High School Building Committee (HSBC) Meeting #55 Minutes

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Wayland Town Building

School Committee Conference Room

Attendees

HSBC members: Lea Anderson, Dianne Bladon, Jim Howard, David Lash, Mary Lentz, Joe Lewin, Cindy Lombardo, Eric Sheffels, Jennifer Steel

Absent: Josh Bekenstein, Steve Breit, Brian Chase, Fred Knight, Karen Talentino, Steve Tise

Ex Officio members: Gary Burton

Call to order – HSBC Chairman, Lea Anderson, called the meeting to order at 7:40 p.m.

Owner’s Project Manager (OPM) Search - Lea reviewed the process:

• Ad was placed on June 25 for Request for Services

• An information session was held on July 2 and was attended by 9 firms
• 26 firms requested an RFS
• 8 proposals were submitted by Friday, July 11 at 2 pm and delivered to the selection committee

• Tuesday, July 15 - Selection committee met to determine short list
• July 16 - 21 - Selection committee checked references
• Monday, July 21 - Selection committee interviewed KVA and Daedalus
• Tuesday, July 22 - Selection committee interviewed RF Walsh and Turner

Selection committee discussed all four finalists and ranked them.

KVA and Turner tied for first in the ranking.

The assessment was tied to the minimum requirements and evaluation criteria as stated in the Request for Services.

• Relevant Experience

• Knowledge of Codes, Procurement, Green Development
• Project Approach
• Project Team
• Firm Qualifications/Capacity

The members of the selection committee reviewed the strengths and weaknesses of the finalists, with particular emphasis on KVA and Turner.

Strengths

KVA meets all criteria

Project Director, David Saindon, has MCPPO certification

Relevant firm and team experience in 5 Salem school projects (additions and renovations) and other public projects

Knowledge of codes, CM at risk experience, Green design

Project Approach is sound

Project Team is very strong

Firm is qualified and has the capacity

References are stellar on the firm and the individuals

Two principals work on the jobs – high level team

Repeat customers

In-house cost estimating

Weaknesses

Small firm of 11 professionals

Not as much public high school experience as other firms

Turner Strengths

Turner meets all criteria

Project Director, Rob Juusola, has MCPPO certification

Relevant firm and team experience in Groton Dunstable H.S. (new construction), Acton Boxborough H.S. (addition and renovation), Chelmsford H.S. and Middle Schools and many more.

Knowledge of codes, CM at risk, Green design

Project Approach is excellent

Project Team is very strong

Firm is qualified and has the capacity

References are exceptional for the firm and the individuals

Large company with many resources behind the K-12 Education wing

Turner Weaknesses

Turner’s weaknesses are political (Newton North association, perception that rehiring Turner for the WHS project hampers fresh start)

The selection committee members discussed additional points as follows:

• Two finalists are smallest and largest of the ones we interviewed.
• Reputation of the firm is a qualification.
• Has the reputation of Turner been tarnished?
• Selection committee grilled Turner on Newton; Turner handled it with reasoned responses.
• Turner will probably cost more than KVA; if there is significant value, then worth it.
• KVA is very small and has much less experience in public schools. It is a quality firm.
• Turner team is new except for Bob Ho.

The other members of the HSBC then weighed in on what they were hearing. While agreeing that there might be some political fallout in choosing Turner, there was support for looking at the long view and doing what is best for the town, not what is politically expedient.

Ranking of two firms: The Selection Committee ranked the two finalists as follows:

Turner received four first place rankings.

KVA received two first place rankings.

Motion – A motion was made by Dianne Bladon and seconded by Cindy Lombardo to approve the selection of Turner Construction Company as Owner’s Project Manager.

Vote – 8 in favor, 1 opposed

Field House Update – Gary Burton reported on the progress on the field house upgrades. The floor is being torn up and should be gone by Friday. Leveling and compacting will begin. The floor, once poured, will take two months to cure. Completion of the project is expected to be in late November.

Next Steps – Lea will attend the School Committee meeting on Monday, July 28 to present the recommendation of the HSBC for Owners Project Manager. She will call all four firms Thursday morning to let them know of the selection pending School Committee approval.

Motion – A motion was made by Jim Howard and seconded by Cindy Lombardo to appoint a contract negotiating team of Joe Lewin, Eric Sheffels, Mary Lentz, Lea Anderson and Joy Buhler to meet with Turner when and if MSBA approves the selection.

Vote – 9 in favor, 0 opposed

Motion – A motion was made by Cindy Lombardo and seconded by Mary Lentz to approve the minutes of HSBC meeting #54 held on Thursday, July 10, 2008.

Vote – The motion was approved unanimously - 9 in favor, 0 opposed

Motion – A motion was made by Jim Howard and seconded by Dave Lash to approve the minutes to Selection Committee meetings on July 15, July 21, and July 22, 2008.

Vote – The motion was approved unanimously – 6 in favor, 0 opposed (only selection committee members voted)

Adjournment – The HSBC adjourned at 9:15 p.m.

Observers: Sam DiSavino