High School Building Committee (HSBC) Meeting #15 Minutes

Thursday, June 10, 2004

Wayland High School

Commons Conference Room

 

Attendees

HSBC members:  Lea Anderson, Josh Bekenstein, Dianne Bladon, Brian Chase, Jim Howard, Joe Lewin, Cindy Lombardo, Eric Sheffels

Absent:  Steve Breit, Mary Lentz, Steve Tise

Ex Officio members:  Gary Burton, Jane Ezbicki, Fred Knight, Charlie Ruopp

Turner team:  Dick Amster, Julie Bezoetdebie

HMFH team:  Steve Friedlaender, Doug Sacra

 

Chairman Lea Anderson called the fifteenth meeting of the HSBC to order at 7:40 p.m.

 

HMFH Contract

Joe Lewin reported that the contract for HMFH is ready for recommendation to the Wayland School Committee.  The basic elements, such as scope and price, were settled a while ago.  A few issues relating to the control of documents, liability language, and language referring to Phase I have been agreed to.

Motion – A motion was made by Josh Bekenstein and seconded by Cindy Lombardo to recommend the HMFH contract in the amount of $275,000 to the Wayland School Committee for approval.

Vote – seven in favor; none opposed (Eric Sheffels arrived after the vote)

The members of the sub-committee who worked on the contract were thanked for their effort.

 

HSBC Progress Report to WSC on June 14

Lea reported that the HSBC will make a progress report to the Wayland School Committee on Monday, June 14.  The Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee have been invited to send representatives to the 7:30 meeting.  Dick Amster, George Metzger and Doug Sacra will attend and report on the Educational Program, Existing Conditions Report, and the schedule drivers.  Fred will bring up questions on override timing.

The WSC will be asked to accept the Educational Program as a basis for the design team to proceed with the development of three options. It was noted that the acceptance of the program does not mean that changes will not be made as the HSBC learns of costs associated with satisfying the ed spec.

HSBC members are encouraged to attend the meeting.

 

HMFH/Turner Report

- Existing Conditions

Doug Sacra reported that HMFH has received the preliminary wetlands delineation from Alf Berry, information on gas service from Keyspan, and other recent information (additional analysis of current energy and water usage) this week that he would like to include in the Existing Conditions Report.  The final report will be issued next week and copies will be made available for the library and the report will be posted on the website.

 

It was noted that the HSBC white paper will have to be updated when the new information is complete.  HMFH will also produce an executive summary as part of the final report.

 

- Tours

Doug reported that a small group from Wayland toured Boston Latin High School on Wednesday.  He is arranging a tour of the Capuano School for WHS science teachers and any HSBC members who would like to see an example of Green School design.  Gary Burton noted the benefit of seeing other schools and encouraged the HSBC to take advantage of the tours if possible.  A trip back to Groton Dunstable or to another high school will be planned for a mutually agreeable time.

 

- Options Progress

Dick Amster reviewed a draft format for presenting option pricing, asking for feedback

from the HSBC in the next week.  The following suggestions were made: show new vs. renovation and a total for each area; provide information on where a scheme is deficient relative to the program; check with Charlie Ruopp to make sure to include all “soft” items.  Dick said that the HSBC will see a comparison of the families of options and the merits and deficiencies of each option family.

 

Doug reviewed the work done on the option families since last week’s meeting.  Scheme 1 (renovation of all existing buildings plus new construction for science building, additional classrooms, auditorium and gym) was discussed.  Doug proposed a renovation of the four lift slab buildings (Social Studies, Language, Science, and Commons) that includes extending the walls 5’ to the edge of the slab to gain interior space.  The opinion was expressed that the HSBC should also consider a renovation that leaves the walls of these buildings in place and adds new space to make up the needed square feet.  This would allow the HSBC to consider the presumed lowest cost option. The group agreed that understanding the tradeoffs in educational quality for this and all options is necessary.  After much discussion it was agreed that it would be a valuable exercise to see what is possible by reconfiguring the interiors of the four buildings and leaving the exterior walls where they are.

 

Doug showed the HSBC a revised Scheme 2 that groups common space in a new building, builds a new Science building and a new English/Social Studies building, and renovates four buildings (Field House, Arts, Administration, and Math/English), while demolishing the Language, Social Studies, Science and Commons buildings.  A suggestion to revise this scheme by building one two-story Science/Social Studies/English building instead of two separate buildings was made, the assumption being that one larger building is less costly than two buildings.  Steve Friedlaender pointed out that the combining of common space in one building is very efficient and saves significant square feet from the earlier Scheme 2. The group discussed the notion of campus relative to this scheme.  It was noted that placing an auditorium in a building detached from the music department is problematic, because it requires moving large instruments around for every concert.  In a brief discussion on phasing, it was agreed that Scheme 2 would be easier than Scheme 1 on this particular issue.

Doug reported that the changes to Scheme 3 (new construction and renovated Field House) since last week were the adjustment for the latest wetlands information and the rotation of the track to better fit the topography of the hill on the east side of the site.

 

Communications

Lea asked for feedback on a draft press release on the upcoming community forum on July 8.

 

Minutes – A motion was made by Cindy Lombardo and seconded by Joe Lewin to approve the minutes of HSBC meeting #14 on June 3, 2004.

Vote – Eight in favor; none opposed.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 10:10 p.m.

 

Observers:   Pat Abramson, Judy Canty Graves, John Hilliard, Margo Melnicove, Heather Pineault, Lynda Rosenthal, Linda Segal, Bill Whitney

 

Comments from observers:

Suggestion to move HSBC meetings to Selectmen’s Room for live broadcast

Question on timing of override

Question on forum dates

Suggestion to consider rearranging gym and commons in Scheme 2

Suggestion to consider sequencing of construction

           

The next regular meeting of the HSBC is scheduled for Thursday, June 17 at 7:30 p.m. in the Wayland School Committee conference room in the Town Building.