Um, we will go ahead and I will call the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. This is the April 21st, 2026 meeting of the elementary school building committee for the Charleswood Elementary School project. Um, we are
conducting this meeting remotely um, consistent with the governor's regulations. So, all of our votes tonight will be done via roll call. Um I will begin by going over the agenda and then we will get right into it. So on
the agenda tonight um we'll have our usual opportunity for public comment. Following that under new business we have approval of minutes and approval of invoices. The committee will then be asked to consider a request from the DPW
um for funding around a sewer capacity engineering study. then we will get updates on building construction and street improvements at the project. Um, and that is the entirety of our agenda. So, if there are no questions, uh, we'll
move into public comment. I don't see anyone here for public comment. So, we will proceed past it, but I'll offer the opportunity if anybody does show up for the committee to open up the public comment period again.
Um, the next item is approval of minutes. In your meeting packet were the minutes for March 17th, 2026, which was our last meeting as an elementary school building committee. Are there any
questions or comments on those minutes? Okay. Hearing none, I would seek a motion to approve the minutes of March 17, 2026. >> I move the minutes of March 17th as written, sir. Is there a second? >> Second.
>> Okay. I have a motion by Mike, second by Chris. Roll call vote. Uh, starting with Bill. >> Yes. >> Mike. >> Yes, sir. >> Chris. >> Yes. >> And I am a yes. So, those are approved unanimously.
Um, next up we have our invoice package. Um, as is typical, we have three invoices in the package. one for Vertex, one for Perkins Eastman, and one for Break Builders. Um, the invoice OPM11648 for Vertex is in the amount of
$117,852.50. The invoice 0095421 00028 for Perkins Eastman in the amount of $104,314.50 50 and invoice number A10 for brake
builders in the amount of 3,439,72426. Total invoice package for this month is $3,661,89126. Are there any questions about the three invoices in tonight's package? If not, I would seek a motion to approve payment of the invoices as provided in
the meeting packet tonight. >> So moved. >> Second, Mr. Chairman. >> A motion by Bill, second by Mike. Roll call vote. Bill, >> yes. >> Mike, >> yes, sir. >> Chris, >> yes.
>> And I am a yes. Um, so those are approved and I will get that signature page, um, Mrs. Rothermick, over to you this evening. Um, and then we can move to our next agenda item. Um, the next
agenda item is a request that we received from the from the DPW. Um, we had an outreach from, uh, Carrie Reid, the director of the DPW,
um, who has been looking at the sewer capacity specifically as it relates to the, um, area serviced by the Hayden Row pump station. Um, they recently did a study of, um, that of the sewer activity
in that area. uh it provided them some light level results, but they essentially need to do a deeper study into the capacity at the Hayden Row pump station to see what if anything needs to be done um to make sure that that
station continues to provide adequate service for the area that it services, which includes the new elementary school. Um while the new elementary school is obviously changing the capacity
um for the uh for the services in the Hayden row pump station when it opens um it is by no means the only challenge that they are facing right now. So, um the the director uh Mike and I met with
director last week um and heard about also issues they were having with infiltration of storm water into the system that were impacting the capacity and it's clear that something needs to be done overall but also recognizing
that something you know needs to be done overall before the Charleswood school is going to open uh given its impact on the uh on on the amount that is is hitting that station. So, um what uh what Carrie
asked for was uh they they procured a quote for an engineering study that will do a deeper look at what they can do short, medium, and long-term to mitigate any of the issues with the sewer in and
around the Hayden pump station. um to be able to make sure that it stays uh fully operational. Um given the timing of the way everything falls together, both where we are in budget season, um where we are in
terms of when the school is going to open. They want to have adequate time to not only do the engineering study, but also then be able to do whatever work is necessary improvementwise to be able to to be able to handle the
school coming online and the other issues that are going on with that with that sewer station right now. Um so Carrie is asking if we could provide any support from a funding perspective under the project. the um the engineering
study quote is in your packet. The total amount is around $46,000. Um Carrie believes that with some scope work that that number will actually come down. Um and she was just asking if the
committee would be open to supporting that project in any way. Um Mike and I, as I said, did meet with her and with Elaine Lazarus last week. Um, one of the things that we discussed is that while
we would bring the engineering study to the committee um to see if we would provide any funding for it, um the subsequent work that would follow on from this engineering study would need to be procured uh and appropriated
outside of the school project. We would not be it in in a position to consider anything larger than this. So, the question before the committee is, do we want to use some of the project funds that we have to support this engineering study?
Mike, did I get all that right? You're on mute. >> So, I'll just assume I got it right. >> Yeah, I um Yeah, you hit it right on, John. the the um the the committee, the members there tonight should recognize
that, you know, we funded for the engineer for the road because it was part of the road and and um so we did that. Then Carrie brought this up and my bigger concern is if we do nothing, uh the school opens in January of 28 and
the treatment plant won't take to capacity. the schools got to put out 6,000 gallons a day. Uh so it's it's a lot. Um so it seemed to me in this way um and I was the the chief son of a gun
that said Carrie perhaps we can go to the committee and and consider half of that your number and then can you find the other funds some other place and between she and Elaine they said they could figure out how to find the funds. Um, we also made it absolutely clear
that anything that has to be done and John mentioned this on the to to get the thing up to date if they find a problem uh would have to go to town meeting be appropriated the normal way outside the school. Uh so this is like the end of
the road. Um Carrie was being very forthcoming. um um you know because she said they've been having issues with it and she was afraid that when we open the school the issues would be just that much worse and it would be at that point too late to
fix it. So uh chief old Mike said Carrie how about if we how about if we go to the board and ask them to to fund half of it can you work with that and she said she could. So what I would um uh
say is that we we give a a not to exceed number of like 23 and um and and see how that goes. Um she says she can find the rest of the money between her and Elaine. So we're not too concerned about that. I was I was very
hesitant about the whole number. Don't get me wrong, it's um you know, but part of it is on us. That was the that was the thing. So, uh, yeah, John, I I'm sorry. I I didn't mean to muddy it all up, but that's essentially how
>> you didn't you didn't at all. >> The U. >> So, perhaps >> I know this is I know this is new to this this is the first you're having an opportunity to discuss this. So, what questions or thoughts do you have
>> for for us? You you I think you covered the two things. One is it's a standalone offer to help get them uh positioned and it isn't something that the project will be saddled with because we'll be busy
focused both on the roadway and also getting the school ready. So and then also what they find needs to be funded separately because that could uh become bigger you know become a much
larger issue. So we just want to keep the offer to fund this engineering study separate from everything else >> as you as you described. >> Yeah. to to that point the board should understand that there there'll be no
markup by Vertex or the um the architectural firm. It's just entirely separate from that. >> So whatever number we decide tonight if any that is the number so >> so I I have a question in terms of
timing. So we fund the study. Uh the study goes on now and then the actual work goes to May of 27 town meeting. >> Yeah. >> Right now Bright is still holding to a schedule to be done at the end of June,
early July. >> The project would have no way of being done. just according according to what Brad is holding to on their schedule and we plan to meet on that that that could be an issue.
>> Well, we are we we are going to have a special town meeting in the fall. Now whether that's September or October, early November, I don't know, but that might give enough >> Yeah. >> timeline for the study to be done and recommendations to put together. But
>> um it's going to be tight either way to your point. >> Yeah. Yeah, the their proposal indicated um their initial review by June, this June >> and then pump station evaluation
an alternatives analysis by August. >> Okay. So if the the study will at least identify, as John pointed out, what the shortterm, middle, and long-term
um needs are. So your point, Susan, if they can't get the long-term in in time, they'll have to have um plan B in place, which would be a short-term fix, whether it's, you know,
tankers or other things that they've been doing to help alleviate some of these issues in the past. So >> yeah, as long as Carrie and and company is aware of the ex uh the change in
timeline according to bra because that is a significant difference. >> Yeah and I think I think it's a great point Susan. Um and we will uh yeah whatever we end up here we'll communicate make sure we communicate
that back as well that that that is the current timeline that Brad is holding. Yeah. Working off the original project timeline. >> Yeah. So that would be my only concern. >> We we even today will be reporting
conservatively. We have our contractual substantial completion date in October. And as Susan mentioned, we're meeting next week to go through or two weeks I think to go through what it means to pull that forward um realistically so
the school can start to develop their calendar >> based on I mean it's it's a good problem to have. It's good news. We just have to keep our um feet on the gas to to get there.
>> Yeah. I have a quick question and a comment. So I think as far as capacity concerns that probably wouldn't happen until whenever the start of the 2728 school year is. So if we open in early July we won't be pumping out 6,000
gallons from that building till my guess end of August, right? >> So that picks them up a little bit of time there. Um my question is what is the impact to the school and the neighbors if nothing happens? John, did Carrie say like are we should we
anticipate backups into our >> I mean I think >> pause back up into neighbors houses. >> Yeah. No, no, no. I I think I think no one literally no one wants to see that happen. And so Carrie did talk about um
you know what what measures they could undertake whether that was pump trucks or things like that to make sure that that nothing of that nature occurred. >> Um but the but I I think the reality is
that you can sort of only do this for so long. Sure. Um and um and that you know in whether it's in August or whether it's in January, we're you're sort of hitting a switch on that pump station that is drastically changing the the
output. Um and so I think she's just trying to stay ahead of it as much as possible. I I think the the fact that the discussions are occurring now and there is awareness of this, it means that they will have mitigations in place
regardless of of what happens here. >> Because that was one thing when Mike and Elaine and Carrie and I met that everybody was fully aligned on and we probably said seven or eight times during the meeting, nobody wants to see a problem when the school opens with regards to the sewers. So I think
everybody is locked in to make sure that's not going to happen. >> So is this being done just out of caution or is it just known that there's going to be a problem because of the volume? >> It's it's so I want to be clear it is it is not
it is known that there is as I understand it and unfortunately I will say Carrie is out of the country um so was not able to be here tonight. obviously would have been ideal if she could have been here to to be able to answer some of these specific questions. Um, having talked with her, I probably know enough to be dangerous. So, I'll
try to answer these as best as I can. Um, there is there is an overall I don't want to say problem, but the Hayden Row pump station need in in the medium to long term needs some work. So, you know, one of the things they they talked about
was there's storm water infiltration in the sewer system at the Hayden Row pump station. and we know that's not supposed to happen. So something is is not performing correctly. Um the DPW did undertake a a lighter study with a a
service provider earlier in the year um that did not yield the detailed level of recommendations they were hoping for. It basically told them they have to do a deeper study. Um and so uh which by the way this bid is not from the same
engineering firm that did that study. Um so they um they know it needs work. The timeline of when they want to do this is being slightly driven by the fact that the school is coming online. If if the
school weren't coming online, I get the sense that they would say if we can't fund this in in this current budget, we'll kick it out a year and we'll continue to move on and that will be fine. The concern is if they know work's got to be done anyway, it makes more
sense to get it done before the school opens and it changes the capacity. Does that answer your question, Bill? >> It does. Yeah. Thank you. I I I guess part where I was going I was just checking some notes from the appropriation committee um because we
met with her a couple of times if this is something she has on her capital plan if it's that definitive that it has to be done and at a quick glance I don't see it but I don't have enough detail to to go on here. um she is doing two or
three or four different studies right now on different things that need to be done and I just was curious if if she's gone to that point of actually putting it on the five-year plan but doesn't matter we're deal with what we have but I guess my comment is you know Mike
thanks for you know going in there and saying hey we we'd like to help you out here what if we can do half and and they'll find the money elsewhere I mean it's it's going to be town money one way or the other but >> exact exactly Yeah, >> it's coming out of your pocket, Bill.
>> Um, Chris Masters, do you you have any questions or comments on this one? >> No, I I think all that information's been very helpful and uh nothing further. >> Yeah. >> Um, well, Mike, do you have a
recommendation? Do you want to turn their recommendation into a motion? >> Yeah. Yeah. I I would move that the the the board vote to approve um not to exceed $23,000
to support a study um put out by the DPW for the Hayden pump station. Um I think that's all the salia points. >> I I second that. >> Okay. So, we have a motion by Mike, a
second by Bill. Um, roll call vote starting with Bill. >> Yes. >> Mike? >> Yes, sir. >> Chris? >> Yes, sir. >> And I am a yes. So, that is approved. Four to zero. Um, I will send an email
uh tomorrow morning to Carrie and Elaine letting them know the action we took and we'll provide any updates at our next meeting or sooner if necessary. >> Great. Okay, >> sounds good. Jack >> Chris Kenny, uh, your show now.
>> Construction updates. >> Thank you. Want to make sure I'm sharing. Is that >> You are not sharing currently. >> Okay, hold on. Yep, we've got it now. >> How's that? >> Yep.
I had done a slide based on the DPW request here but I think everything was covered. So we can now start at the top and go through our usual which um starts with the dashboard. No
safety issues as of today's construction meeting. We have 309 days with no um lost time lost Yeah. lost time um incidents. So that's good. We've encouraged Bright to
keep up the good work and make sure as more workers come on that we continue to maintain a safe site. Um, in terms of schedule, as I mentioned, we're still showing the conservative contractual substantial
completion date of 1021 27, which were on schedule for. will be meeting with Susan and the school group to discuss the possibility of uh accelerating things at the end so that
we're um and Brad's current schedule keeps the July 2027 um date. So be looking to grab some of that and then the final completion for
school will be adjusted accordingly. In terms of the budget, we're remain on budget. No issues right now through March March's VIP
commitments to date to 121,64,848 or about 76.7% of that total project budget. And the expenditures to date through March are 39,674,517 about 30% of the commitments, 32%.
In terms of quality, the testing and inspections go are ongoing with all of the work. um consultants are on site regularly and issuing field reports and any observations of non-conformance
items are being tracked and closed at our weekly meeting. So nothing um no significant issues have arisen there. FFN tech and security no issues we'll be getting together with Ashoke and Chapen
quarter three and quarter four to start planning the technologies for that. So everything remains in the green. No issues um on site. In terms of progress, we've been
tracking the concrete slab placement. All of the elevated concrete on decks have been placed. So we're completed there. on slab on grade which has all the underground piping that Mike
mentioned earlier plus all of the waterproofing is ongoing about half of the area of A that's the classroom wing is completed concrete has been placed uh
concrete for area B identified on the image to the right in green is scheduled to be placed next Tuesday so it opens up quite a lot of real estate for a lot of the trades to go in and do
their work. They're essentially building from the second floor up and then they'll come down to the lower floors. We'll see that when we go through the images. Any questions on that?
Not we can run through some images just selective images from our last meeting to show kind of representative of the progress. Image to the left is you know the framing of a typical classroom with the blocking in place based on marker
boards, projection screens etc. And then what has started are the the rough in for the outlets, receptacles, um but not the inwall yet. They're waiting for the roof to be completed before they start to do any of the
inwall. Image to the right is the placement of that concrete slab on grade in area A back in the classroom wing area. Moving on, a few images just general um
rough in going on the duct work being installed in um B2 roof parapet blocking being installed also on wing B. What you see in the distance is C.
And then HVAC piping that's going in. This is what carries the geothermal cooled and heated water throughout the building to cool and heat the space. Um, image to the left is the
staging erected for the block uh CMU concrete masonry units for the gymnasium wall. Uh when this picture was taken, they had just started. I think they're up through
level three as of um few days ago. So the north wall and the east wall are going quickly. Also on site is the grading in front of the building in towards the southwest
corner. This area where the equipment is shown is where the um generator will be going as well as the transformer for the power. And they have now extended the secondary electrical
conduit feeds out to this area for that work to proceed. Exterior framing's completed at um the C-wing and is underway in the Dwing where there isn't masonry.
Image to the right is the mockup. So the masonry um work has started at the mockup and uh will be completed I think this week with the followup metal panel
installation over the next couple weeks. So it's pretty good to see when you come out John we can you can see it really does give a good flavor of what the building is going to look like. What you see here is just the bottom kind of call
it the water table course and then there's red brick that's now up between the windows. It's also interesting to see vapor barrier insulation and then thermally broken uh masonry
ties that keep uh keep the brick on but don't transfer any um thermal bridging back into the building. So a super tight box is the the the goal.
Uh, stair number two is in place and they'll be starting on stair number three soon. Having this in, I think the building inspector is scheduled to be on site Friday once this is signed off and concrete is placed in it. They can start
using this internally and we'll remove the exterior u stair the outside of the building. image to the right just shows what goes into the slab on grade placement. So it
starts with underground utilities that you can see poking up and then uh insulation goes down and then the uh waterproof membrane goes down continuous
um continuous in a continuous sheet. Also occurring is the um roofing. So the vapor barrier has been installed on the roof and I think they anticipate having the roof completed in the next 7 days.
So this is area A uh insulation and then membrane roofing on top. Then the last image just shows the amount of CMU on the north wall of the
gymnasium and how fast it's going up. So, a lot of progress inside the building. Highlights of that progress are the geothermal um progress out in the field. As I
mentioned, approximately 60 wells have been placed. Slab on grade placed at area A. The prep completed for area B. Place the last concrete slab on deck up
on C3. Masonry inst masonry installation at the gym. Stairs four and five underway. roofing was delivered and the installation is underway for area A. The
mockup masonry that we saw in the image and then the envelope framing and sheathing for areas A, B, and C next month. They'll be looking to deliver and set the generator on the
concrete pad that's going to be placed. the complete the masonry at the mockup, complete the exterior sheathing, and then start the roofing for area B. And then with the roof on in area A,
they can start the electrical um inwall rough in. And then they'll be continuing the interior framing, partition framing for level A3 and C2.
and then also begin the vapor barrier install at the exterior of area A and then the underground utilities for area C. Uh change order update. We were hoping to get change order 5 fully executed. I
think because of the school break this week, some people are off so signatures were hard to get. But we're ready with PCO sign off and are ready to get um change order 5 to you John for
execution. But >> okay, >> terms of the budget update, we talked about the architect's expenditures this month of 104,315 which has been steady through CDs each
month. They're approximately 74.5% through their total uh contract value for Vertex. Um again 117,853 this month and at 2 million expended to date we're
at about 47 41% of our total uh contract value expended. brakes um billings um through March of 31,498,754. So they're about 30% through 31% through
their total contract value of 102,575,798. Hey Chris, is the 5% retainage is that just as as a backs stop for a punch list? >> Yes, for some subs and they will start
asking for reductions specifically for trades that have completed their work like structural steel and they'll be asking to go to you know 2 and a half%. So that'll be part of a future um
discussion and then to 0% providing all of their paperwork um for their close out is issued. So some of the earlier subs, you know, they don't need to um hang on for the duration of the project
while they wait for the carpenters to finish their punch list, you know, at the end. So, >> thank you. >> And then no change from last month on the roadway improvements contract. We've had one um
invoice so far in the amount of $30,174 to get mobilized and start some of the early work. We will have an invoice for work next month. They are on site this week while school is in recess to start
to prepare for their start in June. So, they'll be looking to place a uh foundation for the traffic signal master um at the end of this week. And they're also doing some exploratory work right
where the new drive intersects with Hayden Row so that they can coordinate that work better for preparations for June. Their full mobilization for the road work is 62526
which is after the last day of school. Um, we've been meeting with them, Concom and the engineer over the limits of work primarily as it relates at the north end of the site and what Concom is looking
for in terms of plantings and tree removal so we can get that work clarified before the start. Ever source Verizon pole relocation should be completed by the end of this week in terms of the poles and then
we've been pushing to get from Eversource their schedule for the movement of the wires that are still on the existing poles. But the the good news is this week all the poles will be done. So uh especially the two at the
entrance to the marathon school. Um, one was done today and there's one that's going to be completed tomorrow. And then as part of that process, we've gotten in the habit of just issuing um notifications of work kind of a week
ahead of when it's going to happen to the abutters and have included Kerry, DPW, and Concom in that. So, um, anyone else that needs to be added to that list, we're finding it's an effective way to at least keep people in the loop
about what's going on as work is scheduled. That'll obviously ramp up in June when we're, you know, we'll have a regular weekly notice going out to the abutters. Any questions on the progress
or updates? If not, I will stop sharing and turn it back to you, John, for any last comments. >> Um, so thank you, Chris, for that
update. Uh, continues to be great progress. look forward to seeing it and certainly look forward to the outcome of that meeting in a couple weeks with the school as it relates to the um potential adjustments to the projected schedule. Um but certainly appreciate you
continuing to be conservative with it uh as we meet for these updates. Um if there are no other pieces of business, I would seek a motion to adjurnn. >> So moved. Second, Mr. Chairman. >> Okay. I have a motion by Bill, second by
Mike. Roll call vote. Bill, >> yes. >> Mike, >> yes, sir. >> Chris, >> yes. >> And I am a yes. So, we are adjourned at 6:41 p.m. Uh, thank you to HCAM for broadcasting and recording this. And,
um, thank you to everyone for participating. Have a good night.