MINUTES

LITCHFIELD SCHOOL BUILDING COMMITTEE

LITCHFIELD INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL LIBRARY

APRIL 21, 2005

A meeting of the Litchfield School Building Committee was held on Thursday, April 21, 2005, at 7:00 p.m. in the Litchfield Intermediate School Library.

Present were: Mac Bramley, Acting Chairman, Lynn Chapman, Bill Buckley, Gary Waugh, Jeff Zullo and Bob Blazek.

Also Present: Peg Perusse, School Business Manager; BOS Members: Bill Dranginis and Joan Whitbeck, BOE Members: Frank Simone and Wayne Shuhi; Michael Healey of Ten-Corp; Public and the Press.

Meeting was called to order at 7:04 P.M. by Mac Bramley

Approval of Agenda

Motion was made by Jeff Zullo to approve the Agenda as prepared, seconded by Lynn Chapman.

Motion Carried.   All votes were in the affirmative.  There were no abstentions.

Approval of Minutes

Approval of Minutes was tabled due to lack of quorum of attending members.

Public Participation

Bill Dranginis asked if the test on the beams was done and asked the BC to comment on that.  He also walked every foot of Litchfield High School and was impressed with the conditions.   There were two places where there needs to be repair.

Winnie Harrison asked to have her comments in the March 17, 2005 minutes corrected. She also asked to see estimates that were to be attached to the March 3, 2005 minutes.

Alan Landau – He also walked around the school.  Caulking around the windows and joints is missing.  He asked about a plan of action and for the actual list of work being done.  He is interest in seeing those plans.  Paint is peeling around the building.  He hopes there is a maintenance plan.  There are a lot of structural cracks in the blocks.  People, including a member of the Building Committee, are telling me not to stop what I am doing.  

Betsy Glassman handed a submission of questions to Mac Bramley from Lynn Brickley, who asked that they be answered right away.   After reviewing minutes from previous meetings, she saw on July 17, 2004 that Jeff Zullo stated that the fencing around the field is $75K.  She would like to know when $75K was originally allocated to PHPF.   Why is the BC paying for this when a privately funded group has committed to fund this project?   How much will the phone lines and data cable cost the BC?

Mike Murray – Whatever happens eventually, you can forget about the deferred maintenance mess.  How is the BOF going to negotiate future maintenance contracts with the new superintendent getting a 25% raise over three years?  Forget about maintenance – The BOE is going to use up that money on other things.

Communication

Mac Bramley – Any shortfalls in minutes should be directed to the Town Clerk.   The inspection of the beams has taken place.  I am hoping HSNP and the contract engineer would be here tonight.  The report of this inspection is not done.  There is a chance the Chair may call a special meeting to approve this report.

Bob Blazek – The BOS continued a discussion regarding the beam situation.

Gary Waugh – The BOE is concerned that the May 11, 2005 meeting conflicts with the Town Meeting.    We received a communication from David Wedge regarding a letter he received from Betsy Glassman challenging the school project.   Gary Waugh read answer and asked that both letter and answer is attached to the minutes.

Mac Bramley – These issues fall under the purview of existing local zoning groups and building inspector.   A set of plans and specifications can be found at the Superintendent’s Office and Building Inspector’s Office.

Mac Bramley – It should be another week or two before drawings are 100% complete.

Bill Buckley – The drawings that went to the State should be made available.  If they are 50% complete those drawing should be made available.

Jeff Zullo- This week the construction drawings are to be completed.  There are the detailed design drawings, the updated detailed design drawings and the construction drawings.

Mac Bramley – We have not specifically provided for a forum or time period that these drawings should be viewed.

Bill Buckley – I have a question on correspondence.   David Wedge’s comment is appropriate.  Say the beam in the Library popped and there was no BC.   Has the Town inspected that?  The Town should be looking at that to see if there are other problems.  John Worthington has to inspect it himself or if he is not capable, hire someone to do it.  That is the Town’s responsibility not the BC.  If there is an immediate problem, the Town should take action.

Mac Bramley - I have had several conversations whether the physical maintenance of the plant should remain the responsibility of the BOE or the Town.

Peg Perusse – It has already been done.

Finance Committee - None

Technology Update

Michael Healey, President of TEN-CORP offered a brief presentation “Technology and Your Building Project”.

Discussion:

Gary Waugh – The School that had White Board Technology, is that in every classroom?

Michael Healey – Yes, but if you are limited, it is best in the Science Classroom and classes with a lot of interaction with the board.

Gary Waugh – The Students come out of college using that technology.

Jeff Zullo – The key element is the required infrastructure and cable wiring.   [To Wayne Shuhi] Come to us with your specifications.

Discussion of Building Permit

Mac Bramley – The Building Inspector is expecting fees for the Building Permits.

Jeff Zullo – We carried in the Budget a waiver of the building permit.  Leo Paul, Cynthia Politano, Jack Healy and I met with John Worthington, building inspector.  His proposal was to do what the Town did during the Wamogo project; Wamogo paid $5.00 per $1,000.00 of construction fees.   He proposes that the Town hire an independent half time person for the full period of the project, who will be available on site to conduct daily inspections.  Jack and Leo both agreed.  The cost needs to be born by the Town or the Building Committee.   It’s a 30-month plan at $3,320.00 per month on an as needed position.  The building inspection needs to begin next week.  The Building Department will work with the State.

Motion was made by Jeff Zullo that the Building Committee agrees to offset the cost of additional staffing in order to assist the Building Inspector and Fire Marshall with Plan Review and Inspection responsibilities related to the two building projects for the next thirty (30) months at $3,320.00 per month per a meeting held in the First Selectman’s Office on Wednesday, April 6, 2005, and authorize the chairman to send a letter to the Town requesting a waiver of the building permit fee in exchange for this agreement, seconded by Lynn Chapman.

Discussion:

Gary Waugh – Would this person be accountable to the Town or the Building Inspector?

Jeff Zullo – He would report to John Worthington.

Gary Waugh – He would no be a contracted employee?

Jeff Zullo – No, he would be an employee of the Town.

Bob Blazek – Is this out of our budget?

Jeff Zullo – This will be out of the BC budget.

Bill Buckley – I did not support this.  The cost of construction may be less money than this.  What is the advantage of this?  If the Town doesn’t want to waive the building permit fees, charge it on the cost of actual construction.   I think they should waiver the fee and if they need to hire a person, they should.  If we do it based on construction costs.

Jeff Zullo – It is the First Selectman and the Building Inspector’s position that they will need this half time position.

Bob Blazek – Was this fee included in our budget?  [To Bill Buckley] What happens in your town?

Bill Buckley – The fee is waived.  There is no building fee for site work.  The fee is going to be cheaper than this.  The salary is going to cost us more.

Bob Blazek – You’re saying to wait it out and pay the fee.

Jeff Zullo – The Town is going to have to add support service to do this.  This has to begin next week.

Bob Blazek – What to you estimate the savings might be?

Bill Buckley – If you estimate $20M of construction, it’s about the same, but I don’t think we have $20M in construction, I think it’s less.

Peg Perusse – I believe the agreement was thirty months regardless of the length of the project.

Jeff Zullo – John Worthington is going to have to support this project.

Gary Waugh – If we were to defeat this motion, would we pay the fee?

Bill Buckley – You don’t pay the fee until you get the Building Permit.  The Town is obligated to review plans and provide services to protect the Town.

Bob Blazek – Bill is more experienced than I am and thinks we can save money.

Mac Bramley – Is there still money in the budget for the Town Engineer?

Joan Whitbeck – Yes.

Bill Buckley – If there is no money in it for an additional person, there is not projected revenue?  My opinion is we won’t exceed the $99K.   I almost thing this exercise doesn’t gain us anything.

Gary Waugh – When does the BC begin to pay the fee?

Bill Buckley – When the trade person goes in to pick up the permit.

Jeff Zullo – Plan review needs to start Monday.  Permits will no get pulled two – two and a half months from now.  It’s going to cause delays.  The Building Office does not have personnel to support the plan review.  I have a problem capping this fee.  If you defeat this motion it will delay the project.

Gary Waugh – Does the Building Inspector’s Office have a budget that can fund this during the upstart time?

Bill Dranginis – If you vote yes or no, we have to hire someone anyway.

Mac Bramley – BOS can borrow money on a short term basis to hire someone.

Jeff Zullo – We are going to cause our own delay.

Bill Buckley –  If the Town does not want to waive the building permit fee, we’ll pay it.  They can count on that money.  The Town can go ahead and hire a part time person.

Jeff Zullo – I am bringing this motion to the BC.  Jack, our chairman supports this.

Bill Buckley – Let the BOS discuss it.

Motion Failed.  All votes were in the negative except Jeff Zullo and Gary Waugh who voted in the affirmative.  There were no abstentions.

Motion was made by Jeff Zullo that the BC request the BOS to waive the building permit fee, seconded by Bill Buckley.

Motion to Amend Motion was made by Bill Buckley - understanding that if they don’t waive it, we’ll pay it, seconded by Gary Waugh.

Bob Blazek – put it in writing so that the Selectmen have a concrete item to discuss.

Motion to Amend Carried.   All votes were in the affirmative.  There were no abstentions.

Motion carried. All votes were in the affirmative.  There were no abstentions.

PHPF Update

Jeff Zullo – Final grading will be done in the next two weeks, seeding in May, and full sod on playing fields in June so they can be used in the fall.  The track area will be paved in July and track surface applied in August.  Fields to be used in the fall.   The PHPF Group is planning to construct a storage shed.  They have bids on that and will go for permits this summer.  It should be done this fall.  They are running phones lines and water lines.   Bids on fencing are due the end of April.  We have five bids.   The Bond Counsel said the BC funding of this is an appropriate expense.

Bill Buckley – Do we have that in writing.

Mac Bramley – Yes.

Bill Buckley – I think it is inappropriate to fund the fence.

Future Agenda Items

Bill Buckley –

1.                   Discussion of whether of not the fencing for PHPF is part of the Building Project.

2.                   Continue with public information, we want to keep updated going

3.                   Water Line Inspection Report – want the status of evaluation of the water line and hydraulic capacity of the water line.

Motion was made by Bill Buckley to adjourn the meeting at 9:07 PM and seconded by Bob Blazek.

Motion Carried.   All votes were in the affirmative.  There were no abstentions.

Respectfully submitted,