MINUTES
LITCHFIELD SCHOOL BUILDING COMMITTEE
LITCHFIELD INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL LIBRARY
MAY 19, 2005
A meeting of the Litchfield School Building Committee was held on Thursday, May 5, 2005, at 7:00 p.m. in the Litchfield Intermediate School Library.
Present were: Jack Healy, Chairman, Mac Bramley, Lynn Chapman, Bill Buckley, Gary Waugh, Jeff Zullo, Bob Blazek, Stacie Kavle, and Kent Gilyard.
Also Present: BOS Members: Leo Paul and Bill Dranginis, BOE Members Diane Knox, Don Falcetti and Wayne Shuhi; Tim Callahan of HSNP; Ray Gradwell, Civil Engineer with DTC; Public and the Press.
Meeting was called to order at 7:05 P.M. by Jack Healy.
Approval of Minutes
Motion was made by Lynn Chapman to approve the minutes of the May 5, 2005 meeting, as corrected, seconded by Bob Blazek.
Correction Bill Buckley asked that the following statement regarding the attached letter from David Wedge be inserted in the minutes:
Jeff Zullo noted that the letter from David Wedge stated that the reimbursement would be higher than anticipated by the Building Committee
Motion Carried. All votes were in the affirmative, except for Mac Bramley who abstained.
Public Participation
Winnie Harrison repeated comments she has heard in Town with regard to this Building Project including but not limited to: absurd, waste of money, obscene.
Betsy Glassman Has a question about the lawyer hired for land use hearing. Why a lawyer? Estimated cost of a lawyer is $200.-$300. per hour for meetings that are 2 hours each. She also commented that the addition to LIS is now illegal. We voted for the addition on the south side. There is case law that would side with someone who wants to sue because the addition site was changed. It is a problem we should fix.
Bill Buckley Maybe we can have our Town Attorney look at the appellate court case in Texas and see if it is relevant.
Communication
Jay Chittum received a letter from Dr. Betty J. Sternberg, Commissioner of Education of the State of Connecticut Board of Education. The start of construction deadline has been extended to June 30, 2006.
Jeff Zullo read the following email from Jay Chittum:
Board, I learned from Bruce Walpole this morning that I was in error in my thinking about local approvals. He said that the State can approve both projects even if the local wetlands and P & Z approvals are pending. State approvals are not dependent on local approvals. (DEP approval is another matter. That must be obtained before State approval). The possible problem is that contractors can not get the proper local building permits until the local approvals are finished so the start of construction may be delayed. But the good news is that after State approval, bidding can begin while we continue through the local wetlands and P & Z process. Jay
Jeff Zullo We should initiate the bidding process right after State approvals.
Jack Healy read the following email from Peg Perusse to Tim Callahan of HSNP:
Tim, Jim Koser called me yesterday to tell me that he and Mitch (our designated Public Works employee) and John Whalen met with a representative of Aquarian, out water company, either yesterday or the day before, an checked the valves by route 202 as well as the valves by the cafeteria at LHS. All were fully open. Jim also wanted to be sure everyone knew that the pipes are 6 not 8 in diameter and that fact certainly might account for the pressure issue. Peg
Jack Healy also received at an email from Ed Fabbri regarding the water lines in Torrington. The Torrington Water Company cleaned and lined some of the older lines, 50 100 years old. Cleaning, as opposed to installing new lines is a good and less costly option.
Gary Waugh reported from that members of the BOE are concerned about delays in the schedule. The BOE and the Superintendents Office began working with the Architect about interior finishes.
Bob Blazek Jack Healy and I spoke to the BOS about the PHPF fence now being paid for by the PHPF. Kevin Creed had questions about reimbursement and the Attorney hired for the hearings.
Jack Healy I told him it was the regular course of action. We want to make sure all paperwork is correct.
Jeff Zullo for BOF- Bonding cost for project is still in this years budget.
Finance Subcommittee Update
Motion made by Mac Bramley to authorize payment to Peter C. Herbst for invoice number 6155 dated April 30, 2008 in the amount of $1,180.00 of which $778.80 is LHS portion and $401.20 is LIS portion plus $242 of incidentals (title search) of which $159.72 is LHS portion and $82.28 is LIS portion all totaling $1,422.00, seconded by Gary Waugh.
Motion Carried. All votes were in the affirmative. There were no abstentions.
Two Invoices from HSNP for construction docs from 50% to 75% completion.
Motion made by Mac Bramley to authorize payment for LIS project number 033601, invoice number 15302 dated April 12, 2005 in the amount of $50,910.75, seconded by Bob Blazek.
Jeff Zullo Do construction drawing have to be 100% complete for the SFU review?
Tim Callahan We still have work to do. They are 80% complete when they go to the State.
Motion Carried. All votes were in the affirmative. There were no abstentions.
Motion made by Mac Bramley to authorize payment for LHS project number 033600, invoice number 15301 dated April 12, 2005 in the amount of $103,364.25, plus incidentals of $2,848.92, totaling $106,213.17, seconded by Bull Buckley.
Bob Blazek Are these in accordance with contract pricing?
Mac Bramley Yes.
Motion Carried. All votes were in the affirmative. There were no abstentions.
Mac Bramley spoke with Cynthia Politano regarding interest expense. $8.8M is accruing interest payable at maturity to the Town in the amount of $300,800.74. Even though the $8.8M is collecting interest, we are getting none. The issuing authority is keeping spread.
Jeff Zullo The Town is realizing the profit from that interest.
Bill Buckley Maybe on a formal basis, Jack [Healy] as Chairman should talk to Leo [Paul], First Selectman, about this matter.
Mac Bramley The last building committee was criticized for not including in the project short term borrowing, which we included this time. Whenever you are charged for short term borrowing you should be credited for the interest earned on the unused portion. Therefore if the BC is responsible for paying short term interest expenses, they should be credited with the net gain from arbitration. The money earned is not a found slush fund, rather an interest rate reduction. Net borrowing can be represented at a lower percentage rate. The money should be used to reduce the interest rate. We are being charged $300K for $8.8M. At that rate there is a question of whether we have enough money allocated.
Bob Blazek Have you heard of any other Towns doing what we are doing here?
Mac Bramley I havent investigated that.
Bob Blazek - Can we put it in writing to send it do the Town Hall.
Jeff Zullo We have built into the plan the short term interest expense of approximately $1M. We want to make sure we bring the cost of this project to the Town. The BOF with the BOS and Town Treasurer have the ability to allocate fund where they see fit.
Bill Buckley If $8.8M cost $300K then $33M will cost $1.2M/
Jeff Zullo We are not borrowing $33M, we are borrowing $22M.
Bill Buckley Why borrow so early?
Jeff Zullo We had a 2.3% interest rate.
Mac Bramley We should discuss the existence of the Finance Subcommittee. It is difficult meeting. Out of the last ten meetings, four we did not have a quorum and four were ten minute meetings. We will need to meet with Bruce Walpole to analyze what he brings in; contracts, invoices, payments.
Kent Gilyard If we have information emailed to us ahead of time, we can get our meeting down in 15 minutes.
Jeff Zullo The point of the Finance Subcommittee is to off load the detail of review of contracts and payments. Once that starts we are going to have a rigid process.
Jack Healy We need to have a Finance Subcommittee.
Mac Bramley Can we move the regular meeting to convene at 7:15PM/
Bill Buckley If the FSC meets at 6:45 PM and have not adjourned, the BC can start their meeting later.
Gary Waugh It would be beneficial to me to have this documentation also emailed to the rest of the BC.
Stacie Kavle arrived at 7:55 PM.
Jeff Zullo - Is it possible for Peg Perusse to scan and email to the entire BC just invoices. We meet the second meeting of the month. [or third Thursday]
Architect Update
Regarding Inland/Wetlands application process and P & Z application process and status.
Tim Callahan - We have drawing at SFU coming out the end of May and June. The State Traffic Commission will be out within the next week. DEP we got comments back, resubmitted and approval will be out in the next couple of weeks.
Ray Gradwell read the comments from the DEP.
Bill Buckley Regarding the no increase in runoff Did you prepare an analysis of discharge from the sire before and after?
Ray Gradwell Yes, we analyzed the 2, 10 and 100 year storm drains.
Bill Buckley Was there any decrease?
Ray Gradwell Yes, a small area across Constitution was rerouted up to the parking area.
Jeff Zullo We are actually decreasing the discharge flow of the total project and not increasing any flow? Just a minor slight reduction?
Bill Buckley What the acreage would be of percentage increase of impervious.
Ray Gradwell Biggest, drainage area E3 decreased by 1/10 of one percent
Drainage area E1 stayed the same
Drainage area E2 increased by 4%
Drainage area E4 decreased by 6/10 of one percent
Drainage area E5 increased by 2%
Bill Buckley We are not in wetland; we are within a 150 feet area. They should understand the size. We need to put that in perspective so people can understand it. We should also understand the amount of the building which is placed within the 150 foot area. Is building a new building a prudent alternative?
Jeff Zullo Do both Inland/Wetlands and P & Z understand that there is no increase in runoff?
Peter Herbst We have and we need to continue to make it clear to them. Penny Sharpe has initiated a wild life study.
Jeff Zullo Wetlands has to understand these costs are being paid by commissioners, interveners and members of the BC.
Peter Herbst Public hearing is continued to June 8, 2005, P & Z is continued to June 20, 2005.
Mac Bramley It surprised me that they insisted on a map to combine PHPF with this project. Also bus storage kept coming up. We have nothing to say about it.
Peter Herbst It is beyond the scope of this project, as is PHPF. When the request was made to show all three projects on one map, the best way to respond was give them a map with three scope details. Our project does not impact the other two projects and vice versa. Each project stands on its own merit.
Jeff Zullo I did hear from the P & Z Chairman that the three projects should be considered as one entity. Am I clear that they can only review out project as one entity? They can not expand the scope.
Peter Herbst We have to make clear that we do not have increase runoff and the project does not impact the wetlands.
Jeff Zullo Why are we even there?
Peter Herbst The commissioner determined it may be a significant activity. The State of CT Wetland Commission had broad review. They do have the authority and it is appropriate to file the application with them. We have a school in a residential zone. It has already been permitted. We have a school already. You have to file a special exception to make sure its not going beyond use.
Gary Waugh The Chairperson clearly linked PHPF and this project. That should be out of order. Do you have the ability to make those kinds of objections to that?
Peter Herbst I think I could but what we need to do is emphasize that PHPF has massive grading. This project does not have same type of grading and we are separate from that.
Mac Bramley The PHPF is easy to defend. It is an extraordinary project. The BC decided that we could survive with the fields we have. By next P & Z meeting will there be a plan in place for the buses?
Leo Paul There is no plan to keep buses at this site. We are working on an alternative plan.
Bill Buckley The Plan before P & Z shows that buses are not stored on this site. If buses are still there, we would not get a Certificate of Occupancy. It was not this project hat displaced the buses. It was the PHPF. It should be clear the buses are not part of the project or this site. Speak to them about the construction phasing of the two projects. One [PHPF] will be done while the other has barely begun.
Jack Healy This project is being constructed to meet the Educational Specifications. We are no responsible for a bus lot in the Ed Specs.
Bill Buckley Par of the opposition is a desire to come up with an alternative plan to build a new school. Try to put a 130,000 SF building on an alternative site. The only place it would go is the baseball field. Would it be important to us to show a site plan showing a new building and knocking down the current High School; a more intrusive presence in wetlands and setback.
Bob Blazek Years ago buses were stored on the south side of the Town Garage.
Gary Waugh How many meeting do wetlands and P & Z run to? When is enough presentation enough?
Peter Herbst I anticipate everything will wrap up at the next meeting.
Jeff Zullo Is the applicant the Town of Litchfield School Building Committee? This is not a developer or external enterprise.
Peter Herbst - Yes, it is the Town.
Jeff Zullo We are all in the same group. It is good to have the review and due diligence done and approved.
Peter Herbst Issues that pertain to Town properties outside the scope of this project should be addressed by the Town.
Bill Buckley New England Consulting made comments that are not part of this project. What are we spending Town money on? Is should not be part of this project it is irrelevant and outside the scope of this project.
Peter Herbst It would have been better had the consultant given specific tasks.
Bill Buckley The problems we are addressing are years of neglect. Address those problems to the BOS and Capital Improvements. The $33M will renovate and expand LIS and LHS.
Jeff Zullo The First Selectman needs to evaluate how P & Z contracted this company and their hiring practices. This issue has to be brought to P & Z.
Tim Callahan We met with the administration of LIS and LHS to review interior finishes. All materials have been approved except the concrete issue.
Jay Chittum We want to see where these concrete materials are being used.
Lynn Chapman I have visited nine (9) schools since I have been on this BC and all of them have VCT tiles.
Tim Callahan Its durable and easy to maintain. Schools throughout the country use VCT.
Gary Waugh It was duller than Ive seen. Does it take wax? What is the life span?
Tim Callahan Yes, it takes wax. The life span is 30 40 years.
Gary Waugh How about the material for the LHS gym roof. Durability and application?
Tim Callahan Its similar to membrane we use on flat roofs, Ill get you information on durability.
Gary Waugh Can you have a cost analysis between membrane and metal roof?
Mac Bramley In view of the Aquarian inspection, the 6 pipe in not adequate.
Tim Callahan We have done flow tests. The flow is adequate.
Jack Healy it is time to put this thing to bed. Lets get it together in a short concise report for the next meeting. I want a conclusion on this matter.
Bill Buckley I just want to comment on the orange color your presented to us. I was at a house the other night and they had orange on one wall and it looked great. The light reflected off it.
Jack Healy The people who live next door would like to know the location of the plunge pool.
Bill Buckley Questions raised by NE Consulting, i.e. cleaning catch basins; should we say the question has nothing to do with this project.
Peter Herbst The question will referred to the Town and the Town will be responsible.
Ray Gradwell There are many questions we are going to respond to even though you dont believe its a part of the project.
Jeff Zullo Do we have to respond to the questions of the interveners.
Peter Herbst It is appropriate to respond to any questions that are relevant. Interveners are citizens of the Town and they have some relevant questions.
Jeff Zullo I have heard comments from people in Town about the Interveners questions. They say they are absurd, ridiculous, obscene, etc.
Peter Herbst Site Walk is May 27TH at 9:00 AM. Anyone can attend site walk. They must stay with the leader of the site walk, Ray Gradwell; the engineer is usually the leader. No discussion or questions, no comments and everyone must stay together.
Technology Update
Jay Chittum We received construction documents and electrical plans are on there. The Technology Group is appreciative that all their comments were incorporated in the documents.
Jack Healy I want to thank the BOS and BOE members for attending and their continued support.
Future Agenda Items
Gary Waugh The BOE were concerned about not replacing the tiles in the Gym. Can we get a comparative analysis of new tiles vs. patchwork old tiles?
Motion was made by Mac Bramley to adjourn at 9:10 PM, seconded by Bill Buckley.
Motion Carried. All votes were in the affirmative. There were no abstentions.
Respectfully submitted,
Kelli L. Green, Recorder