Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Mansfield Town Hall

Council Chambers

MINUTES

Present: Mark Boyer, Fred Baruzzi, Mary Feathers, Elizabeth Patterson, and Matthew Hart

Absent: Anne Willenborg and Marsha Willhoit

Staff: Allen Corson, Cherie Trahan, and Jaime Russell

Guest: Rick Lawrence of Lawrence Associates

1. Call to Order/Roll Call

Ms. Feathers called the meeting to order at 5:05 p.m.

2. Meeting Minutes

The minutes of April 8, 2009 and June 10, 2009 were approved as presented.

3. Opportunity for the public to address the Committee

No one came forward.

4. MMS Fuel Conversion Project

Mr. Baruzzi reported that the project is ahead of schedule.

Asbestos was found in about 20 rooms. Asbestos removal should be completed by next week.

Continuing to work with the State in regards to the ineligible costs of the project and trying to reduce the ineligibles.

Additional funding to complete the alternates of the fuel conversion and for the funding of the gas main may not happen before the 1^st of September according to Denise Merrill.

5. Staff Report

Site option: Southeast school is the option that committee is going with since it is the only available property owned by the Town/Board at this point.

Septic testing: Mr. Corson presented the bid proposals from the top four low bidders.

He would like permission to conduct interviews with the 4 low bidders to move along the process.

Ms. Patterson made a motion to authorize Town staff and the Town Manager to interview and hire the firm to conduct the septic system study. Mr. Boyer seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.

6. Next Steps

The Southeast school site is the only available property owned by the Town/Board. The septic system study will determine whether the Southeast school site can be used and will determine the option of keeping the existing building for another use and a new building all on the same site.

If the site passes all testing, the committee will need to authorize Lawrence Associates to move forward with drawings and different concepts with the input of the Committee.

Discussion took place about having tables at the Festival on the Green, Know Your Town Fair, and the school open houses to give information and gather questions from the public about the Families of Options. Handouts and posters will be needed.

Discussion took place about how, where, and what information to present.

· PTA/PTO meetings

· Bring out school leaders that have gone from neighborhood schools to one central school to speak at meetings

· Educational pros and cons

· Possibly find a neutral group to bring different constituents the information

Mr. Baruzzi will send out the survey results from the school site reviews to the committee members.

Committee needs to come to a consensus as to what the best option is to present to the Board and Council. The Committee shall meet with Board and Council when they have their recommendation.

Decision has to be made by May 2010 or June 2010 to get information out there. In September 2010 there should be a reminder that it will be on the ballot in November 2010.

Ms. Feathers stated that through the CABE association, we might be able to use a private neutral company to present the information to the public.

Further discussion needs to take place about if one school is built, what will the other buildings be used for?

7. Other

Next meeting will be held Wednesday, August 26, 2009 at 5:00 p.m.

8. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 6:50 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Alicia Ducharme