Elementary School Building Committee
Stow Town Building
Monday, May 18 2009
Meeting Minutes
Quorum was reached and meeting began at 7:33 pm.
Gary Bernklow volunteered to record the minutes.
Attendees: Craig Martin, Michael Wood, Ellen Sturgis, Amy Finkel Hastings, Stephen Quinn, Lynn Colletti, Lisa D’Alessio, Paul Griffin (CMS), Jim Byrne (CMS), Phil Poinelli (SMMA), Greta Morgan, David Korn.
Audience: Anne Needle, The Stow Independent
Minutes of March 25th, 2009: Craig Martin moved to approve minutes as amended. Second from Steve Quinn. Minutes approved unanimously with Gary Bernklow abstaining.
Correspondence:
- Letter from Ellen Sturgis to ESBC members dated April 27, 2009, and entitled “Update on activities since our last meeting”. (attached)
MSBA Update
- Paul announced that MSBA would not be requiring a new feasibility study for the Pompo site.
- There is still some negotiation to be had over the enrollment figures.
- Enrollment will determine size of school and number of classrooms.
- MSBA currently supports classroom space for 600.
- MW found an error in the birth rate statistics for 2007 which may work in our favor. He will appeal this to MSBA. The new number would be approximately 676.
- Number does not include pre-kindergarten students.
- Paul indicated the MSBA was willing to incorporate core space for 700 students, with capability to easily add on to existing space.
- MSBA also bases classrooms on 25 students per. NRSD policy is 18 to 22. Paul indicated this number can also be negotiated.
- Health and computer science classrooms are not included in the MSBA estimate, and those spaces would also have to be negotiated.
- Recent Walk Through Pompo
- Phil and Paul met with representatives from the MSBA to tour the Pompo site.
- Phil and Paul felt that the MSBA left the tour with the feeling that the MSBA would support one school option on Center site.
- MSBA may want a cost analysis of complete new construction vs. renovation of Center.
- MSBA will decide at the June 3rd board meeting on support of the add/reno at Center site.
SMMA/Design Contract summary
- Contract just returned from the MSBA. Bill Wrigley is awaiting some input from town counsel before approving.
- SMMA bid does include public outreach and 3D modeling (although not the very high end 3D modeling).
- Gary Bernklow moved approval of SMMA contract, conditional upon approval from Bill Wrigley and town counsel. MW seconded the motion, which passed unanimously with Lynn Colletti abstaining.
Approval of invoices:
- Steven Quinn moved that Craig Martin be authorized to sign for invoices on behalf of the ESBC. Amy Finkel Hastings seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
- Craig Martin submitted an invoice in the amount of $5.50 for postage and photocopying. GB moved to approve with a second from Steve Quinn. Motion passed unanimously.
Fundraising update:
- Greta Morgan updated the ESBC on current fundraising activity.
- There are currently five or six volunteers on the fundraising committee, who are actively seeking additional volunteers.
- The committee is examining Summer events for families.
- Committee actively seeking support from local businesses and linking up with other community organizations for dual-fundraisers.
Community Forums:
- Committee discussed holding community forum on sustainable design.
- Forum date set for the evening of June 3rd, with another scheduled for the morning of June 9th. Site and times to be determined.
- A “Community Information Session” has tentatively been scheduled for June 23rd at 7 pm.
Public Comment: None
Next Meeting: Scheduled for June 8th, 7:30 pm.
Gary Bernklow moved to adjourn at 9:20 pm. Michael Wood seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted by Gary Bernklow
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To: ESBC members
From: Ellen Sturgis, Co-chair
Re: Update on activities since our last meeting
CC: SMMA, CMS
Date: 27 April 2009
First, let me state that this memo will be entered into the minutes at our next meeting. No decisions are being made but I felt it important to update the full committee on the activities that have been taking place since our last meeting on March 25. Most of the work is being done by Phil at SMMA, Paul at CMS and Michael Wood, all revolving around requests of the MSBA.
MSBA: We had a meeting on April 2nd which we had understood would be our “kickoff” meeting. It ended up focusing on legal issues: they were not aware that we had already amended the language to include expenses for Pompo so it was deflated quickly. We also had to walk through the history of the 2007 vote, including my conversation with Katherine. We did confirm that they have us “penciled in” for the May (feasibility study) and September Board meetings (to approve proposed construction prior to special TM in October). We agreed to have regular conference calls with our MSBA team (to include Michael, CMS and SMMA) to ensure we stay on schedule.
Enrollment: A big issue since late March has been enrollment projections; MSBA created a set, and Michael has been collecting data and addressing the low ball numbers since then, in an iterative process that is continuing. They are carrying a low base (current) enrollment number which causes problems from the start, but are open to working with us on these. Michael is addressing what is not included in their projections such as full day kindergarten, Pre-K requirements, and community buildout/40B continued developments. Once this response is formalized, we’ll send to the committee.
SMMA: One of the primary tasks on Phil’s shoulders has been convincing MSBA that our Master Plan addressed the majority of the requirements of the MSBA Feasibility study. It appears that will go to them in the next day or two: it summarizes the amount of work and options considered both by the SBTF and before, and the fundamental flaws at Pompo in particular. It also stresses the one school/two building challenges especially in terms of staffing and duplication of resources/space. While addressing some of the larger MSBA issues, Phil has also been meeting A LOT with Pompo/Center staff and Greg Irvine on the programmatic issues for the new school.
Miscellaneous: We are working to submit the expenses of the Master Plan to MSBA as it appears that they may reimburse us for some of that if/when they accept it as our Feasibility Study. Paul and Jim from CMS met with Michael and myself to talk about the communication process at this point, when much is happening directly with MSBA. We stressed our need to stay in the loop, even if we don’t attend every meeting.
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