commission
Minutes – Regular Meeting – April 23, 2014
Members Present: Howard (Hap) Fitts, Kenneth Jeski, Carol Kelley, Charlie Lyons, Tim Wentzell, Edward O’Connell and Keith Yagaloff
Also Present: BOE Representatives, Kate Carter, David Joy, Chris Chemerka, and Patrick Hankard
Chairman Fitts called the meeting to order at 6:30 PM.
Approval of Minutes: A motion was made by Mr. Lyons, seconded by Mr. Jeski to approve the minutes of the April 17, 2014 meeting. Motion approved unanimously.
Chairman Fitts noted that he invited the board and superintendent to the meeting to bring the commission up to date on the project and familiarize the commission with the plan. He also advised that he had discussions with the town manager regarding the town attorney attending a future commission meeting for guidance.
Mr. Joy noted that the board has published and broadcast information over the last year to get the word about regarding the project and he encouraged commission members to visit the board’s website, in particular, the October 29, 2014 video of the meeting at which Mr. Galligan explained the role of the PBC and at which the board adopted the resolution for the project.
Dr. Carter provided a review of the ten-year timeline noting that it calls for the district to close Wapping Elementary School and operate with four elementary schools. With regard to the closure of Wapping she noted that it cannot happen until the new school is built in order to provide the capacity for students. The new Orchard Hill will house 564 students which will include 125 redistricted Wapping students and 70 pre-k students from Eli Terry. Dr. Carter stressed the fact that this 10-year plan can change, with the most volatile piece of information being enrollment, noting that districts can only build to their maximum 8-year enrollment. The fluctuation in enrollment may require the necessity to make changes in Phases 2 and 3. She reviewed the additional phases of the
plan, which will encompass building a new school on the Eli Terry campus and renovate-like-new the Philip R. Smith School in phase 2, with Orchard Hill serving as swing space. In phase 3, Pleasant Valley will be renovate-like-new construction.
In response to a questions posed by Mr. O’Connell regarding whether or not the architect had looked at the placement of the school on the site or the town’s use for the land on the OH site, Dr. Carter responded that there was no decision about the site. Mr. Hankard responded that the size of the building is enrollment driven and is based on the state formula and noted that the enrollment was done through the business office and Ms. Chemerka and confirmed by Dr. Peter Prowda. The 564 students would equate to a 71,040 square foot building based on the state formula. Mr. Hankard anticipated that the school would require one-third of the Orchard Hill land, noting that the parcel is approximately 35 acres and the school would require 8. In addition, Mr. O’Connell questioned
whether or not utility or gas service representatives have been out to the site, which Patrick indicated they have not, but noted there is enough room to do something as innovative as geothermal.
Dr. Carter and Mr. Hankard responded to questions regarding the size of the gymnasium from Mr. Wentzell and Mr. O’Connell as well as the community use factors taken into consideration in establishing the gym size.
Mr. Wentzell commented on the potential use for the Orchard Hill School once the project is complete and the fact that the PBC should take those potential uses into consideration when planning the site location for the new building and its proximity to the original school.
Dr. Carter reviewed the outreach in engaging the PBC to collaborate on the project, including meetings with members and extending the opportunity for members to meet with Friar Associates. Although the PBC was not yet formally appointed to the project, she has been informally engaging with members over the past year.
Mr. Fitts noted that the companies that the PBC met at the last meeting would put together a plan for the PBC to follow and put them on a logical path for decision making and requested whether the commission wished to take action at this time.
Dr. Carter noted the understanding of the BOE staff and the vendors who spoke at the last meeting that the PBC would hire a firm for an extremely narrow scope of work -- to assist with the architect selection -- which should not be confused with the larger scope of work to be provided by an owner’s representative requiring an RFP process.
A motion was made by Mr. Wentzell, seconded by Mr. Jeski to retain Strategic Building Solutions to assist in preparing the RFP for the architect and to prepare a Phase One timeline. Motion passed unanimously.
The committee agreed to meet on Wednesday, May 7, 2014 at 6:30 PM.
There being no other business to come before the meeting, the meeting was adjourned at 7:30 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Ann M. Walsh
Clerk
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