Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Audrey P. Beck Municipal Building

Conference Room C

MINUTES

Present: Elizabeth Paterson, Matt Hart, Mark Boyer, Gordon Schimmel, Anne Willenborg

Absent: Bill Simpson,Chair, Anne Rash, Jeff Smith

Staff: William Hammon, Fred Baruzzi

Guest: Rick Lawrence, Lawrence Associates

1. Call to Order/Roll Call

Ms. Paterson called the meeting to order at 5:04 p.m.

2. Meeting Minutes

The minutes of April 11, 2007 were moved, seconded and approved unanimously.

3. Opportunity for the public to address the Committee

No one came forward.

4. Scope of Work by Rick Lawrence

Mr. Lawrence reported that the schedule has been shared with a variety of consultants asking them to provide his firm with proposals for services to incorporate as part of the team. He then met with Dr. Schimmel, Mr. Smith and Mr. Hart to discuss on a preliminary basis and was finalized in a letter with attachments on April 25, 2007.

Mr. Lawrence reported his contract was based on the anticipated work schedule, the scope was discussed and tried to identify the amount of hours to be used. Combined hours of various personnel, quotes received and came up with approximately 1200 to 1300 hours of time. The project is to take approximately 1-1/2 years to complete which is from start to referendum, which entails the four steps of collecting info, meeting with school staff, getting feedback, conceptual ideas, working on plans and the listening process in conducting the workshops. This also includes working with our consultant and construction manager to come up with options and a cost estimate.

Ms. Rash arrived at 5:07 p.m.

Mr. Lawrence stated it took into consideration the average range of current fees for the CAD/drafting personnel in all offices in the range of about $75/hour, the billable time and the principles is between $150 and $165/hour. The average multiplied by the estimated hours is how the proposed fee was calculated.

Mr. Lawrence also stated that on these projects there is a “top heavy” point of participation by principles, i.e., myself, Mike Callahan (Fuss & O’Neill), Jim Barrett (DRA).

Mr. Lawrence answered the question “will the Town be able to recoup this money if and when the project proceeds”? The answer to that is yes, if the Town approves the School Building project and it then gets submitted to the State Dept. of Education, part of the funding would be to “pay back” if the project is approved. The money would be reimbursable. If the project is not approved, then obviously the money would not be reimbursable.

Mr. Hammon asked if this was Lawrence Associates fee for the complete process or would there be an additional fee for the construction part of the project. Mr. Lawrence replied that this was not construction documents, just feasibility studies, schematic designs, workshops and feedback. Drawings would be prepared and samples were shown to Dr. Schimmel and Mr. Hart previously. Conceptual floorplans cannot be used as building plans, but can be used to show what’s being taken down or what’s being added on or where the alterations occur. Square footage would be shown and a series of drawings for each school would be drawn up.

Mr. Lawrence reported that if the project did pass referendum, part of the numbers then prepared would be the complete project budget. This would include the construction cost, contingency, FF&E (furniture, fixtures & equipment), professional fees. Mike Callahan will be very involved to go over all areas of the buildings. Mayor Paterson stated that if this was done up front, there would be no surprises. Mr. Lawrence reported that this was the intent and that consideration would be given to green buildings and LEED certification. This would all be part of the evaluation in the early stages. Mayor Paterson stated that for Council presentation, heavy questioning would occur on these items.

Mr. Hart asked Mr. Lawrence about the timeframe to produce the construction drawings and what that fee would be? Mr. Lawrence replied renovation projects run a slightly higher percentage cost due to more investigatory work and it’s more difficult making systems work when you have restrictions (i.e., ceilings, roof) vs. new construction. Typically fees run from the higher 6% to 8-1/2% range depending on quotes from services needed, systems installed, complexity of construction and related back to percentage will probably not go over the 9% to 9-1/2% range.

Mr. Hart also inquired if the proposed scope of services would have to be approved by the State before the project. Mr. Lawrence replied that no that with the Town’s requiring to approve the projects first, the risk is the Town’s, not the State’s.

Mr. Lawrence mentioned one other question that was brought up earlier; “are these the typical services that are provided to a municipality for a school building project?” Answer is yes, every school or district has to go thru this type of analysis, but it is not absolutely required that the workshops are conducted or have the feedback from the public. The Town could hire a design professional, the architects and engineers as a team, work with administrators and staff, design the project and bring it to the Board of Education, the Town Council and then to the voters. Nothing says that everyone in the Town needs to be asked what they would like, but as seen in other Town’s the people like to be involved with what is being decided upon.

Mayor Paterson stressed the fact that if people felt they were involved through the visioning sessions along the way there might be less chance of an organized opposition to the project and the questions will be answered along with changes in response to what people say.

Mr. Hammon asked about the breakdown of the total fee of $137,500. Mr. Lawrence explained that it could be broken down by four, i.e., approximately $35,000 per school. Mr. Lawrence also explained the breakdown that at each of the schools would have site engineers looking at the site, playscapes, parking, drainage, mechanical and electrical, code issues, roofing, windows, and the educational part. When that is divided up it’s not a lot of money for the timeframe. Dr. Schimmel stated that this is approximately one year as it needs to be wrapped up by next summer. Mr. Lawrence replied when he said year and a half he meant through the referendum in November with the PTA groups through support and graphics. Mayor Paterson asked about the timeframe being wrapped up by June, Mr. Hart replied it needed to be advertised within sixty days.

Dr. Schimmel stated that $35,000 per school was not a lot of money for the work that would be conducted. Mayor Paterson replied that the job needed to be thorough. Mr. Lawrence stated that there might be more hours put into the project than would be charged for.

Mr. Hart asked if the Committee was satisfied with what has been proposed? He also stated that this could be an agenda item on the May 29th Council packet or did Dr. Schimmel want it to go to the Board of Education first? Dr. Schimmel stated that it could be presented at a joint meeting of the Council and Board and that it could be presented as an early item on the agenda or a special meeting.

Mr. Hart made the motion that “the Committee endorse the proposed architectural and engineering study for presentation to the Town Council and the Mansfield Board of Education and to seek their endorsement of the same”. Motion seconded. No discussion. Passed unanimously.

Mr. Lawrence mentioned that Mr. Hammon has loaned Lawrence Architects drawings of the elementary schools and the middle school. Mr. Lawrence will have copies made up for use for the walk thrus and the survey work.

Mr. Hart reported that the work was reimbursable but would probably seek Council authorization to bond the amount. Mr. Lawrence recommended adding a dollar amount for the construction manager. Mayor Paterson asked Mr. Lawrence to work up a possible dollar amount, give it to Mr. Hart so he could present it to Mr. Smith and proceed from there.

Mr. Hart reminded Mr. Lawrence about possible questions from the Board or the Council about LEEDS Silver and to be prepared to answer. Dr. Schimmel reminded staff that LEEDS Standard could be done which does not require certification.

5. Other

The next meeting will be June 13, 2007 in Conference Room C at 5:00 p.m.

6. Adjournment

Mayor Paterson adjourned the meeting at 5:40 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

L. Patenaude

Capital Projects and Personnel Assistant