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Home My Public Portal About20131125 - Elementary School Building Committee - Meeting Minutes Approved 1/13/14 11‐25‐13 ‐ Page 1 of 4 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BUILDING COMMITTEE Monday, November 25, 2013 7:00 PM – Center School Cafeteria – 11 Ash Street MINUTES Elementary School Building Committee Chair Joe Markey opened the meeting at 7:05 PM with the following present: Voting Members: Voting Members Absent: Mr. Joe Markey, Chair Mr. Jon Graziano, Member* Mr. Mike Shepard, Vice Chair Mr. John Mosher, Member Ms. Pam Waxlax, Member Mr. John Weaver, Member Mr. Rob Nickerson, Secretary/Clerk** Members: Members Absent: Mr. Ralph Dumas, School Director of Finance Dr. Cathy MacLeod, Superintendent of Schools* Mr. Norman Khumalo, Town Manager Mr. David Daltorio, PE Town Engineer Ms. Lauren Dubeau, Principal Center School Mr. Scott Aghababian, Member* *Due to a last minute School Committee scheduling conflict, Dr. MacLeod, Mr. Graziano and Mr. Aghababian were unable to attend the 11/25 ESBC meeting. **Mr. Nickerson attended briefly from approximately 7:30 to 7:45 due to personal scheduling conflict. I. Community input ‐ Community members are invited to share ideas, state opinions, or ask questions. A community member present declined the invitation to comment at this point in the meeting. II. Vote to approve minutes There were no minutes ready for review and approval. III. Discuss outcome of 11/20 MSBA Board Meeting Mr. Markey noted that the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) on November 20th voted to invite Hopkinton to the “Eligibility Period,” the first phase of working with the MSBA on a solution to the constraints at Center School. Mr. Markey asked Mr. Dumas to provide an update on the November 20th MSBA Board of Directors Meeting. Mr. Dumas described Hopkinton’s participation in the 11/20 MSBA Board of Directors Meeting:  Attending the November 20th MSBA meeting for Hopkinton were State Representative Carolyn Dykema, Hopkinton Board of Selectmen Chairman John Mosher, Hopkinton School Committee Chair Nancy Burdick, Hopkinton ESBC Vice‐Chair Mike Shepard, Superintendent Cathy MacLeod, and School Committee member Ellen Scordino.  State Representative Carolyn Dykema introduced the Hopkinton team to the MSBA  Dr. MacLeod briefly shared with the MSBA ideas on early childhood education in Hopkinton encompassing pre‐K through 1st grade and commented on the positive momentum and enthusiasm in Hopkinton to move forward with a solution to the current constraints. Approved 1/13/14 11‐25‐13 ‐ Page 2 of 4  MSBA Board Chairman Grossman commented favorably on the strong show of attendance from Hopkinton at the meeting. IV. Review Progress and Next Steps Relevant to MSBA Requirements Mr. Markey asked Mr. Dumas to walk the committee through the next steps with MSBA. Mr. Dumas described the MSBA Eligibility Period, pointing out that it includes a set of activities that must be completed prior to MSBA inviting a community to the feasibility study phase. The activities to be completed during the “Eligibility Period” include: 1) Certification of the District’s understanding of the grant program rules by executing an Initial Compliance Certification; 2) Forming a School Building Committee (which Hopkinton completed in March 2013), and submitting the membership to the MSBA for acceptance; 3) Summary of the District’s existing maintenance practices; 4) Certification of a design enrollment for the proposed project agreed upon with the MSBA (may not be applicable for Repair Assessments depending on the proposed scope of work); 5) Confirmation of community authorization and funding to proceed with a feasibility study (which Hopkinton Town Meeting approved in May 2013) 6) Execution of the MSBA’s standard Feasibility Study Agreement, which establishes a process for the District to be reimbursed for eligible expenses. Mr. Dumas pointed out that the MSBA requires communities to complete these activities within 270 days upon being invited to the Eligibility Phase. Mr. Markey asked whether Hopkinton is in a position to move through the Eligibility Period in less than the required 270 days, having already completed two major items, including School Building Committee formation and securing Town Meeting approval on Feasibility Study funding. Mr. Dumas responded, “Absolutely correct,” indicating that Hopkinton is in a more favorable position than a community may typically find itself, with some of the Eligibility Period requirements already complete. Mr. Dumas added that Hopkinton would not spend Feasibility Study funds during the Eligibility Period, and that upon MSBA satisfaction of Hopkinton’s full completion of the Eligibility Period, MSBA would hold a separate vote to invite Hopkinton to the Feasibility Study phase. Mr. Shepard reported on a November 19th phone call with Diane Sullivan of MSBA, in which Mr. Shepard participated with the Superintendent, School Committee chair, and Mr. Dumas. During the call, Ms. Sullivan explained that were MSBA to invite Hopkinton to the Eligibility Period at the November 20th meeting, then MSBA would assign an MSBA staff member as a case worker and single point of contact to guide Hopkinton through the Eligibility Period. Mr. Weaver suggested that during the Eligibility Phase, preparations could also begin for the following phase, such as preparing for OPM request for proposal so that we are ready to go upon completion of Eligibility Period. Mr. Markey agreed to take an action to define with the Superintendent the timing of completing and submitting Eligibility Period material, indicating that from a timing and MSBA review perspective it may be most efficient to submit pieces as they are completed, rather than holding the full package back until the final item is completed. Mr. Markey stated that moving forward, especially during the Eligibility Period, it will be important to establish a single point of contact from Hopkinton in communicating with the MSBA, someone who would always be immediately available and have authority and knowledge to move the process forward with MSBA. Mr. Markey asked the committee whom the Approved 1/13/14 11‐25‐13 ‐ Page 3 of 4 committee felt would be most able to fill this role, and the sentiment of the committee expressed by several members was that the Superintendent, who is also a member of the ESBC, should serve as the single point of communications contact with MSBA during the Eligibility Period. Mr. Markey agreed to inform the Superintendent. Mr. Markey inquired about the status of Hopkinton school enrollment projections, and Mr. Dumas replied that the New England School Development Council (NESDEC) has indicated they are on track to get back to the Superintendent’s office within the next two days, by Wednesday, November 27, 2013. Mr. Dumas added that the latest NESDEC projections will be enhanced with new data from Donahue Institute at UMASS Amherst and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), including projections by age cohort groupings for 2020 and 2030. Ms. Waxlax asked whether the School Department has data on the proportion of age eligible students today who enroll in the Hopkinton public schools current kindergarten program. Center School Principal Lauren Dubeau responded, yes, that this data is available. Mr. Khumalo asked about the December 4th deadline to request an extension, and Mr. Dumas responded that an extension would not be needed. Mr. Dumas added that Dr. MacLeod believes we can complete the Eligibility Period requirements in time for the March 2014 meeting of the MSBA Board of Directors. Mr. Khumalo offered that if any data is required regarding town facilities for the existing maintenance practices summary to please let him know and he would ensure cooperation and response from Town Hall. Mr. Dumas noted the offer and agreed to do so. Mr. Shepard shared ideas on MSBA funding model. Mr. Weaver pointed out that MSBA does not pay for land acquisitions. Mr. Shepard reviewed other costs MSBA does not typically cover. Mr. Markey asked about timing and process for preparing for any potential land acquisitions, in the event that during the Feasibility Study phase a decision is made that the most feasible solution would be to build new and involve additional land acquisition either abutting town owned land or in a new location. Noting that land acquisitions require Town Meeting vote, Mr. Markey asked whether we knew of MSBA requirements on timing of completing necessary land acquisitions in relation to timing of Feasibility Study completion. Mr. Weaver responded that the timeline would not allow for land acquisition by Town Meeting in May 2014, reflecting that if all goes well with MSBA then by May 2014 the Feasibility Study phase would only just be beginning. Mr. Markey expressed concern that either or both of the currently considered potential properties could be no longer available by then, severely limiting site options available to the committee. Mr. Khumalo explained the town could continue to engage with property owners through the Selectmen’s authority and Town Manager’s office. Mr. Weaver urged Mr. Khumalo to do so, in order to preserve the ability of the ESBC to include properties of interest when the Feasibility Study is initiated. Mr. Khumalo left the meeting, in order to attend to another commitment. V. Enrollment projections status update This agenda topic was covered during the prior section of the meeting, as noted above. Approved 1/13/14 11‐25‐13 ‐ Page 4 of 4 VI. Other Business Mr. Shepard brought up the topic of continued community engagement, describing a model he observed in another community where that community’s parent teacher organization had a non‐voting seat on the building committee. Mr. Shepard opined whether it may be beneficial for community engagement to find some way to formalize a relationship with similar groups in Hopkinton, such as School Councils, HPTA, Educate Hopkinton, Mom’s Club, or other groups. Ms. Dubeau concurred on the need to continue to publicize, engage, communicate, and create focus groups to get community engagement and feedback. Mr. Weaver suggested a model that private boards sometimes employ, involving setting up subcommittees that may include both board members and outside representatives. Those present liked the idea and agreed to take up the topic at a future meeting when a greater number of ESBC members are present. Mr. Markey reported that the Town Manager’s office contacted him requesting him to provide an update to the Board of Selectmen at the 12/3 Board of Selectmen meeting. Mr. Markey explained that he planned to share a record of the ESBC meetings and topics, use the ESBC timeline slide shown at May 2013 Town Meeting, review work completed, explain Eligibility Period, and outline next steps. Mr. Weaver and Mr. Shepard recommended including an ask of the Selectmen, regarding continued leadership on engaging owners of properties that may be of interest during the Feasibility Study phase and coordination on future uses for Center School in the event it is determined during Feasibility phase that the solution involves a new building. Mr. Ed Johnson, attending as an interested member of the community, expressed a desire to keep the building design simple and efficient, when the time comes to begin facility design during future Feasibility Study phase. Mr. Markey asked Mr. Weaver, who has experience in architecture design and planning, for his best guess on when he felt Hopkinton would complete Feasibility and Schematic Design, and be able to present a solution with construction funding request to Town Meeting. Mr. Weaver responded, “probably May 2015,” stepping the committee through high level estimates of timing that assumed Owner’s Project Manager selection between March and May 2014, adding a Design/Architecture firm to the project team between May and July 2014, and then being able to initiate the real work of the Feasibility Study by the end of Summer and into the Fall of 2014. Mr. Weaver suggested that in order to begin the process of onboarding an Owner’s Project Manager as soon as MSBA determines Hopkinton has completed the Eligibility Period requirements, it would be helpful to have staff begin reviewing and preparing the material for MSBA Module 2 (Forming a Project Team) concurrent with completing the Module 1 (Eligibility Period) requirements. VII. Next meeting dates On a motion made by Ms. Waxlax and seconded by Mr. Weaver the committee voted to adjourn the meeting at approximately 8:30 PM. Vote: Favor: 4 Oppose: 0 Abstain: 0 Absent: 3 Next Meeting: 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, December 3, 2013 – Hopkinton Town Hall (at Board of Selectmen Meeting)