or anything else critical. >> Okay, awesome. All right. Well, I will call the meeting to order uh at 6:03. Um this is the March 17th um meeting of the elementary school building committee for the Charleswood School Project.
Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone. Um I will run through the agenda very quickly and then we will get started on what is hopefully a pretty quick agenda. Um we will have our opportunity for public comment. Um then we will approve the
minutes from our last meeting. We will approve invoices. We'll get um updates on building construction and street improvements uh including under street improvements the um DPW resident engineer proposals. Um
and we should be ready to talk about an award for that tonight. And then um we'll do just a quick update on some of the neighbor outreach and discussions that have been ongoing around uh the work that's being done um and some feedback we've gotten from the neighbors
and then we will adjourn. So, um I don't see anyone here for public comment, but uh so we'll move right along, but as usual, we will um allow it to be brought up again if somebody comes later for public comment.
Um the first thing we have is the minutes from our last meeting. Are so in your packet were the minutes for February 17th, 2026. Are there any um comments or questions regarding those
minutes? Okay, hearing none. Um I would seek a motion to approve the minutes of February 17th. >> So moved. >> Is there a second? Mike, you're muted. I think you look
like you were trying to second that. No, mine muted. I second, Mr. Chairman. >> All right. So, we have a motion by Bill, a second by Mike. We are um conducting this meeting remotely, obviously, so we need a roll call vote. Bill, >> yes.
>> Mike, >> yes, sir. >> Chris, >> I was I missed the last meeting, so I'll abstain. >> Okay. And I am a yes. So, that one uh is approved. Uh 3 to zero with one abstension. Um, it's really unusual,
Chris. You're you're the only Chris on this call for the first time, I think, since we've been doing this. So, um, next we're going to pay some bills. Um, we the invoice package was in your, um,
meeting packet. We have three invoices. Um, one from Vertex in the amount of $130,986.50. 50. We have one from Perkins Eastman in the amount of $104,314.50 and one from Braate Builders Corporation
in the amount of 1,967,44140. The total of the three invoices in the package tonight is 2,22,74240. Are there any questions or comments from the committee regarding the invoice package? Okay, hearing none, I would seek a
motion to approve uh the invoice package included in the agenda materials. >> So move, Mr. Chairman. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Okay, got a motion by Mike, second by Chris. Roll call vote. Bill,
>> yes. Mike. >> Yes, sir. >> Chris, >> yes. >> And I am a yes. So, that is approved unanimously. 420. Um, moving right along. Uh, next up on our agenda is building construction
updates. So, Jeff, I will turn this over to you um to give us an update on the construction and then roll right into street improvements. Jess, you're muted. >> Okay, take two. Uh, I know you guys are used to seeing
the dashboard uh in your meeting packet. So, you have our monthly report. As usual, Chris and Chris kind of pull this together, kind of pull a snapshot out. So, I'm going to just kind of go through a couple of slides and talk to you about where we're at overall. Uh no changes the schedule at this point and we're and we're tracking on on cost and on tracking on on cost and on budget. Um as
budget. Um as of late uh we poured of late uh we poured concrete slabs in concrete slabs in the last couple weeks. the last couple weeks. So Mike and I So Mike and I were out there last were out there last Tuesday uh walking Tuesday uh walking as they poured the as they poured the upper floor of wing B upper floor of wing B at that point. Um at that point. Um so that uh second so that uh second floor was poured at floor was poured at that point. Now that point. Now we're up to the third we're up to the third floor. So the floor. So the concrete slabs are concrete slabs are progressing. Uh
progressing. Uh weather is starting to weather is starting to go our way. So we go our way. So we expect to pick up kind expect to pick up kind of pace there of pace there overall. overall. Uh no changes the schedule at this point Um, and then C and D are kind of following uh as we kind of go wrapping our way around over to the gymnasium and kind of some of those interstitial spaces. So that's upcoming uh with
end of last week rather um not upcoming um just what that looks like. Those of you guys that haven't had the pleasure of being out on site as Mike and I do, you know, we pour it down, it gets screed off to the side with those long screets and then they sand it down into place. So, this was all on slab on deck
uh on concrete placement and we're now approaching the point where we're getting ready to do slab on grade. So, you'll see at the lower level uh we're compacting the gravel and then the mesh will go in there and then the concrete will start to follow through with the same rhythm as the upper floors. Uh and then we can start to lay floors or lay
walls rather and track. Um with the week has been a lot of water. Uh those of you that were that survived Monday know there was a bit of a monsoon. Um great in their um you know decided to work this past weekend. They initially said they were not working and
then last minute audible on Friday to work on the weekend. So uh we ponyed up Steve Divine and sent them out there. They had 11 guys on site really doing work to make sure the erosion control was refortified in prep preparation for Monday's storm. Um it's a bit of soup out there. If any of you guys have had
the pleasure of walking there, I recommend probably waiting a week or two and then you'll be able to get around the site a little bit better when you start to get some more of that draining. Um, but Brad's doing a good job really staying on top of the uh erosion control and being proactive there. Um, most notably, we're we're ready to drill
wells wells now and so the geothermal drilling has started. Um, and so we have a second rig arriving on site. Uh, has not mobilized yet to drill that second rig. Uh, but it is on site ready to go. We talked about starting that this week at today's OAC meeting. Uh water management will be an issue
related to that. As you know, it's uh the drilling operation is a wet operation and the site is overly saturated today. So, they have a frack tank on site and that's a watch item for us to make sure we're not um screwing it up worse than mother nature is already doing with the amount of water that's on
site. And so, really trying to keep an eye on that and make sure we manage it. uh exterior sheathing is going on site uh as well as interior stud framing. So as you kind of walk the building, you know, it's a really cool experience because you get to see the progression of the building as you walk from one wing to the next or one floor to the
next. And so like I said, in the next couple of weeks, probably a good time to get the committee back out there in the at the dry season. I'm sure people will be chatting about it around Marathon Monday, so we can set up a tour for those of you that kind of want to do it. uh we're starting to see hangers come in, you know, kind of wrapping up the
the below slab uh conduits in order to kind of pour those slabs. And then now where you see the finished floors above, we're hanging that duck work and the hangers are all in place. Um this is a snapshot that's in your packets. I won't kind of cover everything, but just some of the stuff we talked about on the
images above here. And then the upcoming month, we're really going to push forward with the geothermal as well as additional concrete and the upper decks and the lower decks. Uh, and then really trying to maintain the temporary roadway around the building for deliveries. PCOS's, uh, you've approved number three
and number four, and so those are behind us at this point. Uh, we don't have any pending PCOS to present in front of you today. Uh, with Chris coming back next week, we'll have some back in front of you. We had a big push for change order for your loss meeting, which was the boulders and the credits that were
associated with that. Uh again, just more updates that are in your overall project will remain on track. No, uh updates related to amendments uh for the project foreseeable future. And that's kind of it for the building updates. And then I wanted to kind of talk about um the resident engineers. So
any questions on the building construction before we jump into the resident engineers? Okay. So, it's your last >> Jeeoff, I just want to say for the committee members, like I want to echo what Jeff said, which is I I had a chance to go out and Chris took me through the building last week. Um, if
you haven't been out there in a while, I really once it dries out a little bit more cuz it was not fun getting back there, but it it uh it it really is worth seeing. The progress that has happened um is is quite something. and for how long we've all been working on
this project, being able to see um it start to come to reality and even like the roughing out of the classrooms forming together and really get a picture of what the building's going to look like. Um I I I I highly recommend doing that.
>> Go ahead with the resident engineer. >> Yeah, I just I wanted to zoom into the right uh >> uh readabil legibility. Is that the right word there? So you guys can actually read it. So um couple things with the region engineer. So at the last meeting we'd solicited three proposals.
We only had one back. Um so we went back out and got two additional proposals to come back. Refresh the committee on that. Um we initially submitted from Beta Nich and Howard Stein Hudson. Uh Nich Beta was not interested in respond to the RFI.
Nich did not have available capacity. Um Howard Stein gave us a proposal. So, we went back out and did CDM Smith and PAR. Um, and CDM Smith did also not have staffing available. So, we solicited five firms and we got three two
responses back. So, we've leveled um Howard Stein Hudson's in PAR. Um, both civil traffic engineering firms. I'll say Howard Stein leans a little more traffic. PAR leans a little more civil. Both of them are more than qualified for this uh scope of work. Both have the
experience. both have the the staff assigned and available and both those staff members have roadway construction experience. So either one um can be a perfectly fine um selection for the committee here. We went and leveled all them all the scope is covered. Um I did
want to close the loop on PAR about community engagement complaints, but that's really just filing it back to us anyway. So I'm not worried about that tracking. Um I'm sure we can negotiate with that with them to get that included. Um they also use Raiken in addition to us so there was no problems associated with that.
Um there was no mention about requisition but again I'm confident we can kind of negotiate that within the scope of work um as it's only going to be 3 months worth of effort. Uh and so they basically level out in terms of all level of effort. Um and then they both be build on a time and materials basis.
Um they had senior resident engineers. They did meet the minimum qualifications. Um ultimately PAR gave a per week unit price where uh Howard Stein Hudson said yes we've got the six weeks covered. Uh and so ultimately you know they are an
applesto apples comparison. Uh there was an exception to the contract clause with Howard Stein Hudson about the word defend u vert council has agreed to stricken that from the record and allow them to make sure it's insurable with their carriers. There was no request for
a modification from par. Ultimately, what that meant is last time you saw Howard Studson's proposal, they had a $98.5 million $98,500 proposal with some kind of additional comeback work to check final progress
around numbers of $102,000 proposal. Um, when we went back, uh, we talked about relieving some of the rigidity of the expert engineer. So, you didn't have to have a PE stamp, meaning the you didn't have to be a professional engineer. Um,
and so PAR was able to submit a proposal based on not having a dedicated full-time engineer. You know, their time is valuable and they didn't want to tie up that engineer. So, they offered us a proposal with an hourly or weekly rate. I went back at Howard Stein Hudson to get an apples to apples. They offered a
credit of $7,000 off their original appropriation. Um, what that means is that the weekly, sorry, the daily rate for PAR is $1,350 per day. Howard Stein Hudson originally had two rates. They had a a junior engineer at this 1440 and
then they had a a regular engineer at 1620. Now, when I did the math and took the 7,000 off, it doesn't really land on either one. Now, as part of the go back, we also said we wanted some supplemental engineering resources so that if there are questions or we do want feedback, we
want a kitty of ours that we can have assigned to it on top of the uh the resident engineer that we reviewing the project. Ultimately, when I did the math of what the credit would be back and I used the lower rate, there was about $3,800 left in the overall number. And so, I think
that's the kitty that's associated with Howard Stein Hudson. And I filled in the numbers for uh PAR as they did not give a specific kitty. They say we'll build it at the rate, but I took an average of 2 hours times the 13 weeks. We're projecting 12 weeks, but then we had a
week of punch list essentially, which kind of lines up with the way that Howard Stein Hudson did it. So from an apples to apples standpoint, I think that kind of levels out um the two firms and ultimately have probably a little bit higher on the project engineer support on par. But when you add all
that up, uh, PAR subtotal is at $92,300 and Howard Stein Hudson is 95300. The key factors to note is that it's time materials and so the daily rate is lower from um PAR and I probably estimated a little bit higher from that
kitty of hours versus Howard Stern Hudson's kitty of hours that you know there's currently about a $3,000 difference but ultimately I think that'll probably get a little wider at the end of the day if we chose to go forward with PAR. We're perfectly fine going with either firm. Either firm is
more than adequate, has the credentials, can do the work. Like I said, Howard Stein Hudson leans a little more traffic. Power leans a little more civil. Both of them do both services though, so I don't think you can really go wrong with either firm. >> Do we have any uh questions from the
committee? >> Yeah, I have one. Uh John, hi Jeff, how are you? It's good to see you again. It's been a while. >> Um if you could go up uh actually no, you're right there. You're fine. Does it matter that PAR didn't allocate for a project punch list or is that included
in their bottom line number? >> So we we added a 13th week to equalize that. So if I did if I did this is this 87780 is 13 weeks compared to the 12 weeks over there. So they had broke it out separately. I could itemize this as
12 weeks if we wanted to do that and have an apples to apples. So that would that would have them at a different rate uh overall cuz the the hourly the weekly rate there um is just so we have that 35 * 5 right is
6750 and then ultimately this would be minus that you know for an equal if you're doing apples to apples >> okay thank you for that explanation >> so you know I didn't break that out because it kind of double it but you know you can see that the hourly rates you know do differ you know it's a daily
rate $90 a day times a week times 12 uh weeks, you know, that's why the gap starts to grow to that 3,000 plus dollars between the two firms. >> Thanks. >> Other questions?
>> I don't have a strong recommendation one way or the other. I'm perfectly happy going with either firm that you guys would recommend. Like I said, the I think the savings will grow uh with PAR just because their their hourly and daily rate is a little less. Hey, John, if I may, um,
given given what we've seen in the presentation, I can't see why we wouldn't go with the low bidder. Uh, being otherwise equal. Um, we don't have a lot of money to spend. And that would be my recommendation at any rate. I
don't know what the other guys think. I mean, candidly, I would agree with that. It doesn't seem like there's a lot of there's much daylight between them from a services perspective. So, um, in this case, it seems like low bidder is the way to go.
>> Agreed. >> Agreed. >> Okay. So then I would need a motion to award the uh and keep me honest here Jeeoff the resident engineering contract for the
Hayden Row improvement work to >> uh PAR engineering >> you're going to run that through us right I think that's why we've established this and set this up. Oh, right. So, what are we doing? Authorizing Vertex 2.
>> Yeah. So, you'd be authorizing engaged PAR as the resident engineer for the Hayden project >> with a not to exceed value of 101563 to be build on time of materials. >> Do we have a motion for what Jeff just said? >> So moved, Mr. Chairman.
>> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Okay. We have a motion by Mike, a second by Chris. Roll call vote. Bill, >> yes. >> Mike, >> yes, sir. >> Chris, >> yes. >> And I am a yes. So, that is unanimous.
And >> we have five voting members today. Sorry. >> Uh, four. >> Four. Okay. Thanks. I forgot we're supposed minutes, too. >> Sorry. You can just put in an AI. It'll do it for you.
>> Um, okay. So, I think that's it for the construction updates um and roadway updates. Unless there are any other questions on those, we can talk what is a little bit about roadway. We can talk about some of the neighbor conversations we've been having.
>> Um just so I have before I leave that so I record the other notes because I don't think I actually recorded this meeting. The motion for the minutes was three to zero and Chris abstained. Right. >> Correct. And then the and then the the invoices were four to zero. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. And the uh I think the minutes the motion was Bill, the second was Mike. >> And then everything else I think you got right. >> Yeah, that's correct. >> The minutes, not the invoices. You >> you had the invoices, correct?
Rusty here. >> Yeah, >> thanks for bearing with my technical challenges. >> Not a problem. >> Butters engagement of the butters and couple of hiccups that occurred recently. >> Do you want me to jump into that or
>> Yeah, so we we can uh we can jump into that. Um the the context for this is um it felt like a good time to just bring back to the to the committee um make you aware of the conversations that we've
been having with neighbors and abutters as we have been going through this process. Um Mike has been um really instrumental in a lot of well as well as Vert.Ex has been instrumental in a lot of the responses being able to be on
site a lot. Um and um the conversation has picked up um primarily I think driven by the you people may have seen as you drive by the site Verizon has um over the past couple weeks has come out
to do the moving of the utility poles um that has been largely completed their part in moving the utility poles. So mostly then it's about Eversource getting their lines um onto the new
poles, but um we have had a couple of challenges with Verizon specifically. Um they are unfortunately we're not able to integrate that work into the project in terms of our control and scheduling. So uh we're kind of at their mercy as to
when they're going to come out and do the work. And as was the case with this, we didn't get much notice. And so we did hear from some residents about complaining about not getting notice before the pole work was being done.
Obviously, a lot of these poles are being moved quite close to driveways um and in other disruptive ways. Um and so the the project team in particular and helped by Mike were incredibly helpful at being responsive.
um going out and talking to the Verizon crews directly, which was the only way that we were able to actually get uh a full schedule from them to know what was going to be going on. Um and then we communicated with the neighbors as quickly as possible. Um there was one uh
what I'd call major incident. Um there was a a mixup with the dig safe markings that after some snow occurred and uh in placing one of the poles they um damaged
the sewer line and um so that a resident was without use of that for a portion of the day. Um obviously it's not what we want to have happen. Um, I will say Verizon was very responsive. They got a
crew out, um, began fixing it immediately and had the the butter system on by dinner time. Um, again, thanks to the project team. I'll particularly call out Steve Divine um, who is our our on-site person um, who
has been uh, checking in with a lot of the neighbors and Mike who was able to go out there as well. Um, we did uh we're still following up with Verizon. The resident has rightly requested uh documentation from Verizon of what
happened and um thus far we have not gotten that, but we will continue to push for it so that he has that for any future insurance needs should they arise. Um, Jeff, do you want to Jeff or Mike, I guess, do you do you want to comment on
any of what I just said there about the the recent history? >> You go, Mike, if you have anything to add. >> I uh um Dig Safe did mark where the line was. However, I've talked to several
experts since then. Um the line doesn't have running water in it cost 100% of the time and it's in a plastic pipe. So Dig Safe who can find gas lines really easy can find electric lines easy can find water lines easy has most difficult
finding sewer line and um I think it was either it was perhaps it was marked wrong perhaps it was because of the snow um but they got the pole within one or two feet of where it was supposed to be at the end of the day. Um the uh and the
Verizon guys never left after the incident. Um they hired an outfit from Ashland which was you know certified approved by the town. The town inspected it. It was all put back together. Um like I say by by supper time.
Unfortunately it happened but I think they they did the right thing in terms of trying to fix it. Um but u that's about all there is with that. Yeah, I'd agree with that. Um, and you know, we're still working out with Verizon. They've done all but two of the
polls that, you know, there's still a debate about the ones at the Marathon Driveway and who owns what between Verizon and Eversource that we're just still trying to sort through. Um, I believe they're all owned by Verizon, but Verizon saying they're owned by Eversource. So, we're still trying to figure that out. Um, so more to come on
that, but all the other polls have all been installed and that's all resolved. Um, but to John's point, some of the other people, those neighbors wanted more notice. So, you know, looking to make sure we get a information exchange, right? So, I think, you know, one of the things we want to look at is, you know, roadway project and getting a timeline
there. And I think it's probably effective if we start to do kind of a a weekly email uh chain, right? Essentially, like here's what's coming up, here's what to expect in your front yard. Um, and I think that'll go a long way to um, helping preemptively address
anxiety. Um, you know, it's not going to resolve the anger and and annoyance, but it will be helpful into the process, I think. >> Yeah, I think that would be great. And and what we've heard from the the bulk of the neighbors is just that they want to make sure that they have notice and
communication as much as possible. We obviously explained I I don't know how much it was satisfactory, but the uniqueness of this Verizon portion of it and drew a contrast to what they can expect when we actually start the
roadway work that's under the control of this committee of the project team. So, um obviously we want to make sure we meet that bar for them. Um because as Chris said, sorry, Chris said, Jeff said, it's it's an annoyance and it is
um you know, also we've heard some things about you know, being able to plan. They're having work done on their house, so making sure that the they know what to tell the trucks about how to get in and out of the driveway. So those basic things that we would just want to make sure people are still um able to
able to work with. Yeah. Um the only other sorry are there any questions about that related to hate row before I talk about some another butters in another direction. >> There was some other stuff on hate row butters too. Do you want to talk about
the discoloration of the water? >> Oh yeah we have had um in in a couple of instances we we have received complaints of water discoloration. Um the
I I don't know Jeff, you can help me out here that we've really landed on exactly what the source of it is, but we believe it's more likely to do with um events on the town water system than it is to do with the anything that's going on on
site. >> I think we filled the line. So there was a couple questions whether the daily use was an issue and I don't think that was I don't think that's the issue. It was the fact that when the the line was first ch open >> when when you first open a valve, it becomes a tidal wave, right? So you're
you're pushing the water from the street and all the sediment that sits at the bottom of that water line all gets churned up. So I think it was the initial charge of the line, you know, is what caused some of the the sediment to be stirred up and some of the direct to butters uh reported seeing some brown
water in their laundry and and sinks and things like that. DPW's been involved. They're they're addressing it. they've made a statement related to that that they think it's, you know, related to the initial turn on the water, but it should not be an ongoing issue. Um, but I do want, you know, all the committee members to understand in case you hear
about that around town. John, if I may. >> Yeah, absolutely. Um, one one of the issues regarding the the sewer line was that um, when they mobilized to fix it, half of Hayden Rose Street was cut off.
In other words, they they Verizon hired a police detail, but the traffic could only go one direction at a time. So, neighbors complained rightly so, I think, about not being able to get out of their driveway. And it was a four or
five hour time when this thing was from time it happened till the time it was fully prepared. And it was on a Monday afternoon as I recall. But it it to my thick and it it brought to mind more importantly how we um communicate with
the neighbors whether it's by email or whatever of what to expect what's going to come because I I understand the the civil guys are going to be out there or want to be out there do some stuff on April vacation. I know it's before the summertime thing, but they want to do,
but we ought to be letting the neighbors know as much as we know what's going to happen to avoid the the confusion. We're all we're bound to have complaints. There's nothing we can do about that. But, um, I think we should try our best
to get ahead of it so that, you know, no one can say we didn't do our best. That's >> right. I agree with that. I mean, you know, there are things going to be out of our control. will all will all collectively be judged on. As John alluded to, we can control the Hayden Row contractor. The poles are in, but
then over time all the various entities will come in and move the wiring down, right? So, you got to swing it from the old pole to the new pole, right? They're just going to show up at a whim because they got cancelceled on another job and they were told to go over to this location, right? We'll take whatever advanced notice we have, but that will
be a catches catch can um battle that we'll we'll just have to deal with essentially. Okay. And then the um the other thing that I just wanted to make the um the committee aware of in terms of um
a butter outreach is we also heard from a uh well a new owner um from the Newbury Glenn uh development which is off of Blueberry um that was raising a concern about the amount of trees that
were left on that lot following the clearing. Um, as people know, when we began this process and even when we had finalized all of the design, um, the clearing on those lots that the school
had not even begun. Um, so I I talked with the town to get sort of a past practice uh, idea on what is what would normally be done in that situation. We are there is screening some screening
going in along the Newbury Glenn. So there's the part that is covered with um the parking lot uh has has full screening for headlights and such and then as you go further up after the parking lot ends we are planting
additional trees. um those lots will absolutely given the amount that has been cleared on the residential lots will absolutely be able to see the school. Um but again those lots had not even started being
built until um our plans were filed, approved, etc. And we cleared right along the stated lines that we had according to the plans. Um, so that's what's been communicated to any neighbors that have been reached out have reached out from the Newbury Glenn
area. Obviously, if there are reasonable things we can do, we'll continue to look into it and and talk to the committee about it. But at this time, uh, given the timing, the fact that their lots were brand new, unbuilt lots at this point, um, we're not we're not
recommending to move forward with anything additional in terms of redesigning the landscaping around that area. Any questions on that? >> Okay. Well, I think that brings us to the end of our agenda. So, I would seek
a motion to adjurnn. >> So, moved. >> Second, Mr. Chairman. >> Motion by Bill, second by Mike. Uh, roll call vote. Bill, >> yes. >> Mike, >> yes, sir. >> Chris, >> yes.
>> And I am Yes. So, we are adjourned at 6:36 p.m.