REPORT OF THE
HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING COMMITTEE
April 2009
This
update describes the work of the High School Building Committee (HSBC) during
the past year, since the Annual Town Meeting on April 10, 2008. It also reviews the steps taken with
the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) since the lifting of
the moratorium on state funding in
2007.
The
work of the HSBC in prior years is summarized in the Report of the HSBC
published in the January 2005 Special Town Meeting Warrant. It and the more extensive 2004
Preliminary Design Report are both available on the HSBC web site
(www.waylandschoolcommittee.org/whs/hsbc/index.htm) and at the Wayland Public
Library.
Over
the past year, the HSBC met 13 times for a total of 65 meetings since January
2004. These most recent meetings focused on the required steps leading to the
Feasibility Study/Schematic Design phase defined by the MSBA. Specifically, the HSBC:
Massachusetts School
Building Authority (MSBA) Ð MSBA regulations define a five-phase
process, with guidelines that clearly define the components, their sizes, and
their characteristics for which the state will provide reimbursement.. The state and local community will work
together at every step of the new process. The five phases are:
identify the problem, validate the problem, evaluate potential
solutions, confirm a solution, and implement the agreed upon solution.
Identify the
Problem (Statement of Interest) Ð The Wayland School Committee and Board
of Selectmen submitted a Statement of Interest (SOI) to the Massachusetts
School Building Authority in August, 2006. The SOI was the first step in the application process for
state funding. Communities were
asked to document deficiencies under eight statutory criteria: health and
safety, existing severe overcrowding, loss of accreditation, prevention of
future severe overcrowding, energy conservation and decreased energy costs,
short term enrollment growth, replacement of obsolete buildings, and transition
from court ordered racial balance districts to walk-to districts. Wayland documented deficiencies in
seven of the eight statutory criteria.
Senior Site Review Ð In August, 2007, Enrique Zuniga, Director of
Quality Assurance for MSBA, Joseph Miele, Senior Architect from STV, and Donald
Corrie, Director of Design from STV visited Wayland High School for the Senior
Site Review. The MSBA engaged STV
to provide an additional, independent analysis of the assessments done by MSBA.
Evaluate Potential
Solutions - The
Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) at its Board of Directors
meeting in November, 2007, invited Wayland High School to move forward to the
Feasibility Study phase of applying for state funding. There are currently 19 districts working on
Feasibility/Schematics or Design Development.
The
MSBA has defined a rolling capital pipeline of $2.5 billion spread over five
years. The MSBA will introduce
projects into this pipeline as they are deemed ready. A recent presentation by MSBA Executive Director, Katherine
Craven, confirmed the commitment of $2.5 billion with a guaranteed funding
floor through 2009. The fall-off
in sales tax revenue associated with the current recession will significantly
affect funds available beyond 2009.
The MSBA will work with towns to agree on fiscally responsible
facilities.
In
February 2008, the MSBA laid out the next steps for Wayland as follows:
1. Submit the Initial Compliance
Certification (submitted in February, 2008)
2. Form a School Building Committee
(submitted paperwork in March, 2008)
3. Complete an enrollment questionnaire
(completed in April, 2008)
4. Complete an enrollment projection
working with the MSBA consultant (completed in January, 2009; MSBA and Wayland
agreed on a design enrollment of 900)
5. Procure an OwnerÕs Project Manager
subject to approval by the MSBA (KVA approved by MSBA in January, 2009)
6. Procure a Feasibility Designer through
the MSBAÕs Designer Selection Panel (awaiting MSBA approval to continue with
HMFH; expect approval in March, 2009)
7. Execute a Feasibility Study Agreement
with the MSBA detailing scope, schedule, milestones and cost-sharing parameters
of the Feasibility Study/Schematic Design (expecting to sign agreement after
April, 2009 Annual Town Meeting)
8. Execute Project Scope and Budget
Agreement including schedule, price, and MSBA participation (projected for Fall
2009)
9. Conduct a local vote on project (projected
for November, 2009)
10.
Execute Project Funding Agreement (projected for November, 2009)
Wayland
has been told by the MSBA to plan for 40% reimbursement on the Feasibility
Study/Schematic Design. The
Wayland School Committee has submitted a warrant article for additional funds
to complete the Feasibility Study/Schematic Design phase estimated to cost no
more than $1,026,000. Wayland
voters approved $300,000 at the 2007 Annual Town Meeting in anticipation of
being selected by the MSBA to proceed.
The balance of $726,000 is included in this 2009 ATM warrant. The town is required to authorize the
full amount, but the cost to the town will be no more than $315,600 after
reimbursement. (Town portion is
60% of $1,026,000 or $615,600.
Town has already appropriated
$300,000. Balance is
$315,600.)
The
first steps of the Feasibility Study have begun. The Wayland School Committee engaged educational facilities
planner, Dr. Frank Locker, to work with approximately 60 Wayland citizens of
all ages, and teachers, administrators, and staff to plan for the future of
Wayland High School. This
three-month-long effort resulted in an updated educational specification as
required by the MSBA. The revised
ed spec, enrollment design number, MSBA regulations, and updated cost estimates
will all be considered in analyzing options for modernizing Wayland High
School. The HSBC and MSBA will
look at a variety of renovation and new construction options and come to agreement
on the appropriate path.
Next Steps ÐThe MSBA will
define the scope of a reimbursable project by considering enrollment, square footage per student,
and allowable cost per square foot.
It
is the intention of the HSBC to generate a plan for Wayland High School that
will be widely supported by the taxpayers of Wayland. Building on the consensus that something needs to be done to
improve the high school facility, the HSBC will work closely with the MSBA to
secure state funding and with the taxpayers of Wayland to agree on a
project.
Respectfully
submitted,
Lea
T. Anderson, HSBC Chairman
High
School Building Committee Members
Lea
Anderson 508-358-2667 lea@anderson.name
Josh
Bekenstein 508-358-5651 jbekenstein@baincapital.com
Dianne
Bladon 508-358-0068 dehbladon@aol.com
Steve
Breit 508-358-7966 sbreit@alum.mit.edu
Brian
Chase 508-788-1081 abchase@comcast.net
Jim
Howard 508-358-2619 howard.james@comcast.net
Fred
Knight 508-358-0834 fred@knightway.org
David
Lash 508-358-5294 david.lash@comcast.net
Mary
Lentz 617-542-4141 mlentz@mccallalmy.com
Joe
Lewin 508-653-9952 joelewin@comcast.net
Cindy
Lombardo 508-358-5958 sweetlifer@aol.com
Eric
Sheffels 508-358-5461 eric.sheffels@lmp.com
Jennifer
Steel 508-652-1952 jsteel@FraminghamMA.gov