May. 8, 2024 - Building Committee Meeting

Middletown

Minutes · May 8, 2024

Approved June 5, 2024

MPS BUILDING COMMITTEE MEETING

Oliphant Administration Building

Michael S. Pinto Conference Room

26 Oliphant Lane, Middletown, RI 02842

May 8, 2024 5:00pm

Members in Attendance:

X = Present/Voting; R=Represented; P=Present/Non-voting; N=Not Present

Greg Huet left at 5:39pm; Bill Nash left at 5:54pm

1. Call to Order

· The meeting was called to order at 5:00 pm by Vice Chair Bill Nash. Eleven (11) of thirteen (13) voting members were present or represented by an alternate.

· Also present: Justin Bernard and Colin McCarthy, OPM, Colliers Project Leaders.

· Present via Zoom: Matt LaRue, Alexandra Christiana, Justin Viglianti, Tina Stanislaski, HMFH Architects; Ed Cifune, DBVW Architects; and Derek Osterman, OPM, Colliers Project Leaders.

2. Consider and Vote on Meeting Minutes from April 24, 2024

3. Architect’s Update

3.1 Design Update

· Matt LaRue reminded the Building Committee that the architectural team is working through the Design Development phase, which should last through mid-July, after which the team will proceed onto the Construction Documents phase.

3.2 PE and Athletics User Meeting Update

· Matt LaRue informed the Building Committee that a meeting was held with the athletic director and the physical education staff members to review the locker rooms. The number of lockers for the high school was increased to 150 and the number of showers were reduced. Only one shower is needed for the high school locker room.

· The number of lockers for the middle school locker room was reduced to 40, and they will all be cubby size, approximately 16”x16”x24”, large enough to fit a backpack if needed. Only one shower is needed for the middle school locker room as well. Changing stalls will be included in each of the locker rooms.

· Visiting teams will use the middle school locker room, and they do not use the lockers as they just put their bags on the floor.

· Additional divider curtains will be added to the gymnasium so it can be split into quadrants. The curtains are motorized and operated via a touch screen.

· Marc Thayer raised a safety concern about the motorized curtain. Matt LaRue will check to see if they have a sensor to stop automatically if anything is in the way.

· ** ACTION:** Check into the safety features of the motorized curtain. - HMFH

· Matt LaRue shared that enough space to support the Special Education needs of the middle-high school exist, but some spaces will need to be switched around. HMFH just became aware of the need for space for a Bradley Partnership; dedicated space will be incorporated. Superintendent Kraeger added that the school district just recently re-established this partnership, as it was in place years ago but was eliminated due to a lack of students. Enough students now exist to support bringing this back in house.

· Superintendent Kraeger also added that the school district is looking to move the Transitions Academy outside the new building by partnering with the YMCA. This would ease space needs in the new school.

· ** ACTION:** Confirm that no space will be needed in the new middle-high school for the Transitions Academy. – Superintendent Kraeger/Niemeyer

· Enough space for Special Education exists at the elementary school as well, but some spaces will need to be switched around.

3.4 Cafeteria User Meeting Update

· HMFH met with Chartwells and a representative from the boosters to discuss the kitchen and concessions space. Space will be available for a grab and go service in the concession/café space. This space will also be available for after-hours concession use. No access to the kitchen will be allowed after hours due to a contractual agreement. Access to the concessions area will be through a separate door after hours to avoid the need to go through the kitchen.

· HMFH is looking at ways to maximize the capacity of the walk-in refrigerator and freezer as well as the reach in capacity for both. Food delivery procedures were also reviewed.

· Locations for a “share table” for the middle school and high school sides of the cafeteria will be investigated to minimize the amount of food that might get thrown away. This idea was brought up by Chartwells as they’ve done this at other schools.

3.5 Sustainability Workshop #3 Recap

· Alexandra Christiana provided an overview of what was covered during the third sustainability workshop. Topics covered included the design of a net zero ready building, prioritizing daylight and views with windows in all classrooms, ensuring fresh air with operable windows and mechanical ventilation, avoiding red listed materials on all touch surfaces, minimizing site disturbance, and minimizing impacts on local water resources through efficient use of water inside the building and native plantings outside that are drought resistant and require minimal maintenance.

· Eight EV charging stations are currently planned for the new building, with the ability to add more later. Regarding solar panels, the building design will identify areas where they can be installed with minimal shadowing.

· Alexandra mentioned the potential to formalize the entry points through the stone wall along the south side of the property to Columbia Road. Marc Thayer stated that he would be willing to mark up the site drawings to identify where the breaks in the wall exist today.

· ** ACTION:** Update the site drawings to identify the breaks in the stone wall along the south of the property along Columbia Road. – Marc Thayer

· Matt added that the landscape architect will be back to a future meeting to review the rain gardens and site elevations at the entrances to each side of the new middle-high school.

· Alexandra explained how HMFH envisions the school can be a teaching tool using a performance dashboard, murals, signage, and exposing some systems to allow for the new building to be integrated into the curriculum.

· Alexandra shared the NE-CHPS Scorecard showing the new target at 181 as RIDE asked that the target be at least 180.

· Marc Thayer asked about storm water management and Matt stated that there will be a small infiltration system but much of the storm water will need to be managed by a retention system.

· A meeting was held the Gaudet Academy principal on May 2nd and no issues came out of the discussion. The plan is to try to reuse the lockers from Gaudet as they are in good shape and are the right size for the elementary school age students versus the lockers currently at the high school.

· A Zero Net Energy meeting was held on May 3rd with RI Energy and their consultant firm who administers their incentive program. The purpose was to get introduced to the new consultant as they are different from the one used previously by RI Energy.

· A pre-application planning meeting is scheduled for May 15th to meet with the building inspector and town engineer to discuss the process for future town planning approvals.

· Work continues to get equipment lists for CTE and STEM programs at the middle and high schools.

· HMFH continues to provide support to the Town for possible grants for the project.

· A drama users meeting will be scheduled, and Manuel Cordero suggested setting up meetings with students to gather their input for the project.

The update from HMFH can be viewed here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1naGt42wlqVPK-D4pQF3Og2Ha_woiABAg/view?usp=sharing.

· Antone Viveiros read a statement about the design of locker rooms and use of showers in buildings. Theresa Spengler reiterated that the new school will have one shower for each of the middle school and high school locker rooms and changing rooms will allow for privacy in each of the locker rooms as well.

4. Owners Rep Update

4.1 RIDE Stage II Supplement Update

· Justin Bernard informed the Committee that he had a phone call with Keelia Kentor from the RIDE School Building Authority who informed him that RIDE is in the final stages of their review of Middletown’s Stage II Application. She shared with Justin that the Educational Plan made a very compelling argument for the full 225 square feet per student as a comprehensive Middle-High School which will provide the Town with more reimbursable costs.

· Justin Bernard shared that Bentley Companies received a tentative selection to be part of the qualified lists of vendors for MPA 574 on April 26, 2024. The RI Division of Purchases requested some additional information from Bentley, which was supplied on May 2nd. Justin added that he had an email exchange with Kathy Missell at the Division of Purchases on Tuesday, and she informed him that Bentley is approved, and they have been issued a purchase order number. For the record, that purchase order is 3888316. The Town can now execute a contract with Bentley as the Construction Manager at Risk for the elementary education part of the project.

4.4 Two Week Overview May 9 – May 22

· Colliers will enter contract negotiations with both Bentley and Gilbane as Construction Managers at Risk with the goal of completing them by early June.

· The update from Colliers can be viewed here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1icCl8DIk9dr3r053LokrUnEwpJD8jRKg/view?usp=sharing.

5. School Building Committee Update

5.1 Consider Changing Meeting Schedule to Monthly Through the Summer

· After a review of the upcoming meeting schedule the Committee suggested meeting once in July and once in August.

· ** MOTION:** Shawn Brown moved that the Building Committee meet on July 17

· Theresa Spengler added that the first budget hearing will be on May 22nd, the same day as the next scheduled Building Committee meeting. The group agreed to skip this meeting as well. The next Building Committee meeting will be held on June 5th.

5.2 Discuss Naming or Renaming of Schools

· Don shared that the naming or renaming of any part of a school requires School Committee approval and suggested that we pass this action item over to the School Committee. Superintendent Kraeger stated that she will have this added to the agenda for the July or August School Committee meeting.

· Town Administrator Brown stated that he felt someone from the school department should pull together a list of existing names and determine which may need to move and which might remain. Superintendent Kraeger shared that she would have this done for the School Committee to review.

5.3 Ongoing Coordination Meetings

· Superintendent Kraeger stated that the first order of business when Chair Ed Brady returns is to meet with the Historical Society.

5.4 Two Week Look Ahead

· The next School Building Committee meeting will be in four weeks. Ongoing coordination meetings will continue.

6. Adjournment

· ** MOTION**: Tom Welch moved that the Building Committee adjourn at 6:01pm and Theresa Spengler seconded. The motion passed unanimously (10-0).

Future Meeting Schedule – The next meeting will be on June 5, 2024 at 5:00p.m. at the Oliphant Administration Building.

Respectfully Submitted,

Don Morin