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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-11-02 School Committee MinutesREADING SCHOOL COMMITTEE Reading, Massachusetts Joint Meeting with the School Building Committee November 2, 2000 CALL TO ORDER Chair Cavicchi called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m. Present were School Committee Members Cavicchi, Dahl, Keigley, Griset and Twomey, School Building Committee members Lupi, Radville, Graham, Struble and McRae. Also present were Selectmen Hines and Superintendent Harutunian. CITIZEN'S INPUT There was no citizen input. BILLS & PAYROLL Bills and payroll are as follows: Warrant 36 10/30/00 $565,734.13 Warrant 34 10/23/00 $115,107.57 Warrant 32 10/16/00 $305,026.34 Warrant 30 10 /10 /00 $288,439.30 Payroll 35 10/27/00 $178,502.23 Payroll 33 10/19/00 $698,382.61 Payroll 31 10/13/00 $159,526.46 Payroll 29 10105100 $701,815.38 Reading Memorial High School Building Project Dr. Harutunian stated the School Building Committee has met with the administration, the architect and the high school building committee to discuss the building project. He stated that the School Building Committee would be reporting at Town Meeting on the status of the high school. He stated that the purpose of this evening's meeting is for the School Building Committee to get input from the School Committee regarding the building project. Mr. Graham stated that the School Building Committee does not believe they have enough information from the two prior feasibility studies done for Reading Memorial High School. Mr. Graham stated that it is the consensus of the School Building Committee that Town Meeting ought to consider a project that comprehensively and fully addresses all problems and leaves us with a high school that enhances students' education and serves the community at large. He stated that the goal of the School Building Joint Meetine with the School Building Committee November 2, 2000 Committee is that the building not be done in a haphazard manner to react to emergencies or accreditation concerns. He stated that this goal comes with a considerable price tag. Mr. Graham noted that the Town has financial problems but the responsibility of the School Building Committee remains to advise Town Meeting on the best solution to this issue. Mr. Graham stated that at Town Meeting in April the Building Committee will request funds to provide architectural services to fully outline the high school project. He stated that this information will be necessary to inform the electorate on the project. He stated that the problem is if the electorate turns down the project a significant sum of money will have been spent for architectural services. He stated that the debate on this issue should take place on the floor of Town Meeting. Mr. Graham stated that the dialogue between the high school based building committee, the School Building Committee, the School Committee, the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee would need to continue in order to be prepared to justify the architectural expenditures and hopefully gain support. He stated at April Town Meeting the School Building Committee would be requesting the expenditure for the high school architectural study as well as $18,000 for the Killam School. He stated that the School Building Committee would be working on a timetable for the project and the override. He stated that meetings have been held with the DOE SBA, and we are comfortable that the rate of reimbursement will be similar to the past rates and that there is a possibility that the rate could actually be a little higher. Mr. Graham informed the School Committee that the purpose of this evening's meeting was to inform the School Committee on the consensus reached by the School Building Committee and to gather input from the School Committee. Ms. Cavicchi opened the meeting up to questions from the School Committee. Mr. Twomey asked Mr. Graham for more details on the changes in SBA. Mr. Graham stated that a meeting had been held with Mr. Wolfson of the SBA. Mr. Wolfson outlined what he believed to be the new regulations. Mr. Graham stated that in the past any discussion regarding the high school with the SBA it was the SBA's position that it was necessary to do the entire project at once, soup to nuts. He stated that under the new regulation is appears that the project could be done in significant parts. There is not yet a definition of significant parts. Mr. Graham stated that it was an interesting meeting but Mr. Wolfson was careful to say that so far they have not had any requisitions under the new regulations. Ms. Cavicchi stated that she was concerned about approaching the high school project in significant parts because it appears that the significant parts approach would cost the Joint Meeting with the School. Building Committee November 2, 2000 Town more money in the long run and she is concerned about the impact on education at the high school with constant construction Dr. Harutunian stated that he was relived that the reimbursement rate appears to be very similar to past reimbursement rates but that was also concerned about approaching the project in a significant parts approach. Mr. Dahl asked Mr. Graham if the School Building Committee is recommending moving the project forward by significant parts or as a full project. Mr. Graham stated that it was the School Building Committee's belief that the project should be moved forward as a full project. Mr. Dahl stated another concern he has about moving project forward as significant parts would be interest rates and the potential cost increases. He asked if the money the School Building Committee would be requesting from Town Meeting for architectural services would be enough to give a comprehensive overview to the people of Reading as to what the project would entail. Mr. Radville stated that the cost is based on the assumption of construction costs. He stated that the $500,000 for architectural services would be necessary in order to ensure that an adequate study is done and a reliable construction cost estimate could be determined. Ms. Cavicchi stated that there is a danger of spending $500,000 and not having the project move forward. She asked whether there was a way to get a sense of the community's view on moving the project forward. Mr. Graham stated that the School Building Committee has had some minor discussion about having an instructional motion from Town Meeting that tells us to move forward. He stated that the topic is still under discussion. Mr. Twomey stated that it is the sense of the School Building Committee that their charge is to come before Town Meeting with the best recommendation to solve the problem as the School Building Committee understands the problem. Mr. Twomey stated that even to do the project in significant parts the only way to get a clear financial picture is to have a comprehensive architectural report done. Dr. Harutunian stated that the main issues facing the town regarding the high school is that every year you delay the number of students at the high school gets larger and it will become more difficult to do the work while housing the students and second the longer the delay the more expensive the project will become. He also stated his concern that the reimbursement from SBA take longer than the five year time frame in the past. Joint Meeting with the School Building Committee November 2, 2000 Mr. Twomey made a motion that the School Committee support the approach recommended by the School Building Committee as articulated this evening by going to Town Meeting with a comprehensive proposal for solving all of what it understands to the be the problems of the high school facility and seeking Town Meeting approval of that approach. Mr. Dahl seconded the motion. The vote was 5- 0 Ms. Cavicchi, Mr. Dahl, Mr. Griset, Mr. Keigley and Mr. Twomey. EXECUTIVE SESSION At 8.30 p.m. Mr. Griset made a motion to adiourn from regular session and enter into executive session to discuss pending litieation. Not to return to regular session. Mr. Keigley seconded the motion. The vote was 5 -0 Ms. Cavicchi, Mr. Dahl, Mr. Griset, Mr. Keigley and Mr. Twomey. Respectfully submitted, Harry . Harutunian, Ph.D. Superintendent of Schools