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READING PUBLIC SCHOOLS <br />Reading, Massachusetts <br />SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING <br />REGULAR SESSION MINUTES APRIL 25, 1994 <br />CALL TO ORDER <br />Chair Roberta D'Antona called the regular School Committee <br />meeting to order at 6:45 p.m. in the Pupil Personnel Office. <br />All members were present. Also present were Superintendent <br />Robert J. Munnelly, Assistant Superintendent Dennis Richards, <br />Architect David Finney, School Building Chair Russell Graham, <br />Eaton Elementary School Principal Donald Farnham and a report- <br />er from the Chronicle. <br />AWARD OF GENERAL CONTRACTOR BID FOR CONSTRUCTION OF JOSHUA <br />EATON <br />Dr. Munnelly recommended that the Castagna Construction <br />Corporation of Newburyport be awarded the general construction <br />contract for Joshua Eaton renovations and additions. Dr. <br />Munnelly advised the School Committee that the Building <br />Committee wants to rebid the roof bid. However, Town Counsel <br />has advised the School Committee to award the contract to the <br />lowest bidder including the low plumbing bidder. Mr. Graham <br />explained the School Building Committee was reacting to the <br />lowest bid, which was $50,000 higher than they had expected. <br />He pointed out that they were without the benefit of Town <br />Counsel when they were discussing the bid. <br />Mr. Finney pointed out that in the current construction <br />climate, it is likely that the bids would be higher if the <br />project were rebid. <br />School Committee member Timothy Twomey asked for an explana- <br />tion of the Castagna Corporation's work on the Town Hall Pro- <br />ject. <br />Dr. Munnelly indicated that delays occurred in the project <br />because of poor communication and because of the complexity of <br />the project. There were many opportunities for potential <br />breakdowns because of the nature of the project. <br />He added that performance and payment bonds will be required <br />and if there is a strong clerk of the works and if the <br />architect is heavily involved in supervision of the project, <br />the expectation is that the general contractor will not fall <br />behind schedule. <br />There was a discussion of the need for a clerk of the works on <br />the Joshua Eaton Construction Project. Mr. Shannon commented <br />that he was not ready to consider a second full time clerk of <br />the works. <br />