Um we are calling the meeting of the Chs Parker School Building Committee to order. Um we are being recorded um locally and also being recorded by Cha Tele media for tonight's viewing as well as future viewings. So the meeting is
called to order. And um before we start tonight um just because we have some new guests here, our our architects are are here and I think uh it might be appropriate to just kind of go around the table and everybody introduce themselves so that everybody has a little bit of familiarity as we start to
go through the meeting. So if you would all oblige me, we'll start with uh Dennis. Yeah. My name is Dennis King. I'm on the ch school committee. Paul Cohen, chair of town manager. Bernie Kelly, president. Uh Tim Powderley, permanent building committee chairman.
Vivian Merrill, recording secretary. Matt Schwitzer, facility manager, DPW. And I'm Troy Randall, partner AI3 Architects. I'm Julie Rivera. I'm a senior associate with AI3. Chanaldo, left field owners project
manager. David Sandon, left field. Josh Black. I'm the principal of the Parker Middle School. John Souza, town finance director. Joanna Johnson Collins, school finance director. Brian Curley, school facilities.
Christine Clancy, DPW director. Jim Clancy, finance committee chair. Hey, Jay Lang, the superintendent. And Pat Maloney, um, chair of this committee and member of the Township Select Board. Okay, having gotten through the formalities, um, we'll go to
approval of meeting minutes. and I uh sent out the meeting minutes from August 21st. Any uh comments or questions or anything else regarding the meeting minutes? Seeing none, I'll entertain a motion to
approve the meeting minutes of um August 21st. I make a motion to approve the minutes of our meeting on August 21st, 2025. I have a motion from Dennis King and I have a second. Second from Brandon Kelly. Uh any further discussion? Seeing
none, all in favor? I That's unanimous. Thank you. Okay. Um, next item on the agenda is approval of monthly invoices. And I'll turn it over to David to go ahead. Thank you, Pat. Um, so Hindi sent out a uh a packet
ahead of the meeting. Obviously within the packet is um just a a left field budget uh snapshot and uh we have um one invoice from left field um same value as last month $13,96
and we would be looking for someone to move a motion forward. Okay. All right. Any uh questions on David's statement? Seeing none, I'll entertain a motion for the approval of uh the uh September invoice.
Make a motion to approve the payment of $13,96 to left field for OPM services for August 2025. Okay, we have a motion from Dennis King. Can I uh a second? Second. Second from Brandon Kelly. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? I
opposed. That's unanimous. Okay. Thank you, David. Uh the next item up up for bid is review and approval of designer contract. All right. This is what we're here for tonight. Yeah. Um so, uh as you know, I've been you
know, we have been keeping the uh the committee informed about the whole designer selection process uh as we move through it with the MSBA. So, um I sent an email out uh giving an update of the DSP interviews and kind of the outcome.
Uh that was uh held on September 9th. And then uh right after that, Left Field and AI3 immediately started to uh coordinate the forms, exhibits, uh re reviewed uh the proposed fee structure. Uh we met with Paul Cohen, I think on a
Thursday, and then uh Pat, you and I spoke on Friday. Thursday or Friday. Yeah. and we reconnected again, you and I, on Monday. Yep. Uh and then I think Monday night, I um sent out a codified document. It's probably about 380 pages. I did bookmark
it. I hope you know someone clicked it, moved it around, but um I did provide within that email basically a summary. And on the screen you'll see that um you know um that basic services for AI3 is a
million dollars. That is a lump sum. that is uh services that are really uh quantified. It's basically to get through the MSBA process, you know, and and there's a litany of deliverables and they're all known. Um and then there's
$248,000 of I title it uh designer specialty consultants which vary from project to project and you have to look at that as just one big allowance. Uh whatever is not used is returned back to the owner.
Um, so their total contract would be $1,248,000. Um, so if I go back, this is what the budget is today. And here you'll see that, you know, we started with 1.8. We have budget
revisions. We're still at 1.8. Okay. Um and then if there's no questions, I would entertain a motion that I have prepared um on the screen. I make a motion that Parker School
Parker Middle School Building Committee vote to recommend that the select board approve the designer contract with AI3 Architects to be modif,000, which includes $248,000 as an allowance for additional consultants services specific to the project. Okay, we have a
motion from Dennis King. Um, can I have a second? Second. Second from Tim Hardley. Um, any further discussion? Seeing none, that motion just cuz I didn't catch that at all.
Absolutely. You are fantastic. Thank you. Um, all in favor? I opposed. That's unanimous. Thank you all. Okay, introduction to AI3 is next.
Yeah, at this point I'm gonna pass it over to Julie. Great. Well, thank thank you all very much. Um we are super psyched and uh I don't know
if anyone uh saw or or heard um of the presentations but uh we have we've been tracking this project for about a year. So we are s super psyched to be here and part of this process part of um uh creating something special for uh
Charlesford. And uh we're going to go through just a couple of things tonight to um first to give you a snapshot of us um as a firm and a snapshot of the presentation uh to the designer selection panel. We'll keep it brief,
five or 10 minutes, and then uh we'll get into the second part, which is looking at the next uh 90 days and how that uh what that looks like from a big picture standpoint, how it uh blends into the MSBA
uh process and some of the major components relative to uh that process and what we will be um guiding you through in the next um the next year. uh essentially. And um I'm going to turn it over to Julie. She'll go through uh the
slides and the presentation. Sure. Yep. So Troy and I are here tonight. I think throughout this process, you'll probably see other members from our team coming in as well as our consultant teams. But as an intro to AI3, if there's one takeaway, it's
that we design for enhanced learning and it's a 100% focus on education. So, we've been solely focused on education since the beginning of the firm. Um, and so we schools are what we do. Um, and
that includes 28 middle schools over the 26 year life of the firm. Um, and you know, we're lucky to have partnered with over 45 districts and now entering Chelse. So, every time it's a new partnership, it's really exciting. And
over 110 education projects and growing. So anything from early education through high school. That also includes TV studios within schools. We know Chumsford Teleia has partnered with Parker Middle School and we've worked with over a dozen other
districts that have integrated TV studios or local access TV studios as part of the education program within the schools. U most recently being in Whitman, Mass. Whitman Middle School has incorporated a TV studio. So definitely something that we're seeing in middle
school curriculums. Part of our educational philosophy is incorporating wellness. So it's really important that when the students and staff are spending so much time in the schools that we want to make it a place that feels warm and inviting and that's
everything from the selection of materials. So making sure that those are healthy to just making sure that there's also a lot of natural daylight and something that feels like it has a strong connection to the outdoors. So we think that um it our philosophy
would actually integrate really well with a lot of the initiatives that wellness chsford has already incorporated. Look forward to exploring that more. Um, additionally, you know, safety and security, of course, a component with wellness and we have our own in-house
security technology specialists and team. Um, really run by one of our principles who does have a military background. Um, so that in partnership with the Edward Davis company who will be the security consultant for this project and they participated with us in
front of the DSP panel. um we'll be able to incorporate those active and passive security strategies to give the students and the staff and really the school district that feeling of safety and security in your school project. We know budget will be a factor. Um so
we do have a consistent cost control process throughout design. That includes really scrutinizing the cost estimates as they come in, seeing where we can make some edits, constantly evaluating our design process in pursuit of really
that most efficient product. Um, and that tends to yield bids that do come in under budget. So, five most recent schools all trending under, you know, million dollars under budget at a minimum. most recently that Whitman
Middle School again coming in um greater than $15 million under budget. So really due to just our consistent cost control strategies throughout design and really continuing that into construction too with very minimal change orders.
The beginning of this process will include a lot of community engagement visioning sessions. So for us it'll be a lot of information gathering directly from the stakeholders, your community members, local business members,
seniors, students, parents. Um we will entertain opportunities to have these community input and listening sessions so we can hear directly from them. We know that a lot of that has occurred already and we've watched those um
tapes, we've read the reports. So we want to be able to come in and not delay the process. We want to be able to just synthesize and move this further without much more delay. And a lot of that will start with some just gaining inspiration and excitement
from the community about projects. So here we have a series of our recently completed schools and we'll use this throughout the process um as we communicate with the community just to keep them excited and thinking about the possibilities. So this is Kennedy Middle
School in NIC. We have a couple photos. Um, exciting kind of more modern classroom where the students have the ability to pull their desks right up to these huddle stations, working groups, chcast right to um the other screens.
Beverly Middle School. This is the media center. Um, they also had these resource rooms in between classrooms to allow students to break out, work in smaller groups while still having that visibility to the general classroom.
And then elementary school experience too. We recently completed three elementary schools in Watertown um that have achieved two of which are net zero energy. Um but really these incorporating a lot of fun textures and colors and zones and natural daylight.
Um and that includes outdoor spaces too. So a lot of gardening programs. And then a high school that we thought this could be, you know, a fit for Chumsford to where um in this one in particular, it's using some reclaimed
materials from local mills as part of this is Dery High School in Fall River. So just connecting back to that character of Fall River, but ultimately it'll be your school, your look. So, we don't have any
specific design aesthetic. That will really come from the more that we learn about the community and hearing from this committee and also budget budget um influences and your energy influences. And so, we'll take all of that into
consideration. Part of the interview, we also recognized that there is a rich history in Chsford. um one of which does encompass a lot of themes of innovation. So that's something too that we we're
excited to continue to explore and kind of carry through the design process um the design process for the next you know 50 plus years for this building. So brief overview of this first phase.
Um the MSBA has a series of modules as I'm sure you're all aware. Um the first phase encompasses modules three and four. And so we've broken that down into steps with the first step being the preliminary design program or the PDP.
Um and as David alluded to, this MSBA process does require a lot of rigorous report development. So each of these will require a full report that will have all of the information that we've gathered and input from community and
the existing conditions reports. Um so at the end of each step, you'll be handed at least a very comprehensive report that we can continue to refer back to as as the process continues. These dates are our targets at present.
Um these have been informed by left field schedule and then some continued conversation um with our first target being um sort of end of January, January 22nd for the PDP report followed by in the springtime um April 29th for the
schematic report which will be when you're able to sort of select from a series of conceptual options that we can move one forward into step three which would be schematic design. Um and then we are looking at the opportunity to um
accelerate the process and within that step. So we do have the option of hitting either an October date or if the committee is more comfortable with a December submission for that we can do that as well. So we have some flexibility there.
And there are always two months gap between submission and board date. Yes. So, we have the um MSBA board dates identified here. Um to HumDy's point, it is important that those dates coincide with a enough lead time for the MSBA
board of directors to review the submission. And so, they require like two months prior um to get onto their agenda for that upcoming board meeting. And then our last slide goes into more
detail on this first phase, that PDP phase. So we targeted the first 90 days. We always identify the first 90 days as a really critical period and that will encompass a lot of information gathering with the main sort of pots of
information falling into these five um headings right here. And a big component of that will start as soon as possible with the implementation of our visioning and programming sessions. So that'll be when we are able to meet with staff and
community members pretty early on to start to understand what are the visions for this school project. Um we'll make sure that we are hosting those community input sessions. So we're targeting at least one per month October, November,
December to keep the community for informed. And then all that information will allow us to start to generate a space summary. And that's essentially like the ingredients that will eventually go into a school project. That helps us know the anticipated size
for that project, which will also help us determine, you know, what would potentially be the cost of a project like that. Simultaneously, we'll we will be in the school buildings evaluating the architectural integrity. We'll also have our consultant teams doing that as
well as it relates to their trades structure MEP um site and civil. So we'll all be on site over the next month or so um evaluating the existing conditions and then we'll also be accumulating information on to inform
our um grade configuration grade configuration analysis. So we know there are three enrollments to explore. What we are hoping to achieve in this first phase is that the committee would be able to come to a determination on
the grade configuration um within this first phase. in January. Um that would require school committee buyin as well as the this school building committee buyin. Um and that would help in the evaluation of all of the options as we
move into the subsequent phases. Um and then we will also make sure that as a part of the evaluation of those options that the committee feels like they're equipped with the information they need. You guys need to make that determination. One of which is, I'm
sure, cost. So, we will have preliminary cost um estimates associated with um those enrollments that are informed by the space summary and the projected size of the school project. So, that is a lot to work through over
the next four months. Um, but we are excited to already have coordinated with Superintendent Lang earlier this week to at least get an initial kind of launch for the visioning session scheduled. Um, so that will be next Tuesday. I think
we're targeting um a a launch or a kickoff for the visioning with at least a preliminary core leadership group. Um, and that was everything we had for tonight. happy to take
David. Anything to add? Questions? Um, fastening your seat belt. Well, I will tell you that uh I think I can speak for everybody. We're all excited to finally be at this point where we can uh get to work and uh have
some meaningful meetings. So, uh and I think you'll find that this group is very uh astute and uh willing to make decisions and uh very bright bunch of people. So, uh, we look forward to working with you and, uh, welcome you and, uh, I think, uh, I think we'll, uh, be working well together.
Awesome. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Um, if there's nothing else on the introduction of AI3, is there any public comment? I don't see anybody in the audience tonight. Um, I'm forwarding one. There's only one more.
Oh, yeah. Just one more. If you could go to the dates. Um, this one. Oh, yep. Apologies on my part um because there were many conversations happening this week and I had to leave one conversation earlier and it was about
October 2nd. So um I didn't follow up with the team it so did we didn't land anything. We didn't land anything. Okay. Okay. Then then forget I even brought it up. No problem. Um so our next meeting would be October
16th, November 20th, December 18th. Um and then um behind the scenes um Hamdi is working with the district and with Pat uh putting together a calendar for the entire uh year of 2026. And I'll
just say that, you know, there's going to be times where we will ask the committee to pivot and be nimble and we might have to sneak in an interim meeting just to get something approved, done, submitted to the MSBA and so forth. Um
that's so Pat that's all I had to add. Okay. And the um I'm sorry Paul. So there's no meeting on October 2nd. No meeting. Okay. Okay. Want to make the Okay, that's clear. Okay. Um All right. So uh you mentioned
um a leadership meeting for next week um to discuss um um future visioning sessions. Um so uh can we talk about that for a minute? Um what does that mean Jay? And uh who's the uh who's the team and and so on.
So we're still in the process of putting um that together. I had a um call with Leftfield and AI3 last week. One of the first things that we have to do as part of the this project is the education plan has to be put together. Um, so I've
got to get a group of about um 10 uh folks that are school-based that are really intimately involved with the current like program offerings uh curriculum wise at the school. Um the way the schedule operates, the way that they're currently using classroom space, we've got to go through a process of
identifying all of that. So, um, we're going to have, uh, some internal meetings on that between we're hopefully going to do a kickoff, uh, next week, but then pretty much the month of September and October, um, to get all the nuts and bolts of the education part of it together. And then, um, at some
point in probably October, November, December, uh, AI3 and then their consultant who does the education planning, um, we'll put a schedule together for like the public visioning sessions when the public would come and actually give input on things. Um but internally there's got to be like a school team that basically just looks at
the current uh program offerings, the educational program. Yeah, the educational program together. Um so that's going to be some work that we're internally going to do. Um there's going to be an uh a portion also in again October where uh some of the current staff and students at the building are going to get to um give a
little bit of their experience with the current spaces and things like aspirationally that they'd like to see that then that will come to the public meetings and that will come back to this this group's meetings. Um but this is really going to go quick. You know, September, October, November is going to be a lot of uh a lot of activity. Um but
I do think, you know, it's very doable. Um I think also the fact that we really since like 201819 have been kind of like planning and talking and we had the the pre-visioning sessions. I think we're in good shape. Um the don't want to talk for the school, but like the school is excited and ready to get going. Staff,
students, um parents, and I know just regular community members also want to weigh in. So, a lot to come. Um, we're going to get the nuts and bolts stuff going, uh, like I said, next week and then I'll obviously be reporting back to this committee, um, as we progress. Okay. Excellent. Thanks, Jay. Um, and
I'll just say that, um, I believe, um, we'll be fine with any interim meetings necessary. We understand that that's going to probably happen and when things really get rolling. So, I don't think there's anybody here that'll have an issue with that. I mean, we all have different committees that we that other
committees that we're on. Um, so there may be some conflicts, but uh we'll do the best we can to, you know, get a quorum together and uh make sure we're getting things done in a timely manner. So, yeah. Good. Um, I was just going to ask Dave, I know
a couple weeks ago companies going you putting together a website. Is that going to go live so we can get started, get this out to people? Yes. So, so I um last month I sent uh the website link out. Um and I I didn't get any feedback from the committee
members, which is fine. Um we do need to do one more uh scrub of of everything just to you know, do we have the Oxford comm or do we don't like like that level of a scrub? Um we have recently added um
AI3 to that website. So, um the goal, um would be to have it launch sometime the end of September or if there's a particular like perfect day or date um you know, it could be the first week of October instead of last week of
September, but I'd have to say it's like 98% ready to go just so we have some place to point people to that are looking for information. Great. And then my only other question on on scheduling is the presentation basically calls for votes by the end of
January. And so I would ask is that maybe at the next meeting we the schedule date meeting dates go right through that deadline through the end of January. I assume we'll stay with our third Thursday which would be the 15th and then followed by a vote by the school committee. Yeah, I know it's a minor thing, but I I just think we want
to co, you know, coordinate the meeting dates and calendar with the deliverable, which is the end of January being the votes on the configuration and school committee. So, correct, just a minor thing, but it caught my eye watching. We um we tend to I mean this is um AI3
and Lefield have done a lot of other projects together, but this is our first project together. Um and uh we have some graphics that we've used where um you know there's a PDP submission, a PSR and a schematic. So you know we we we show
you the big picture but then um from month to month we like to kind of narrow like this is what we have to do for the next three months and don't look beyond that yet because there's a lot within that three month and we will map it out. Okay. And I guess further to Paul's
comment, I I if there's any critical dates that you need, you need we'd like to know them way up front. So, um you know, anything that you can provide us as to, you know, this is our drop dead date and here's how we're going to get there type of thing would be very
helpful. Yep, we can do that. Okay. Okay. Um just on that I know like maybe for the next meeting also we could circulate like the draft meeting schedule uh for January like on um I gave a quick look at the third Thursday of the month. The
Thursdays work I think good for the group. One of the dates I believe it's in February conflicts with the school vacation period. So I might just recommend we move it one week earlier because there's actually between February and March is like a fiveweek window we wouldn't be meeting. So that would keep us meeting almost like every four weeks and we wouldn't hit a school
vacation week. Um, but other than that, the third Thursday of the months work all well all next calendar year. I think so. But we can at least get it on people's schedule so that they can lock it in. Okay.
Anything else this evening? Any other comments, discussion, any other information required? All these visioning sessions and all these other little mini meetings, are they all needing minutes too or not? Um the no the little m the mini meeting
stuff like our working group stuff is it's just staff. It's not this board. So there'd be no meeting minutes of that. There'll be like notes that we bring back to the group, but you wouldn't need to record those. Okay. The visiting sessions um I don't know that you necessarily need minutes for them, but like we'll work with Chelms
Teledia to have um them be maybe like televised or recorded. Um but I don't think you really need meeting minutes. It's it's really just for these. We'll provide reports after after the uh visioning sessions. We'll provide a um summary of uh information that was uh
presented, the outcomes, the goals, etc. and and a report for each one. And then once it's completed, there will be a summary and the final report. Is there any reason, Paul, to um post a
SBC meeting for those visioning sessions or no? Okay, that's what I thought. Okay. Anything else? Seeing none, I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn. I make a motion to adjurnn. Motion by Dennis Kim to adjurnn.
Second by Brendan. All in favor? I opposed. That's unanimous. Thanks everybody.