--------- Hi, Peter. We're going to get started in just one second. We're just going to give another minute to see if our other members >> Thanks, Brianna. Can Can you hear me? >> We can hear you loud and clear. >> Good. I can hear you. >> Great. Just a moment.
>> Peter, your voice is coming from the ceiling as if it were the voice of God. That's the real reason why I chose to be on on Zoom. Did Briana and Fred, did you get my email with suggestions for the
questionnaire for the survey? >> Uh, depend. I don't think so. No, >> I I I sent it to the uh cable email uh that I found on the website. >> We will have to check. I'll have to
check. I I didn't check my email since being here. So, um >> Okay. I know I sent it a while ago. I I can I can resend it if you need it. It's just a small modifications. >> Okay. Well, I think uh noticing that we have a quorum, I am going to call this
meeting to order despite um us Oh, wait. We might have another member. Okay. All right. So, I'm going to call this meeting of the Ammeris Cable Television Advisory Committee to order.
It is Friday, May 15th at 11:35 a.m. Um, given that we have members joining in hybrid modalities, we'll go through and do a quick roll call. Briana Sunrid present. >> Fred Civian present.
>> Peter Bareric present. >> Sean Hannannah present. >> Great. Thank you. So, if it's helpful um to to folks following along uh virtually, I can we'll be sharing some materials when we get to them at certain
parts of the agenda. Um all of these materials should be posted on online and accessible through the committee's website which is ammerma.gov/cable. So, first up on our agenda, let me get over there. Um was public comment. I do
not see that we have members from the public joining in person in the room. I'm gonna ask Sean if there are any attendees in the virtual room expressing the desire to speak. If there is
somebody in the virtual Zoom call who would like to submit public comment or speak, please raise your hand in Zoom. I'll just give a moment to make sure. Okay, I don't see any hands raised in the virtual room and none in the
physical space. So, uh we'll move on to our next uh set of items which is discussing the ascertainment process steps. Uh the first item on that list is to briefly discuss the public hearing,
the first of the two public hearings that we currently have scheduled, which took place in this room last night and via Zoom at 6:30 p.m. Going to open it up for any comments uh from board members.
Questions, comments, reflections. Looking forward to the next uh public hearing. Hopefully, we'll get some public comment at that time. >> I I I hope we can do a better job of publicizing the meeting so that some
people show up. >> Yes. And I I did um get a chance to express that to to the town manager. Um it sounds like we we'll be able to ask for a little additional support to to get um additional eyes on that. And it's
something to hopefully given the the leeway or the head headroom that we have now perhaps maybe we can even ask Rachel to put something on Ammerst Media channel. Um Sean had mentioned that last time that was a a good promotion method. I think um Sean is that right? They
promoted it via Ammeris Media. Okay. Any any other thoughts about ways we can seek support from the town? Um, just knowing what I know, I could ask them to put out a a press release in addition to the legal notice and the calendar
posting. We could request that they post it onto their uh the homepage as a news item and to share it out on their social media channels. If anybody else has other ideas, >> I'm just wondering if we could have flying. I don't know that's part of what
the town does, but I guess the bid could flyer around town. >> That's a good idea. >> Yeah, >> like in the put something up in the businesses or Yeah. >> or it doesn't need to get too far and wide, but I can definitely hang up in the library
and in the library building. But yeah, I think >> schools perhaps like could we get something out to the schools? Okay. >> Yeah, if it could go up and parents wear that probably. >> Okay, that's a great idea. Um, so I can certainly and opening it up also for other people if they have other ideas,
we can we can get a list of these things that we've discussed and send that over to the town manager's office. Um, I have been told that it it is getting the legal notice that's that is required, which is obviously great. Um, I haven't seen if it's gone up on the calendar
yet, but I know that it is supposed to be soon. So we can send a request over to the town manager to see if those items we discussed can take place as well for the for the June 10th occurrence um so that we can get some members of the public there.
Any other thoughts, discussion on last night's public hearing and or >> on the subject of publicity? Uh my neighborhood Amoris Woods has a neighborhood list serve on which I could post something which would reach 150
households or so. I hesitated to do that before the last one because what I'd like to circulate is whatever constitutes the the town's official uh request for attendance. But if you could get that out to committee members uh or
if the town could then we could circulate it to whatever lists we have available. >> Yeah, I think that's a great idea, Peter. And that's not unusual for for um promotion to go out through board members. We can make sure that we have
some sort of asset or something to link to for people when we send that out. So, we'll we'll ask the town if they can work on that sooner rather than later so we can share that out via our own networks. >> Yep. Great idea. >> Rachel, do you need anything specific in
order for you to have like I know there's a you do some sort of slides. Is that in-house? Do you need anything from us to to send over to you? >> Is there someone that makes Will there be a flyer made? I think if there's a flyer made, it's probably going to be
from me. >> Okay. >> Or somebody on this >> committee. We need something resembling a flyer. >> Okay. >> I probably take that >> because I I did make some slides and at the end of the slide it has kind of like
the next public hearing. I could modify that. Yeah. >> If it's like in the ratio of a standard, you know, like four three or Yeah. >> Yeah. If you wanna I I know I can find it, but if you could put in my email the slide deck, I can probably just pull it out and make it into Okay. the right
sizes. >> Make sure you get that done. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Um All right. Any other discussion? Um I guess the other thing I will will say that the Comcast um representative, their attorney did attend the public
hearing um and indicated that they would be present at the June 10th hearing as well. So that was the other piece to note. Any other discussion on the the public hearing past and future.
Okay. I'm going to give Ch Paul a chance to to chime in. We we're just talking about the public hearing, what we would like support on from the town before the next public hearing. We've got a little bit of a list. Should that should I just
send that over to you and the team about it's really just social media, maybe flyers, maybe something with the schools. >> Okay. >> Nice. >> Okay. Paul, do you have any comment on the
public hearings last night or or the one coming up before we move on to the next agenda item? Yeah, I mean I think I know no one was here other but it was really good that the Comcast person was here and you got to meet meet him and it's nice of him to make the effort to come up. I think the next one is really where you're going to hear hopefully we'll
hear more comments and hopefully Ammeris Media will be more organized and have their things ready to but it's okay to have the first one you know so we can sort of get a little practice. >> Um I are you expecting for Ammers Media to present anything? I didn't know that.
>> You're welcome to. Um, we >> Yeah, I think what we're hoping is like for the ascertainment where you need to know your business plan or whatever you're looking for, that's that would be a good time to say it out loud. >> Okay. >> Which is in June, right? You think we'll be ready?
>> I'm not sure. The business plan samples that were shared with me are very, very complex. So, this is now off this agenda item. But if that's what you're looking for, I will I do not expect that to be
ready. Um I might be close, but most of what I will have in a business plan is less relevant to cable. So what I could have is just what's relevant to cable. >> Yeah. I think the idea of the ascertain the public hearing is to hear what
people need. We want to hear from the town, from the schools, from Ammerst media. Those are the three big things. >> Okay. So you would like for that's not like as a cable advisory rep you would like for me to thank you for clar um for me to be able to share as Ammerson media
what we're looking for um and in that space it doesn't necessarily need to be that like specific supply list so much as overall okay great I can definitely have that and typed up thank you I didn't realize that was um I didn't understand that in this context but I
can get us there awesome yeah we and we have a couple of slides I think that are more contextual for members of the public that we can um add to. >> The other thing, Paul, that you mentioned it with with the school. Is there are there specific representatives of the school that we should be inviting
to this meeting beyond just trying to get it out the committee chairs? >> Sean, I think we're probably Jerry Champagne, right? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> The IT person. >> Yeah. Yeah.
we get sent to the committees, but more likely he's going to be the one in that says we this is maybe we sort of formally send something to the maybe maybe the chair sent something to the um probably both committee chairs. >> Yeah. When you say both committee you mean school and regional
>> ammer and region. Yeah. >> The Ammerst just on the Ammeris media end it is extremely rare in my year I think twice we've talked to Jerry or the IT office. Almost all the communication is
directly between school committee and Amberia. >> Okay. I can I can put that on my list to send that over to them. I um send to the superintendent, the chairs of the two committees, and copy Jerry on it.
>> Yeah, I can handle that. >> All right. Um, is there an expectation for them to present or do anything? >> It sounds like It sounds like more of just what are they what what do they need in terms of cable access and what's working, what's not working.
>> Okay. Just want to give them a prompt. >> Okay. one like one of the things the school committee gets complaints about all the time is that we haven't had um close captioning we will in two weeks um but like that kind of thing I think
is relevant to okay good anything else any other parties stakeholders that we should be thinking about regarding public hearing before before we move on. No. Okay.
So, the next item that we have on our agenda is to review the next kind of iteration of the community survey that was drafted. Um, so I can pull that up on my screen. Members should have received that in
their email. So, if want to follow along from there, feel free. But I will put it up on the screen in just a second. I forget how difficult it is working from one screen instead of five. Okay,
while I'm pulling that up, Fred, do you want to set the stage for us and share any details about the last version versus the current version that we're about to look at? Yeah, the current version that we're looking at basically is is a draft of actual questions that we would ask on the survey based on our
conversations that revolved around what we want to know. Um, so that's still a basic question. We should be asking survey questions if we want to know that information. So what I did do was try to structure these so that we're able to um
have good questions that give us good data that the right people are answering the right questions. So that for example if someone's a current cable TV subscriber um they would answer one set of questions. If someone has a former cable TV subscriber they would answer
another set of questions. Um so it's still it's still the basic question for the committee. Are we is there additional information that we would want to try to glean through these partic through these questions? We may have comments on particular questions and we ought to as much as possible rely
upon people who have expertise in developing survey questions to write the actual language. Um but it'd be good to get some discussion about what additional needs are. And I have one to suggest we didn't ask a question about
future needs. Um Paula just mentioned getting information from uh future needs from the schools from Ammerst Media and from the town. It'd be useful to have a question that relates to future needs for the system. I'm a little bit hazy not being a technical expert with uh on
cable about what those future needs right might be. So at least today I was hoping to get a little bit of discussion from the committee about what future needs as expressed by uh residents of the town might be and from that I want to get a sort of a nodding approval to
develop another question around future needs for the survey. U so that's basically it for now. >> Thanks for the update. Thanks for your work on that Fred. >> You're welcome. Rachel. >> Um, I think likely
future needs or wonder if it's both future needs or current needs. Um, I don't know quite how we'd frame that question. The things we hear about are
um closed captioning, so like access services. I could imagine if cable was to magically whatever I could imagine things like translation also being relevant for that as something someone might ask about in
that kind of sphere. access points. Um, we hear about wanting the guide to be better, which all all of the things I'm listing frankly are things that are about to come because we've just changed
providers at Ammerst Media or we are in process. It will be finalized in two weeks. Um, what are other things like that that are related? I could imagine people wanting to >> When you say guide, is that like the the
thing that shows up on the channel list? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Mhm. Um yeah, I think a lot of the things that that I hear about and could imagine interest around is accessibility and clarity.
Um, I don't quite know future. Uh, yeah. I don't quite know future. >> Peter, are there other things that came up that >> Briana and and Rachel? Uh, I've heard in the past uh that you might want high
definition service. Uh, is is that potentially a future need? Uh I I looked at your channels last night and uh they are not high definition and that makes them much less uh appealing to look at than the usual run of of Comcast
channels. >> Yeah, we pushed for that last time, right, Sean? And they didn't. But I think we should push for that one this time, too. >> Yeah. So, we did get a side letter last time that if other Comcast communities in Western Mass get high definition, we
can ask for it and get it within a year, I believe. So, if we're aware of any other Comcast communities um other than I think there was an exception for Long Meadow or East Reese Long Meadow, I can look that up, but um then I think we
asked for it and we should get it, but we could ask for it in the contract if if it's already in place somewhere else. That's a >> Yeah, that's that's fully I'm just looking through our stuff. that's fully dependent on the cable provider >> because I was getting ready to tell you that doesn't have that access, but that's not true. It's the cable
provider. >> Yeah. So, we're just seeking most favorite nation, right? >> Um, can you go back a page? >> Um, so what like when I was reading this, I'm a I get my internet from Comcast, but I'm not com cable TV subscriber, so I didn't know like, well,
where would I go in here? And it I think we should sort of be explicit like I would think, oh maybe they mean I'm a cable subscriber in here. Um >> so like maybe a little sense making even if it's like I
breaking down what being a cable subscriber is versus strictly a internet subscriber. >> I think there might I might not differentiate. I Yeah, I get my I get it. I get I I have Comcast I would say right. Yeah. And then I would say, "Yes, I I guess I'm a cable subscriber then."
But that's not who we're talking about. >> Do we want to hear from people who don't subscribe? >> I think so. Because we we want to hear why they might have left or why they what would bring them back if they have cut the
cord. Um, yeah, I think we can work with the introduction a little bit to kind of set the stage and not just for the survey. I think that's needed and I tried to do a little bit of that. um with the materials for the public hearing just because it the language can
be kind of not obvious I think for >> but everybody's a Comcast subscri I mean you if you if you have Comcast then the question I have Comcast I subscribe I have cable television or I don't have cable television but I could also have
>> Do we have FI FiOS here or >> is there go net speed is >> go I have go net speed so then we wouldn't I mean do we want to hear from those folks Well, I mean, if they were interested or if there was a reason why they specifically didn't want cable. I mean, we're not I don't know that we're going
to be asking them why they chose which internet over the other. At least I I don't think that's in our purview, but um there still is a a thought that they you know, are there are there just cable subscribers who have gone with a
different internet service? I I can't imagine. Can you just subscribe to no >> cable? >> Yeah. Um, they're not cable goes through the internet. >> So, you have to have both. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> So, in a way, yeah, that that is a good
point. I don't know how we handle that. >> Um, >> I'm hearing we need better guidance to make sure people understand which questions to answer. >> Yeah. >> And I owe Fred a collab on this as I did I didn't get to um contribute to this
prior to this meeting. So I can take that next stab at at kind of the introduction and and the the sense making context setting of the of the intro to the survey if that's helpful. >> That that sounds good. I'm hoping that whatever the committee's comments are
today, I'll be able to incorporate those and then we can work on those together. It' be great. >> Yeah. Yeah. I I would think that uh you could just add a question to that to the first series of three uh for someone like Paul. Uh, I I subscribe to Comcast
Internet, but I get my cable TV elsewhere. >> And is that possible though for them to get cable TV elsewhere? No. >> Oh. Oh, yeah. It's if you have Comcast internet uh you there are multiple providers uh Direct TV, Google TV uh and
so on uh YouTube that will sell you television service o over your internet link. >> Right. Webbased options. Okay. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> This is an issue where we >> we that's an issue where we need to differentiate between people that get streaming services and cable services.
And even if we know what we're talking about, we need to make sure that the instructions are clear to people. So someone says, "I have internet, but I also get my TV um from streaming needs the instructions need to be clearer to people." >> Yeah.
>> Some sort of key that we can I can maybe get a going. >> People are so used to saying cable. I get my cable TV from YouTube. Like, you don't get cable TV. It's just like I think you're right. Just to try and help people frame where they are. >> And some people don't even know what cable TV is considering my daughter
said, "Where are you going? What what why are you talking about? What is cable?" So, okay. So, some work on on the the you know, the context I think is um we'll have that at our next meeting to review.
Um, in terms of questions, would it be helpful just to go through the questions here? I I did want to go back to what you said, Fred, about we need to add a question about what the community sees as their future needs. That is another question that might be helpful, giving
give giving them some parameters about what that is. I mean, we don't want people to say, you know, I need X, Y, and Z, and it's not even possible. So, maybe Rachel closed captioning. >> Yeah. translation services and maybe we can come up with some things that would
actually be in the realm of possibility for their future needs. >> The uh reason I was asking for guidance from the committee about um future needs is that most of the previous surveys concentrated on programming. >> Um you know do you want more children's program? Do you want more arts and
entertainment? Some of the um uh technology questions my favorite one revolved around whether uh want the cable system to allow additional connection to online services such as comput server AOL I'm not sure that how
we would express those kind of questions techn those are obvious examples of how technology changes >> right >> so um that's why I was asking for that help >> and and maybe that's something Rachel you might help frame or draft a question or series of questions just because some
of it might come back to like programming and how you how you would want to get that information. >> Yeah. >> Um this is an endless conversation in our office but the
um very very highest traffic to our TV is for town education and related meetings. Mhm. >> Um that is very rare for people to otherwise be watching. >> And so that's more for like general educational pro. So when you say that
it's like is it committee meetings like school committee meetings and town committee meetings? Okay. >> And those are watched heavily but um yeah >> maybe what I could do is draft up a question and send that to you Rachel if you could help review it. I happy to go
to do that work and then get your comments. be really interesting to see which are I mean as speaking as in my former capacity of the town we we'd be able to see what people saw through our YouTube channels and what was popular but we really didn't always have a sense of
what was coming the viewership coming from like the Ammeris Media first channel. So that would be kind of interesting to see. Okay, back to the back to the survey here. So um I'll just go here on this
first question. Uh Fred, do you want to unpack this one for us? >> Um not really. I mean, what we did was go through a pick list of um descriptors. So be a standard list of descriptors and those are listed there.
I don't know if we want to add any standard descriptors. Um basically this first question is just asking um if there people are satisfied or dissatisfied. Yeah, >> it could be do not apply also.
Yeah. And I think when I um get the next iteration, what I can do is start actually putting the scale on here so it looks like how it would look on the survey to kind of get that to ground that. So I could see that we would even um you know have sliders on here maybe
one to five for example for these different um sections. >> Yeah, we could do that. The challenge for me here was formatting. Um but also like uh we we should have a discussion about whether what value we get by having one through five versus just
satisfied or dissatisfied too. So >> okay >> two two two points Brianna and Fred and others uh one is that uh the question of how do you set a scale seems to me to be a hard one to answer until we decide how
the survey results are going to be tabulated. uh and be because the sort of scale we use will be heavily influenced I would think by our decisions about who does the tabulation or what system does the tabulation. Uh the other point uh on
this list of of topics that Fred has proposed for each category uh I've emailed to all of you uh a suggested modification for the customer service category uh where in instead of the the
language that uh in instead of just a single customer service question uh there be a question I would I've got to find my my own X bear with me. Uh for each of the items labeled
customer service substitute uh ease of getting information or service by telephone and ease of getting information or service by online tools. uh since those seem to me to be the the two ways in in which Comcast at present
uh renders tries to render itself accessible and as some of you have heard me complain about this I find uh it's very hard to reach them uh by telephone and uh and it's also very hard to get satisfactory service on customer tools
but uh I may be the only person in the world who has that kind of trouble uh and it would be useful to find about uh more specifically uh whether other people were having those difficulties. >> Yeah, I think that I think that's a great addition and I I know that you
mentioned you sent it. I don't think that I received it, but if you don't mind, >> I I I I just It may be that the that the committee link, the cable link isn't isn't really set up yet, though. It was on the web page, the town web page, but I have sent it to your personal emails.
Uh, and it should be in your inboxes now, but this may not be a good time for you to look in your inboxes, but the text of both suggestions I'm making, uh, this one and another one that'll come up later, uh, it should be in your inboxes. >> Great. I think that's a great idea.
>> Thanks. That's a good suggestion. >> Okay. And one thing I'll say before we go down to the next question, so I think this might actually help us when we go to review the next round, is that uh it's my understanding that the town is currently using Microsoft Forms. We've
discussed that as probably being the likely platform that we'll use unless resources materialize to say otherwise. um that it would be using the the Microsoft Forms platform which the town is using for other similar survey types.
Um so what I propose doing is you know after we've discussed the rest of these questions and make the tweaks I can I can make that survey um in Microsoft form so you can see it how it would look and that will give us a better sense of maybe we should switch this to a a yes
no or to a scale question and and we'll be confined to to what that system has available um to us. So >> that sounds like a wonderful idea Brianna. >> Great. Okay. So, I'll just pause on question two if
there's any comments. Um hopefully you can see that on my screen. Any comments, tweaks, changes to to this question here. This is asking about um cable TV subscribers who've canled their Comcast
TV cable service. >> The differences in the questions are uh the sub populations that are being queried. So um I'm taking their comments earlier that we ought to be we can be clearer about what the subopuls are. We're basically asking the same question
in uh in the same way to these multiple groups of people. >> Oh, I see. Okay. I see what you're seeing, Fred. So depending on what they select um as their current cable TV status, we will have the logic within the survey only display the relevant question to
them. So if they're if they're a if they're a current Comcast, they're going to get the current Comcast question. If they were, you know, a former, they would get the former question. >> And ideally, yes. Assuming Microsoft forms can do that.
>> It can do that. Yeah. It can handle logic and branching on a basic level. >> All right. If >> that's actually great news. It's make it easier to focus. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. And it it reduces the noise for the the survey takers so that they're just seeing what they need to
answer in front of them. Um, okay. If there's no comments on >> have one other Yeah. >> Is there any value in knowing how long someone has subs subscribed? Like we have a transient population for a big portion of our >> Yeah. >> Um, so if it's been there just in a
year, I just got here and I subscribed for a year or somebody who's been, you know, old town meeting members who've been doing it for 25 years. Just curious, does that matter to us at all? >> Thoughts from the from the group? Does that impact any any decisions maybe
that you would make? Rachel, Sean, >> I mean, we we are focusing on Comcast service as it now exists. Uh, and I I I I don't know what we would do with information about how long someone had
been a subscriber. Yeah, I think that makes sense. Good. >> I personally would ask a million questions because I would want all the data, but at the same time, I think we balance that with intimidation of the battery of questions for the survey taker. But I see I see I see what you
mean, right? I'm going to cruise down to the third question. Um, and then again, this is someone who's never subscribed being asked the similar set of questions, but they won't be seeing all of these. only if they've clicked that they've never
subscribed. Okay. All right. I'm going to keep going again. I think it will be really um helpful to see this in its survey state. So, let's just get down to content if there's any changes to content here. So
number four, >> this fourth question was asking about the um uh asking everyone who fills out the survey if they'd be willing to pay an additional amount of money on their bill to help with PEG with the PEG
programming or not. So the idea was to have an explanatory paragraph or two and then ask people what level they would >> would like to support or not. And I have a question to so maybe for for Rachel Sean Fall like is this are
these dollar amounts like are people electing to pay for PEG additionally now in communities and if so what does that look like? >> No part of subscription is part of subscription. I think my
understanding of this question was Um, everyone would have to pay this. It wouldn't be like an optin additional monthly 25 cents. Okay. >> To a dollar. >> So, it would be gauging the appetite for everybody to pay an additional
>> any thoughts on on this question. >> Are these realistic amounts for providing meaningful support to Ammeris Community TV? >> No, it's not. Um, yeah, that that's kind of the this was the the only real thing
that jumped out to me was like I don't what what are the we have the numbers of cable subscribers >> 2600 I believe it was roughly >> um >> yeah so do quick math >> uh no it's not that even at the very
highest end there um I'll be able to share this more in the next couple by by the June public hearing Um, but Ammeris Media is in a space where we're growing from approximately a 700K budget to 2 million over the next three years. Um,
so like every dollar is important, but this wouldn't be all that difficult. >> So just example, at the high end, if we kept 2,600 subscribers, that would be $2,600. When you're thinking about your budget, that's not >> Yeah. Assuming that cable doesn't take half of it.
>> Yeah. So, I guess the question is, do we um want to I don't know how likely this is or if it would be something that we would just be able to do in our contract or if it would have to be systemwide, but maybe we consider adjusting the the
dollar amount. This was specifically recommended, I think, from the attorney's um office. So, I think that's why we included it. >> And I maybe there's additional context there that we don't know. Paul, do you have any thoughts there? No. But but I think the number I I would put like one one five and $10 a month or something
like that. >> Did Did they give us that range? >> I took that range as a placeholder from some previous surveys. These are monthly amounts. Not that that makes a lot of difference, but >> um whatever 12 times
>> Yeah. >> 2600 is is still not very much money. Paul, if it's suggested and it's based on older surveys, they're all at least 10 year old surveys. So, I think like one to$10 range. >> Yeah, we can increase the range here.
It's a good idea. >> And we could also have that be a scale from one to 10 and ask people what they're willing to do and and see that way. So, >> okay. So, we'll we'll we'll work on that just a little bit. Um, and then we have
I think what what might be the Sorry. >> Yeah. Pause here. If we're talking about $5 per subscriber, that's like 50k. >> Yeah. I I was thinking per year, but I didn't see the monthly, but yeah, that makes sense. >> Yeah, that becomes significant. >> You'll take it.
All right. So, now we do kind of get into some of those more um there's a couple of demographic questions. Um we're asking what is their age range, how long they've lived in Ammerst. any any thoughts there?
One thing I think Rachel got me thinking when you talked about language access was is it worth asking a question of that nature here? Um, >> yeah. I wonder if just if just adding a question around are there
any is there anything you need that would make cable TV more accessible to you? Maybe that's the question. Uh >> a specific question >> and that can keep the we could have a list or we could keep
that open. >> Yeah, I like that. And that could either be a standalone question or maybe a a way that we phrase the future needs question and specifically highlight accessibility.
Okay. So then we've got some open-ended um questions here. Is there anything you'd like the cable TV advisory committee to know about your experience with cable TV in Ammerst? And then if you're not a current cable
subscriber, what would have to change for you to subscribe? I'll pause on those two kind of open-ended questions to see if there's any feedback. And Briana, you know that I I've proposed another question that
could come either before six or seven or at the very end uh about whether whether you'd be interested in uh a town-owned fiber optic internet service. And I I I've got I can read the text. I've sent
it to all of you. Uh, some local communities such as South Hadley, Leverett, West Springfield, and Chap have built or are building town-owned fiber optic internet services. Right now, Ammerst could not undertake such a project. But should the town's financial
situation make undertaking such a project feasible? Would you like Ammerst to explore this option? And answer yes or no. So, I uh I'll open it up for the for members and staff to contribute to that.
Uh I know that we've heard this question a few times now brought up when we're talking about the survey and I thought that you know the last few times we kind of said maybe it was out of our purview, but I will pause now that you've heard the text of the question to to see if there's feedback from from folks in the
room. Um yeah, I sort of still have the same opinion about the question. It's that on a on a technical level, it's certainly not within our purview, but it's on a practical level. I don't know much much how it how much it adds. Uh asking
people that uh if the town's financial situation, if the town can start affording it, would you like to have cable? It's a good thing to ask, I guess, but it have to be within to me in the context of all the other things that we want to have for the town, too. So,
it's not an an action doesn't seem to be an actionable item to me. Um, it's maybe good to know. I predict that the answer will be overwhelmingly positive, which is great to know that someday we might want to look at it, but um I don't know
that it gives us any actionable additional information. That's why I was cool to the idea. >> Thank you. And and I think uh maybe and maybe maybe there's some something else there from staff, but I think maybe that's not the only qualifier for whether or not the town would move
forward with exploring their own um being an internet provider is is the cost to the town. I think there's other more complicated, you know, nuanced variables there that wouldn't be be the only thing if we were financially able to do it. So, I'm of the mind that we we
don't divert into that territory. I think that's just I feel I feel comfortable with that, but I obviously would leave it up to the the rest of the members. Um, and maybe even Sean has some some thought on that. That's not really the only uh question whether or not we can afford it, right? It'd be
kind of a lot of other >> Yeah. So I I think the challenge is less a technical one, it's a financial one, but there's along with that there's a there's a requirement to to establish an organization in Massachusetts municipal
light plant. So it's it's my understanding of it and I may have more to add to this, but it's it's we have our water sewer transportation enterprise funds that are kind of supposed to be self- sustaining um for you know water revenue goes towards
water system. with this it's a separate entity vehicle within within Massachusetts that it's municipal light plant which is an enterprise fund I would say kind of on steroids then that is is um beyond that and a lot of
the other communities that have most the other communities that have successfully done this uh South Hadley Chabe um already had a an electric light department within in their town and this was kind of an add-on to um the electric
light. Other communities that have done it um the smaller communities, you know, Mount Washington, Massachusetts did it, but they didn't have Comcast or anybody to compete with um in doing it. So, if
Ammeris would were to do it, Ammeris would be competing with Comcast as well as Go Net Speed who's offering fiber service in town. So I I think it >> there there's a lot more to it, I guess, is is the the quick answer.
>> It's helpful. Yep. Paul, anything? >> Yeah. So, I mean, I think Sean's right. There's there's a lot of u I don't think you can use certain towns as examples because they don't really apply. If you've got a a light electric light plant that already has people fixing street lights and stuff, that's easier
to have. We don't have that. Um, and you know there the state has a huge initiative with called the wired west about linking up all the little towns. I would think that if you wanted to put a question like this on I would think it wouldn't it would just sort of be a a
generic question and not say financial just say on a rating given other town priorities how would you rate uh uh this in terms of a scale of 1 to 10 like little bit of interest a lot of interest must have and I think that might be a good way to do it. I would put it if you
were going to add it, I would add it at the end and have like optional question so it's like separate from your survey so people understand, oh, this is something else and I can answer it or not. >> Um, you know, I don't think it's a bad idea just to solicit the information. Um, but it, you know, again, I I don't
know what we do with it. Like there is suppose there's like 70% of the people would think maybe it's a good idea you to explore what do we do with that information. >> Yeah. Well, well, how about this >> that that I would entirely uh applaud
Paul's way of formulating the question if if that if if if he would find that useful information uh that the the the purpose of a question like this would be to provide information that might be useful to the town.
Well, why don't we include it in the stream streamlined version that Paul suggested and and we'll put it into the the next iteration which will be in the forms and we can just see how it feels when we go to test it and if if it feels like it's >> Does that sound good to you, Peter?
We'll take the spirit of >> Yes. Yes. Yeah. No, no, no. I I I entirely agree. My my my purpose in doing this is uh is is not to make trouble but to uh to to get useful information for Paul and his colleagues uh about
something that they might be interested in in in the future and the way Paul has reformulated makes very good sense to me. >> Okay, >> that's I just interrupt for a sec. So we have to leave in five minutes. Is there stuff you want to talk to Sam about before we
>> Yes, Sam. Thank you. So, we have the town's communication manager here who's been very helpful to this committee getting all of our um materials organized. So, thank you, Sam. The the group here, we had a public hearing last night, not very high public attendance
at all. We had one, let's just say that. We'll leave it at that. Um and we have the the next one coming up on June 10th, which I think you've already seen some things come through on. Um and the committee is interested to see if we can have some sort of promotion campaign and
you know we talked a little bit about um the normal paths maybe in the news press release um social media anything else that you can think of that would get the word out there. Beyond that we uh Rachel's going to put it up on Ammeris
Media as a commercial slide. Um and then we're going to outreach directly to school administration. So, any thoughts on there? Is that feasible? Anything else you can think of that might help us? >> Yeah. No, I think that all makes sense to do and I think there was just Yeah, it wasn't the timing to do it for this
most recent one, but I know for the next one, we'll have like the legal ad and the paper and then be able to do some other promotion. I'm wondering when you all expect the survey to be completed because it could sometimes it's makes sense to do a bigger push of like the
whole campaign because how many times do we want to explain to people what this committee does and what the purpose of it all is. So, if we are able to kind of do one big um announcement of like here's a survey and here's like an opportunity to come in person and have a conversation and learn more kind of like
both factors of it and and one big push to people. I think that makes more sense. But otherwise, yeah, we hadn't been able to promote the most recent one beyond just kind of adding it to our website and putting it out in our list of May events. So, I think the June one is like more planned out where we'll
have info and be able to push it out uh in all the ways that Briana mentioned. >> That's great. That's super helpful. And I think I think in a perfect world, that's where our communications brain went was to have those things tied so that could be a call to action. Um timing wise in the committee meeting
calendar, we may not be there. We don't come back together as a group as it stands now until after the next public hearing unless we decide to um find a different meeting or one of the dates that didn't work. So, what we'll do is I already have on my list to kind of
organize some of those things. I can send something over to you or we can meet and kind of handle some of those things and then we'll have to decide on whether the survey would be ready. I I agree that that is a good opportunity to catch people. But um we thought of a couple of other things that we might do
like putting a popup on the website for a certain period of time with the survey. And so some other things that we we could consider if if the town would allow us. So >> yeah, and I think the survey will probably have a further reach because it is a more accessible call to action than
people coming in person or online to a forum um or a hearing. So I think I'm confident the survey will definitely have a further reach that we'll be able to get um more yeah engagement with um than the hearings. I know hearings are just part of the process that you guys
have to go through. But also the slides that were shown at the hearing I think that will also be helpful in the promotion even of the survey. So we have some basic info to put out and like hear tell us your thoughts through the survey. So I think the survey is really going to be the best point to get the
engagement. Um, but we can definitely push out about the the hearing as well. >> Awesome. Thank you. We appreciate that. Well, we know you have to to head. So, thanks for stopping by. We appreciate that. All right. Anything else on survey
before we kind of take it back to the table. Uh, Fred and I are going to work on the the next iteration and I think Rachel's going to work on that future needs question. Anything else? Do do we have any thoughts about how the survey would be circulated? I mean, one
of the questions in my mind is whether it would be possible to circulate it by the internet since presumably by definition anyone who's a subscriber to Comcast television has an internet connection. Uh, and uh, but I I'm just
wondering whether something like that is feasible. I mean, Comcast presumably has an email address for every one of their subscribers. Uh, I don't know whether the town does. >> No, we wouldn't have direct uh contact email addresses. So, what will likely
happen is it will be an online survey um because there's no resources at this present time to have a paper or mailed survey. Um, so with that in mind, it will be an online survey. it will be distributed through the town's
communication channels. So, uh we're talking about social media. We're talking about um press releases and website. I can I have done this in other communities who have the same um website platform which have a popup message for
when somebody comes to the town's website, they'll be invited to take the survey and we could have that up for a period of time. Um, so most of the the distribution methods will be um those things as described unless we can do
some flyering like Rachel suggested. We could put a QR code to the survey. Um, so those are the other other methods as well as this group sharing it out to their networks. Uh, so that that will will kind of follow the path that the town has used and has available to them
for other types of um surveys. In an earlier conversation, there was some talk about having Comcast send out the survey with their bills. Uh, and now since Comcast, at least in my experience, now does much of its billing
online, uh, I don't think that would be feasible. But if if Comcast has a way of send if we if we were prepared or thought about asking Comcast to send something out with their bills, couldn't we ask Comcast to send it out to all
their amorous customers? >> I think the lawyer said that if they send out the survey, they make the question. >> Yeah, I think that they are planning to do a survey. I mean, we can certainly ask. I I don't know the the answer to that, but to but your idea is is great.
And what another thing and I didn't mention this on our list of what we can do and what I again in in my former capacity working for the town I have used our regular billing that goes out you know because it's already being paid for and there's a cost and and putting
an invitation into survey so that is something that we could explore if the town has a set of uh bills or mailings that are due to go out we could request that we kind of piggyback on that with uh with a insert for our survey to to
answer the survey online, not to mail the survey. >> What I was thinking is we could ask Comcast to uh without using bills. I think it's a cluji way of being able to do it, but asking Comcast to send a link
to the survey to all their subscribers. >> They'll probably say no, but I think we ought to ask. >> We can ask. I think it's >> Yeah. >> within our within our purview to to ask that. and we can um I can I can do that as a follow-up. Um I would send that to the town manager's
office and have them make that request. >> That'd be great. I mean, that would be that great in >> in in my experience of filling out surveys, the ones that I am most likely actually to fill out are the ones that pop up on my screen with a link to a
survey that I can do right then and there. uh rather than than a request to to go someplace to look for a survey. >> Yeah. Any distribution of the survey would be a direct link so that someone could could get it uh right away. Say
except for maybe anything that we had did on paper that was a QR code. So um in my experience sending many many municipal surveys in my career it's sometimes better to have like throw as many things as the wall as possible considering the the various
demographic and communication preferences of >> of people in any given community. So >> do under those circumstances Brianna do you have to worry about people completing the survey more than once? There are some settings that you can do um and we can explore what that is in in
forms. Um forms isn't as advanced survey tool as some of the other platforms um that I typically use, but there are settings within those types of platforms that allow you to limit >> uh responses from a particular IP address. The only problem is if we have
multiple people within a household, you know, you and and three other people living in your household, and we restrict responses, then we might not hear from people. Um, so there there's certainly ways. Again, I'll double check in forms. Okay. >> In in the more purpose-built survey
tools, you can restrict responses from certain parts of the world. Again, not a good good use in Ammerst because we, you know, being very aware of our analytics and web traffic, we often have people in Ammeris who are traveling. It's very international community.
They're answering surveys and joining meetings from from all over the world. So, there are some some settings like that. We just need to explore what we have available to us and whether or not it's >> uh restrictive. >> Thank you. The the other nice thing
about asking Comcast if they'll send the survey out at the same time, ask them if they're doing their own survey, which they they have the last two times we've done this. I know they have run their own survey. I imagine they will again, but I I don't >> because we'll want to have access to those responses, right, as part of our
review or >> Yeah, they've provided that to us in the past. I would imagine they will this time as well. >> I like that. Yeah. So, I I will ask the town manager's office about about that. um request and maybe it goes through KP Law, but that's a good idea. All right.
Anything else on survey before we uh move through the rest of the agenda? Um we already heard from Rachel on the update on the business plan. So, I don't think we have to pause on that any further. Any other updates on any of the
other ascertainment steps? I don't think so. Okay. Uh, next I'd like to just confirm our next and upcoming meeting occurrences. What this group talked about was today's meeting two weeks out would have been May 29th. Two weeks out
from there is June 12th. June 12th has been confirmed. Uh, the board members have said that that works for them. The space has been confirmed. There is a conflict on May 29th for both myself and Peter. So that's why that says to be determined. Uh I think love to hear from
the group but options include not meeting or picking a different date for that occurrence. >> Yeah, I think they what I'm hearing in general today is that we really need to get moving on this best that we got moving on the survey. not but we can guarantee that it'll be done by the
public hearing but um to the extent that we need a meeting in order to be able to I don't know alternate date I agree um so I guess I guess what we'd be doing is kind of similar to the last meeting where we went out of sequence um
would be looking at members calendars to see if not that date, what date in and around that date would would work. Um, given that it's our next potential meeting, um, it might be worth
us figuring that out now, if possible. >> From my point of view, earlier in that week, uh, would work. Uh, from the 28th on, I'm tied up. Uh but uh any of any
earlier day that week would would work for me. >> So that would be the 25th 26th >> 25th 26th or 27th. >> Well, I'll I'll further narrow that down for the for the group and say that I would only be able to do the 25th or the
26th. So take your time and to look at your calendars if you can. The 25th is Memorial Day or am I in the wrong one? >> Oh, is that Memorial Day? >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, >> yeah, >> even easier. The 26th.
>> Looks good for me. >> The 26th work works right now. And as was last night, sometimes school committee meetings get added on Tuesdays. Uh but I but I don't have a school committee meeting right now.
>> That's Tuesday, May 26th. >> Correct. Um >> good for me. >> Do we want to stick with our typical time of 11:30 or? Yeah. Sean, does that sound okay for you? You may not be here or
>> No, I'll be here the 26th. >> Okay. >> Yep. So, I'm going to propose then that we slot in Tuesday, May 26 at 11:30. Um, and I will work with the town to get a space reserved.
Um, again, we we are able to meet virtually if if people can't make it in to the office. So, I will get that figured out and posted. Um, and I think the primary piece on our agenda will be to really dig into the survey. Okay.
All right. So, moving on. Um, next would be the approval of minutes. Um, Fred gave us uh the copy of those draft minutes. So, thank you, Fred. If you weren't able to review them, I know I sent them probably later in the evening last night, and I don't imagine everyone
got a chance to read them. I will share them up on the screen now. Um, feel free to take a quick look and we can go ahead and vote to approve.
So, one moment here. Okay. So, here are the meetings from April 30th. Meeting minutes from April 30th. Um, anybody feel free to call out any things that need to be amended or I'll give you a second to review.
All right. Do people feel confident to be able to to vote to approve the minutes? Can I please have a motion? >> A motion to approve these minutes. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Yes. >> I
Okay, those minutes are approved and will be added to our uh agenda center for this committee. Any topics not anticipated by the chair 48 hours in advance of this meeting? Anything that anyone wants to bring up?
No. Peter. Okay. >> All right. Could I have a motion to adjurnn? >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Second. All right, we are adjourned as of 12:36
p.m. on Friday, May 15th. >> Thank you everybody. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Thank you, Brianna. Part: 2
Good afternoon everyone. Today is Friday, May 15th meeting of the elementary school building committee. And seeing that we have a quorum, I'm going to call the the meeting to order by calling out members as I see their
faces on my screen. Sean >> here. Holly, and you're gonna have to unmute. And just so people know, Holly has recently joined the town of Ammeris as our new procurement officer. So, she is
the replacement for Shawn. Mike >> present. >> Bruce >> here. >> Jonathan, we didn't hear you. If you said here, >> you can't hear me. >> Now you now you Paul
>> President and and Holly's a replacement for Simone, not Sean, even though she >> Did I say Sean? I meant to say Simone. I I I I misspoke. So, we have a a fairly simple agenda. It's a construction update and I'm assuming since he said he
would join us um uh an update on where we are from on the public percent for public art for art and he's the head of our public art commission invoices public comment and I don't have any things that weren't anticipated 24 hours
in advance and I'm just checking attendees. Um, I know Angela invited um him, Paul, but I see >> I'll email I'll email him. >> Okay. >> So, why don't we go ahead um with the
construction update >> and let me make sure I've done the share screen uh share setting. Okay, allow. >> All right, I got it. All right, we can see my screen the
presentation. >> Now we can. >> Perfect. So, a little bit different um presentation today. At the end, we'll go through the construction update uh as normal and then Cassenni is going to take over give us a update on CE and then we're going to take a look at the
um contingency summary that we put together as was requested uh at last month's meeting. I didn't check. Is Tim here? I'm here. I was just gonna ask if this was my cue. I'm sorry if I didn't take it seamlessly, but uh on the left is a
photo in the gymnasium. You can see the uh finished flooring on in stacks that is acclimatizing and that is about to be installed. And then at the very left uh below the windows, you can see the acoustic panels uh being installed above the concrete block and then the tracks
on the wall behind it are where those panels will continue. They are all going to be painted. So the sort of neutral color scheme that you see now will become much more colorful. Um and on the right is the kitchen equipment that is currently being installed. So uh we are
uh not far away from a fully installed kitchen. Uh here is one of the project areas on the third floor. Uh you can see that the mill work is nearly complete. Uh you're looking at the protective film on whiteboards that's in the project area. Um and they are in the process of
hanging the pendant lights. Um and uh finishing off the ceiling. Um the flooring is uh you know bright colors as we've seen throughout the design process, but it is all protected by uh protective paper here. And on the right, uh, oh, no, that's
fine. I was I had the gallery in the way. Uh, some of the roller shades are going in, so you can see that the sun control is there. Um, here are images of the media center. Uh, they are nearly complete with the mill work. You can see the uh colors at the
back of the shelving and the ceiling that is going in. um a few of the pendant lights uh but there are many more to be installed to finish the completion of this room. And what is not shown here are uh fabric wrapped acoustic panels above the green shelves
on the right and to the left that will again take what is currently a sort of neutral color palette and make it uh colorful like the renderings that we've been seeing all along. uh solar installation. Uh you can see the racks on the roof on the left. Uh
they're just starting to lay those out. And then the canopies um the ones that you're looking at on the right are the drop off loop closest to the camera. And then the four main canopies in the parking lot. And there's one more that is not shown at this point. The canopy
structures are almost entirely complete and they are starting to install the inverters and other electrical components that will eventually support the panels that will be put on top. Yep. So, that's it for the uh construction update this month. Next
site tour um Tuesday, June 30th, 3:30 p.m. So, please email me if you would like to attend. Um and then we'll jump into the queen update. I think actually before I talk about cork, I'll say that
the project continues to work toward a completion and turnover of a building on July 31st. Um, everything continues to be on schedule. Um, some of the big upcoming activities will be getting the
elevator installed, which we hope to see starting next week. We're um starting the process of commissioning. Um a lot of the mechanical systems are being started up starting last week. So a lot
of the the big deal things required to get this building turned over are currently underway or imminently starting. So that is all looking good. It's not without its daily challenges, but um everything is moving in the right
direction. Um the cork material has been delivered. Uh that is what you see on the left uh in the slide. Uh pallets and pallets of
cork and the binder material. They're now all neatly stored on site. The grading and site preparation around the playground is what you see on the right hand side is nearly complete.
Um and the contractor is timing the start of their installation very carefully around weather forecasts to make sure that they have optimal conditions for the stuff to go down. Um it is a little sensitive to things like
rain and temperature. Um so uh the contractor is handling that planning well. Um, one way or another, it's going to be installed imminently and within the next few weeks, we should start or by the next, I guess, building committee
meeting, we hope to uh be able to show you what it looks like in its just about completed state. Um, any questions on um construction status before we talk about the where we are
with contingency and change orders? Um, raise hands if anyone has any questions, comments. >> Anyone? >> Um, I Well, I I just have two. One is I did go on the tour last week or whenever
the last tour was, and it was really exciting. And what's amazing is how much more has happened since the last time. And then I just a very minor one. I love the fact that this first slide started with the color of an amethyst but changed the name to the Amethyst Brook
School. It's still Sud Fort River. >> We're happy to do that. >> You know, almost everything else has come in that way, but I'm I too am am often not remembering we've named the school. So, thank you very much. >> Any other the official project name
still says that in many places, so we will change it. So, um I'm just looking are there any other hands or comments on all of this? Okay, >> I will go on.
>> Thank you, Kathy. Um so um in the last meeting there was a request for us to present a summarized version of where we stand with contingency and what's been happening with change orders along the process. Uh
the general theme of the answer is that we are in very strong position. Um the amount of sort of traditional construction change orders on this project has been quite humble compared to many many other projects which speaks
highly to a quality of the design documents and to the quality of coordination between the design team and the contractor here CTA. Um our original contingency so this was
uh before bidding was set at 4.8 8 million. Um that was grown significantly, almost doubled by the bid savings um when we awarded the construction contract to CTA
uh bringing our total contingency to 9.4 almost $9.5 million. So that is the contingency budget against we measure but we're also uh are mindful of staying underneath the original contingency value um as much as possible
um construction change orders. So I mean so ju just to be clear uh many of the costs I'll be talking below they may have been awarded as change orders to uh CTA or other vendors as needed. what
we're calling construction change orders on the top line in gray is the you know traditional not you know not particularly outstanding um stuff um has been $669 uh,000
uh winter conditions and acceleration was a little bit more than that $688 now that is $1,000 now that is um the allowance values partially spent uh that were were a
result of the initial bid delay at the top of a project. Um the winter conditions part of that had been completely expanded um in a little bit of a run. Uh that number is included here. The acceleration allowance still
has uh money left in it around 150 130 something like that. Um and that is being spent judiciously. Um, but we do expect that it will all be spent in uh the fact that this project has been
running Saturdays and long work days just about every week since the project started. That is what's allowing us to meet the construction end date despite the something like 3 month delay at the top of a project. So that has been well
invested. um owner directed procurements for 5 improvements owner directed improvements for $57,000. Uh that is largely made up of uh the new
water man that um uh was presented at the time. Right? So replacing the existing water mane with a new one while while the opportunity existed um and buying a new traffic light and some
consulting services to support the net zero de delivery. Um and finally there were some minor soft cost adjustments, additional um investigations, design services, $23,000
um minor on the scale of it all. Um going back for a minute to the construction change orders, what was inside that number um is largely dominated by the PD structural change that had been previously discussed in in one of these meetings. Um there's a
maybe a $50,000 chunk and there's so that that was $450,000 of it. So basically three quarters of that number is that one issue. Um there was also a chunk of money there of about $47,000 for uh pre-purchased electrical gear
um and some additional uh construction um oversight and monitoring services especially around geotech and um geotechnical engineering and geothermal wells. all work that's completed. Um but
and the traditional change orders, you know, like things that are just, you know, adjustments and design and and delivery were um maybe an eighth of this number around $88,000.
The remaining contingency is $7.6 million. That is 80% of the contingency budget. Um and the graphic at the bottom um shows you in yellow what that value looks like, the remaining contingency
looks like on the scale of the contingency budget. >> Any questions? >> Uh Sean and then Bruce, >> I have um two questions. One and a comment. It does seem like it's an extremely low amount of change orders
for a project that's nearly $und00 million. So echo what you said Cassenia that's amazing how low we are um you know I would expect it to be you know four or 5% in that range or something like that and being this low is great um especially since many much of it is
things that we opted for not not surprises in the design um at this point to my two questions are at this point in the project I assume it's unlikely we would get hit with any large surprises that would result in in new change orders and then my other question is
um first question is it unlikely and then uh the second question is is there still possibility for additional savings in budget lines for the project that are not contingency like reimburseables um moving expenses things like that? Are there other budget lines that could still even contribute more savings to
the project or are we anticipating those will be sort of fully spent out? The likelihood of additional future change orders is I would say in not extraordinarily different than it's
been to date, right? And to date the change orders that have materialized have been fairly humble. Um the and the opportunity in time for things to occur has now
narrowed to just a few months. Right? So I would say that uh while we do not have a crystal ball uh we don't see a reason for things to progress differently than they've been progressing. So that's on that question and regarding additional
savings. So we plan for and continuously on a monthly cyclical basis monitor each line item in the budget for how much money remains uncommitted or what um uh deductions and savings may need to be
taken. There are some line items that we are tracking as a potential future savings that may contribute here. Um the moving services itself is not going to be a source of that. Um, but there are other things that w will be that way.
It's a little too soon to call them official. Um, but we're tracking them and will be making those moves um and the commitments uh probably closer to August.
>> Thank you, >> Bruce. Um just for clarification here uh do I correctly understand that this is a construction contingency and that there is an owner's contingency on the which
the sum of the two would be called a project contingency which is the total um in other words uh is there also an owner's contingency and uh would we look at the same kind of analysis of how that's been committed which is obviously
not the well It's probably something Cassenia that you would look at as well. But I'm >> This is the total of a two. >> This is the total of the two. So um then the question is uh and since I've missed the last meeting and have been out of the country and completely distracted by
something that's been really wonderful that happened with me in the last month or so. But so I have had no no bandwidth for this at all for a month or more. Um, I don't know what happened with our uh proposed uh uh proposed uh
to to commit an additional enhanced uh supplementary whatever we want to call it uh commissioning. And we were looking at a number that I'm guessing might be around 50 or $60,000. And uh the question is did we make that
commitment? Have we yet? Are we intending to? And if so, is it in this number somewhere in this analysis somewhere? It is not committed yet. Therefore, it is not yet in this number. This number reflects only those change orders that are already executed and it
does not include any commitments that are still in review, negotiation and pending. >> Okay. >> Um the the the the commitment to bring on the enhanced commissioning support for that especially for that first year
of building operation is still marching forward. Um it'll probably be they'll probably be brought in um as an amendment to one of the existing consultant contracts, possibly ours. Um
and uh it will show up likely in the next month or two as part of it. >> But it certainly looks like uh we are we have the resources to make that commitment and I think as I and others said at the meeting two months ago, it seemed like a very good uh use of money.
So we have the money. I hope we all use it for that purpose or some some small fraction of that 7.6 six that's remaining in the contingency seems like a very good use to add a little bit more to the uh down uh to the to the expens
expend allocation to that commission to that contingency >> that is the current plan >> and I echo Sean's observations it is rather extraordinarily uh uh strong indication of solid construction
management and solid uh documents and solid communications uh between the various parties involved, all of which seem to have been responsible for this so far very good outcome.
>> Thank you for pulling this together, Cassenya. Um and uh once we get the final winter condition acceleration number, you know, a year or so from now, I think we should send a note to the state what three months delay cost us.
That's my comment on this. >> Uh one thing to add, thinking more about Sean's question, um phase two of a project is coming up in the fall, right? that is um abating the existing building
which you know there's been testing to find what needs abaded but there's also always some things that are maybe hidden behind walls or inside structures so there's some risk to additional work there um and then you know removing the building that part
should not have any surprises um and then constructing the field which whenever you're working with soils uh can have some surprises, but since we're not, you know, placing foundations or anything like that, it's just primarily working with the surface of the soil, um
should be very moderate in in terms of risk, but um definitely will not be ready to call contingencies all tied out when the building is being turned over. >> Thank you. >> Not until final completion.
>> Thank you. So >> probably >> any other questions or comments? Not seeing any. Um again, thank you very much. And you will as always send this all to us and
we'll post it after the meeting. So I want to welcome Tom Warner Warder um who is chair of the public art uh is it a commission a council? What do we commission? and they're the group
focusing on the percent for art for the building and we've invited him here basically to do an update not not to say where it's going to go or what it's going to be. So Tom, welcome and thank you for being patient last time and being willing to come back a second time
when we ran out of time for you. You you're you're ready to speak and you're just going to have to unmute so we can hear you. >> Okay. All right. Um, I have a few slides if I can share those.
>> Yes, it's we've turned sharing on so you should be able to >> if you know how to share. >> Okay. Is that visible? >> Yes. >> Okay. Um, so I think I just I just have five slides. Um we've divided the for
this presentation divided the whole thing up into uh four project phases but I want to start by just giving a a twominut overview of what the uh the bylaw
uh providing for the percent for art uh is and this is the first project that the town is doing under this bylaw. Uh uh basically what it provides for is
that on a town project um where the town's share of the cost uh is a million dollars or greater. 1 half of 1%
of that cost is set aside to fund a public art project. Uh there are uh only a handful of uh
strict requirements in the bylaw. The artwork must be uh associated with and colllocated with the project itself. In other words, we can't put the public artwork across
the road on the uh um you know the East Ammeris Commons or or anything like that. Um the funding applies only to this project.
Um there is a requirement to set up um uh an art jury committee uh to conduct the you know that phase of the um the the
solicitation and evaluation uh of of uh potential projects. Um we everything reports through the town manager. Um
and uh we have I think there there is no strict uh timeline on when the project needs to be completed which is relevant here because
obviously we're not going to uh complete this phase of of things the the art project until well after the the school is open and um and in use. the the bylaw itself is available on the
on the town website for anybody who'd like to take a closer look at it. So now I'll step through the step through the the phases of the project. Um so first phase here which we are
looking at as being through this uh spring and summer is to get the various major players in place and they include the public art uh commission and two of
the won't get ahead of us there. The public art commission's role in this really is to set up the process, oversee the process, not specifically, not primarily
to um make the choice on what artwork eventually gets built here. So, um again, we're making this up as we go because we have the we have the bylaw and we have the fact that this is the first time through. So, we're trying to
operationalize this as as we go. Um, the art jury committee that I mentioned is what is uh the the main item here in the middle of this slide. It's it's called in the bylaw percent
for art advisory committee and uh it calls for a range of representation and and um the commission working with the town manager has come up with this um compos
composition for the committee. So, the two members of the public art commission will serve on this committee. And incidentally, it appears that both in all likelihood both of those are going to be uh
Amethyst uh Brook parents. Um there'll be one representation from the school building committee. uh two art professionals which is term of art in itself meaning
either artists or museum um professionals or art gallery professionals people working in the art in the art field arts field um one
elementary school art teacher and one uh high school student so that would make up that art jury committee. And then the last uh player here would
be a project manager. And this would be a professional who has managed large public art projects and would shepherd this through um everything from the
um specifications through the final um final implementation. Okay. Second phase specifications. So site options, where on the school property?
Um will this artwork go? Uh what kind of artwork are we looking for? Both type of form of art. Um is it going to be a sculpture? Is it going to be something else?
Um and uh what if any theme are we going to set for it? Uh so that's that's I think one of the big the big steps coming up and uh it's going to take some some really careful
careful deliberation. Also going to have to work on the budget for the project. The budget total by the percent for art allocation is $250,000. that needs to cover all expenses
including that project manager. Um including for example um expenses associated with soliciting um
final proposals proposals from finalist artists for comparison. It's typical in these projects to put out a two-phase RFP. One is a call for design
uh design uh ideas and the second would be for a detailed proposal including budgets, timeline, etc. But any of the expenses associated with the project have to come out of that
that budget. Um that budget will be made um you know obviously uh through the uh the appropriate uh town um departments and bodies. That's not
something that uh we make up by committee here. timeline of the project uh is together another important uh specification we need all to have for this for this and then we finally get to
a call the RFP that we publish a call for artists here and where and how that gets disseminated is part of what we look to an experienced uh project manager for
this kind of thing to to assist with uh phase three se uh solicitation and selection. So this would be um starting winter 2627 running through into the
summer. So we would put out that call. There'd be review of the returns that come come in a narrowing of the field. Uh the bylaw does call for uh public presentation of the finalists
which we will do and then we come down to a decision on which project which artist get uh gets awarded uh the contract and uh so that decision eventually is
made by the town manager. The flow here would be that the art jury, the advisory committee would report to um the public art commission on this and that we would
certify and hand off to the town manager the recommendation. Fourth uh phase here would be the actual fabrication of the artwork, its installation and public dedication
for it. So that's a that's an overview of the process as we see it, as we've made it up. And be pleased to take any questions that people have about it. Hey, if you if you stop sharing, I see
Mike's hand is up. Go ahead, Mike. If you stop sharing, then we I can see the faces. >> Okay. >> Hi, Tom. Um, yeah, that all sounds great. I uh just wanted to um check in about what kind of um collaboration you
expect there's going to be between like uh the the panel and um the school. Like I know there are two art teachers that will be involved, but far as like location or any maintenance that's going to be required potentially want to make
sure that we're going to collaborate. Um >> yes decisions. >> Yes. Yes. There's quite a bit actually to do there. Um so we have to for example we have to
know which spaces on the site um people have thought about uh during the project. Those of you who are, you know, familiar with this, uh, we the we've we've seen the the the
plans and the, uh, you know, the video rendering of it, but, uh, don't really have a good feel for, um, you know, for for what it actually looks like on on the ground. So, we we're
going to need quite a bit of uh, input on that. Um there will be a lot of needs and opportunities to talk with you know people from the school um
you know with this with this committee uh with the architects and uh very importantly also with the town departments uh too. So um there's going to have to be a lot. We're not just going to run
this out of some committee room. >> Okay, Greg. Thank you, >> Sean. >> Tom, I I apologize if you um said this already, but maybe you can clarify. Is it is it a competitive process to select who will do whatever they're going to do there?
>> Yes, very very much. Very much. >> So, you'll get proposals and then there'll be a committee to rank them and and Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah. And we're expecting, just as a tag on that, we're expecting that given the size of this project
and the amount of money involved that it should it should really bring in some some prime prime artists and and proposals. >> Yeah. So, Tom, what I would suggest is when you feel like you're farther along, um, looping in Holly, our procurement
officer, to um, you know, she can help be supportive to the process. >> Yes. Very definitely. Thank you. And we're also mindful that uh you know that there there are rules and regulations for how you do these things and uh so we
we want to be very careful about that and everything that gets decided, everything that gets publicized, every decision that gets made is a town decision. >> Kathy, can I ask one other question? >> Absolutely. And then I I I have a couple as well. So go ahead, Sean.
>> And this may be more for Tim or Cassenya, I I is do you know if if this part of the project is sort of within the scope of what we've contracted with you all for or is this sort of separate and
standalone from the building and if you don't know we can talk about it later too. I'd like to get back to you on that if you you wouldn't mind, but I will say that the space for and Tim will can speak better to the spaces that have been dedicated in the building
to this would absolutely considered as part of the design and that the team that's here is certainly able to assist. >> Okay. Thank you. >> It looked like Tim had an answer comment too. Tim, >> uh, I was going to say that it the work
outside of the building on site is not part of the project and we don't have specific areas dedicated to the art. We did speak to Tom and just go through where we think it would be appropriate and, you know, to a greater or lesser degree. And then I would also add that,
you know, once the school is in use, Allison, Mike, and you can see how it's being used, I'm sure that will certainly influence uh the decision that is made is where things are most appropriate. So, uh that's a long way of saying uh the actual work that is being discussed
here is not part of the project. And we've made recommendations and had discussions, but uh in no way directed where the art should go. >> Okay. Thank you. So I I have it may be just one question but maybe there are two parts to it. Have you considered
um breaking up the once you figure out what the management costs are and so you know what you can spend on the art and the installation. Have you considered breaking it up and saying uh we're interested and I'm just throwing out
some numbers. were interested in projects that cost $50,000 or less or that cost 75 or less or 100 or the whole thing. So, in other words, you could buy two or three or one
um you know, some combination of that. Um, and I'm I'm asking that because um depending on whether it's uh ceramic tile mural that goes on a wall or a sculpture and then or
um as I've looked around elementary schools, uh the schools have put in artwork that kids can use like animals they can crawl on um you know things they can go in and out of. So it's it's art but it's also Oh you so you might
might want to have a mix. So have you thought of that and do you have any uh have you come to any conclusions? >> Okay. um have not come to conclusions, but yes, we have thought of that and we did find um an example of where a school
district uh did that and they so they put out uh an RFP that um was of that nature. I was say maybe menu
like that, you know, you know, we we I think the wording was something like that they reserve the the possibility to make multiple awards in the different
cost categories that they they set out. Uh we we liked that idea when we looked at it in the commission and we I would say related to that was an interest that
it might not be just a single piece of art of artwork. It might be in several pieces, several art forms in several places.
And uh that that that was certainly a uh you know sort of a creative avenue that that we liked. >> Okay. And you would you would make that decision once you've set up this uh the art the committee the advisory
committee. So that would be a discussion among >> Yes. Yes. It would need to be done at uh at that phase overall. Obviously, we would not put ourselves in a position where we solicited
um just one, you know, big bang proposal and then decid and then came back and said, "Well, we're changing our minds and you know, >> no, I just and then on the composition of the committee, um I actually like it, but I'm wondering what the thought went
into why one high school student um uh you know, and there are two art teach you know why not uh what so why the why the one high school student there are two art teachers one at Crocker one and you know why not two art teachers it's
it's a question rather than um >> well um I'll bounce that that question to Paul on the on the um make a sub question of that which is uh you know to to what extent in his mind
is the exact composition on this set, but I'll say that we did agree and and and still think that the commission that that committee uh should be of a manageable size and so we kind of you
know it's kind of compromised that way. So I don't think there was any principled discussion that related that resulted in one high school student being there. It just seemed to be a good idea. >> No, I I thought seven was a good number.
So Paul, I it just it was a question. Not even that I don't think it's a good idea. It was a question. >> Yeah. I you know, we really like the idea of getting high school students involved in decisions like this and participating. They're the ones closest to the elementary school age. actually they might see what resonates with with
younger people >> and it's also a terrific experience uh for high school students. So we whenever we can we try to include them on key things and this one is particularly relevant to high school students so that we thought the value was there for that. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. AL pardon me go ahead Kathy. >> No no I would agree with that. You know I think it makes sense. >> Yeah. We I would also note that the the high school has filled itself with public art too. So the students have lived that that experience al
themselves. >> Yeah. If if anyone hasn't seen it, some of the hallways have amazing artwork on them, you know. So any other questions? Um, and I guess my other thinking in the composition,
Paul, is there's one person from the this committee and at least the council process has been to talk amongst ourselves on who might want to do it and if more than one, we vote on the person. Would that be how you would think we would do that? >> Yeah, typically I go to the chair and
say, who from your committee would you like to sit on this committee and let you figure out how to handle that? >> Okay. And so that could potentially um remind me Cassenia, when is the June meeting? >> I just needed I'm going out of the
country, but I just want to know when June is. >> Just a second checking. >> That's 12. June 12th. >> Okay, that's okay. So, um, potentially we'll put that on the agenda for June 12th for people to think about whether
they would want to be on the committee and if there's more than one person, uh, we'll just vote vote a person. Um, so that we'll just we'll give you the name Paul and for as you're putting it together. So, thank you very much. Um that was a
terrific presentation and it it lays out a a process and a structure. So thank you Tom and thank you for your patience >> and thank you everyone. Next. Next up are invoices. You have the presentation.
>> Yep. >> I can. So, I assume everyone can. >> Yep. First, we'll take a look at the uh cash flow where we are this month through the end of April.
And we still have our contingency sitting over here, which you know make a lot more sense uh after our presentation that we had today. You'll notice it shows a little bit lower than um what's on the presentation we presented. And that's because we take
a portion of it and spread it through the remaining months just at as far as the forecasting feature to put the cash flow together. But it uh it is the same numbers used. So you might notice that a little bit difference. But scrolling down to the invoice package.
We have one invoice from uh Asentra Answer Advisory this month for $71,132.50. We have uh one from Disco for that 65,000. The requisition from CTA Construction this month is $3,184,24021.
That's 4% of their contract overall, bringing out the 79% complete. For Allied, we have two invoices this month. one for $2,53 and one for $6,723. We have our first invoice from Alaska Landscaping.
Um, and they're overseeing the Corkin installation, and that first invoice is for $109,132.20, 24% of their contract overall. >> And Yep. Um, you've gota with a K is with a T, right? T for Tom. Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> Is a local um contractor that is that as under their contract as a subcontractor has um the installer certified by Core Keen and those uh that crew is traveling
in from Texas to do this installation. But it is managed and supported by the local company that is getting training some process. >> Yep. And um so just like we uh keep 5%
retainage on um with CTA bills, we're doing the same thing with Masta. So you can see we have more retainage way over here that we're holding. On the right, we have uh one invoice this month from Salis O'Brien who uh is doing the
envelope testing. This was for uh roof scanning that they did. This is for $3,750. It's 6% of their contract overall, bring them up to 22% complete. And then we have two invoices from Advanced System Integrators.
The first of which is for $13,78.80 and the second is for $84,637.84. So, moving on to the backup. Zoom back in. Sorry. cover page for the answer invoice is $71,132.50. And moving on to the backup,
which is always a good time to pop in with any questions. Moving on to the Niscoco invoice for the 65,000 DTA's requisition this month for 3,184,24021 and the summary page for that column E
completed this period and we No stored materials this month. So that column is empty. The requisition for Masta for the $19,132.30 and a similar summary that we have for
them. column E uh work completed this period and column F store materials. As you can see, the main portion of this so far is just store materials.
Moving on to the first Allied invoice for the $2,53 and the second Allied invoice for the $6,723. Most of which is from this window test here that was performed on uh April
13th. Moving on to the Salis O'Brien invoice for the IR roof scan. Top line here, $3,750. And to the first uh ASI invoice for more equipment, $84,637.84.
was 84 cents >> and that's the network equipment um but in internet infrastructure for the building >> and their second invoice for $13,78.80. So unless there's any questions that
completes our presentation and as always we pre-review these invoices and recommend them for your approval. Thank you, Connor. And if you can take it down, um I'm going to uh and first ask if there are any questions or
comments. And then I will make a recommendation uh to uh approve the invoices as presented. Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> Okay. Jonathan second. Any questions on
it? And and again, thank you the way for the way these are organized. So I will put it to a vote. Kathy is a yes. Michael, >> yes. >> Bruce, >> yes. >> Paul, >> yes.
>> Jonathan, >> yes. >> Holly, we can't hear you. Holly, >> I'll go to Sean. >> Yes. >> Okay. So, one. So, it may be her mic isn't working.
>> Kathy. >> Kathy, we need the vote because it's a corum. >> I'll go uh I'll go get her. I think she's just having trouble with her mic. Hold on one second. >> Yeah, I know. Bruce, I was going to wait a second to see if >> we have a major We have a majority
voting approval. Got it. >> Now, can you hear me? >> Yes. >> Her mic her mic is hooked up. >> Sorry. >> Okay. So, I'm just asking we're taking a vote to approve the invoices as presented.
And so, you need to either vote yes or no. And you need to unmute so we can hear you. Sorry to put you on the spot. And you're still there. You're unmuted. >> Okay. Yes.
>> Okay. Thank you. It's it's it's unanimous with a minor technical glitch. Um uh if I don't see any other screens, I'm going to open it to public comments
as the last piece on our agenda. So, if uh if anyone in the public would like to uh make a comment, now is the time to raise your hand. And for some reason,
okay, there's my we have one attendee. And I'm not seeing the hand go up. So we we are um ready to adjourn and just reminding everyone that the next meeting is June 12th and I believe everyone has holds on their calendars
and Connor has told us about the next site visit on June 30th and get him your name. Um I'm not know I I know the last time around we also involved teachers and some staff. Um so and asked if
people had already seen it and didn't need an update not to attend and Paul has put out the word every time to the council as well. Um but it's really getting to the point where you can see what the room's like like so it's quite exciting.
So with that said I make a motion to adjurnn. Is there a second? Bruce seconds with his hand up. So, we're going to take that. Kathy is a yes. Mike, >> yes. >> Bruce, >> yes. >> Jonathan, >> yes.
>> Sean, >> yes. >> Paul, >> yes. >> Holly, >> yes. >> It's unanimous. Thank you very much and enjoy the weekend and the rest of Friday. >> Bye. >> Bye. Have a good weekend. >> We are adjourned.