High School Building Committee (HSBC) Meeting #79 Minutes

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Wayland Town Building

School Committee Conference Room

Attendees

HSBC members: Lea Anderson, Josh Bekenstein, Brian Chase, Jim Howard, Fred Knight, David Lash, Mary Lentz, Jennifer Steel

Absent: Dianne Bladon, Joe Lewin, Cindy Lombardo, Eric Sheffels

HMFH Team: Steve Millington

KVA Team: David Saindon, Frank Vanzler

Ex Officio members: Gary Burton, Louis Jurist

Call to order – HSBC Chairman, Lea Anderson, called the HSBC meeting to order at 7:42 p.m.

Project update - David Saindon, Project Manager, reviewed the activity of the past two weeks:

• Special Education plan was submitted to MSBA on July 28.
• Ed Spec was approved by the Wayland School Committee on July 27.
• MSBA Board approved Wayland’s preferred option for schematic design on July 29.
• Consultants have made significant progress (to be reported by Steve later).
• HMFH and KVA met on July 21 to map out a schedule to meet MSBA deadlines.

MSBA update – Lea reviewed the MSBA Board meeting of July 29. She reported that the meeting was attended by many communities whose projects were being considered. A large group of vocational/technical school supporters attended, as well. There was standing room only and groups came and went as their respective projects were considered. Attending from Wayland were Gary Burton, Rep. Tom Conroy, David Saindon, and Lea. Of specific interest:

• MSBA is allowing 8% of project costs to be spent on site work. This is an increase from previously discussed numbers. MSBA understands that sites vary significantly from cities to towns. While they will participate in funding some site work, they will scrutinize expenditures.
• Mary Pichetti presented each school project in a variety of categories. Each category (Project Budget and Scope, Invitation to Feasibility Study, Recommendation for Preferred Schematic Design, Moratorium Builders, Invitation to Model High School) was voted en masse.
• Mary noted Wayland’s unique campus lay-out, strong academic program, and the conclusion that renovation would be very complicated and more expensive than new construction.
• Mary said that Wayland’s preferred option of two buildings is somewhat higher cost than a single building. If there is a cost premium at the end of schematic design, then Wayland will be responsible for funding the delta at 100%.
• Three school projects (Bedford High School, Manchester-Essex Senior/Junior Regional HS, Concord Thoreau Elementary School) that were built during the moratorium were approved for funding at 40% with some excluded scope such as space for central office administration which is not part of a reimbursable project.

Lea also reported that all votes were unanimous. It was clear that projects had been very well vetted ahead of the meeting. Board members asked questions, but were clearly in agreement with the recommendations of the MSBA. The meeting was focused and well run.

Dr. Burton has received a letter from Executive Director, Katherine Craven, confirming the board decision on proceeding with Schematic Design on new construction with a renovated field house. She mentioned the tight schedule to Wayland’s goal of a fall debt exclusion vote.

General overview of consultants’ progress – Steve Millington reported on the following work by consultants:

1. MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) – HVAC engineers from GGD are proposing standard heating and cooling for the common building large spaces (auditorium, commons, music, fitness, etc.) and a “displacement ventilation system ” or DVS for the classroom building. DVS is being used in a school in Bourne. Steve offered to arrange a field trip for HSBC committee members to see first hand how the system feels in the heat of the summer. DVS is a less expensive, more energy efficient alternative to standard air conditioning. DVS uses rooftop units to draw moisture out of the air, deliver the air to the low part of a room. When the air reaches warm bodies it has a cooling effect. The warm air rises and is vented out. Discussion followed:

· Last time our choice was whether or not to air condition. This is different.

· David will find out from MSBA whether air conditioning is a reimbursable cost.

· Windows will be operable.

· Steve was asked to contact the facilities director of Bourne to ask about DVS. He will also try to find out if there are other buildings around that use it.

· MSBA has its radar up on HVAC. We need to get clarification on what they will accept.

· Steve will e-mail information on a tour.

2. WWTP (Waste Water Treatment Plant) - Consultant has filed documentation with DEP requesting a lower amount of sewage to treat. The DEP has said they will accept the lower number.

· Consultant is continuing design of the plant and field.

· The septic system cannot accept science waste, so we will need a tight tank similar to the middle school.

· They are also looking at recycling treated waste water to flush toilets. Waste water is treated to a very high level in a Zone 2. Low flush toilets are being proposed.

3. Geotech consultants, McPhail Assoc., will conduct borings on August 3, 4, and 5 to figure out bearing capacity on building site.
4. Engineers have our plans and are now able to make significant progress.
5. Civil Engineer, Nitsch Engineering, has the site plan and is beginning storm water management work. They are considering rain gardens and capturing storm water for irrigation. Steve will confer with appropriate town departments to figure out what we are allowed to do. Then we will work with MSBA to figure out what the state will participate in paying.
6. Equipment consultant, Tavares Design, has the plans and has started layouts of classrooms, labs, furniture, equipment, casework, etc. Steve will get back to the staff for their feedback. Pat Tutwiler and department heads are available during the summer to provide input.
7. Structural Engineer, Johnathan Buhl, is conducting a second round of framing plans.

Discussion followed:

• Are we considering SPED inclusion program relative to acoustical and other areas of design?

Ans. Yes. Steve will continue to be in touch with SPED director, Marlene Moskowitz-Dodyk.

• The modular science classrooms have furniture and equipment that can be used in the new school.

Presentation on plans and elevations - Steve reviewed the site plan. He noted rain gardens in parking lots. There are currently 420 parking spaces planned. He asked for feedback from the committee on what happens to the land when the paved parking lot closest to the river is removed. He is currently planning for natural planting, not a playing field. He thinks that DEP and ConCom are going to want minimal use of that land because if its sensitivity.

The plan is currently showing the Math/English building intact. At the last meeting it was suggested as a possible location for WayCam, although a significant amount of work would have to be done on the building at the Town’s expense. There is no consensus on whether to mothball it for future use. Steve expressed concern about generating need for more parking if the M/E building remains. He said that waste water treatment, power, and HVAC will have to be sized to accommodate it. This is clearly outside of the MSBA funded project. Louis Jurist, Chairman of the School Committee, reported that there was a suggestion at this week’s School Committee meeting to consider using the modular classrooms for WayCam. While it is not the school’s obligation, it would show good will to try to help WayCam. Louis thinks that the M/E building is too expensive to renovate. Gary Burton mentioned five possible future uses for the M/E building: WayCam, Central Office administration, technology hub, storage space, potential future classrooms for an increased enrollment. The point was made that there is a more efficient way to add classrooms in the future where the designers are leaving space for future growth.

Several questions need to be answered before a recommendation can be made on the M/E building:

• Does the M/E building generate the need for more parking spaces?
• What is the cost to mothball the building?
• Is the building useful for community use in the future (at what cost)?

There was consensus that the M/E building is not part of the schematic design to be presented to MSBA.

Steve continued showing the committee the elevations and floor plans.

• The latest square foot calculations are at 160,000 s.f. Steve will continue to work on reducing it to 154,350 s.f.
• The net to gross multiplier is close to 1.5. He will begin to look at making corridor reductions and squeezing the building in other ways.
• Savings start to become negligible at this point.
• Steve showed current roof pop-ups to allow light to get into interior spaces.
• He described a connecting space between the new common building and the field house where rest rooms for the field house would be located.
• The exterior is planned to be a combination of brick with some metal panels. Steve was asked to send out pictures of other buildings that use this technique.
• The field house roof will be a PVC membrane material.
• Steve has filled out a first pass Mass CHPS form.

The plans will go to the cost estimator on August 14. KVA will do a concurrent cost estimate over the last two weeks of August. Cost estimates will be presented to the HSBC on August 27.

Schedule Update – David presented an updated schedule. He explained that KVA and HMFH are focusing on cost drivers for the MSBA submission in early September. David will send the schedule to MSBA this week. The next two HSBC meetings will be very full. David asked the group to consider meeting at 6 pm for the next two meetings. Lea will ask HSBC members if they are able to meet early. Dinner will be provided.

Meeting dates are as follows:

• 8/13/09 – HSBC meeting (6:00 pm start)
• 8/27/09 - HSBC meeting (6:00 pm start)
• 8/31/09 – Wayland submits schematics package to MSBA
• 9/10/09 - HSBC meeting
• 9/24/09 - HSBC meeting
• 9/30/09 – MSBA Board votes on Wayland project scope and budget
• 11/?/09 – Town Election and Special Town Meeting

David and Steve were asked to plan to meet with town boards.

• Conservation Commission (date to be determined)
• Department of Public Works in August
• Health Commissioners
• Planning Board
• Wellhead Protection – August 13 at 10 am

Motion: A motion was made by Jennifer Steel and seconded by Mary Lentz to approve the minutes to HSBC meeting #78 held on July 16, 2009.

Vote: The motion was approved unanimously: 6 in favor, 0 opposed. (Josh and Fred left before vote.)

Adjournment – The HSBC adjourned at 10:23 p.m.

Next meeting – Thursday, August 13 at 6:00 pm in the School Committee conference room

Observers: Leisha Simon, Kay D’Orlando, Cecily Kiefer, Chris Reynolds

Comments from the Public: There were no comments.