Draft Copy

EEast Haddam School Building Committee Meeting

 

Regular Meeting Minutes

April, 1 2004

Call to Order         

 

The meeting was called to order by Todd Moss at 7:06 p.m. at the Nathan Hale High School – Room 117.

 

Attendance:

 

Members present         

            Todd Moss                              Dana Barnes – arrived 8:10 p.m

Kerri Willis Budzik                   Melissa Ziobron

            Craig Parker                             Mary Beth Mordecai

            David Lafemina                        John Gibson -Alternate                                                                                                 Denise Gable-Alternate

 

Members absent:  none

 

Others present:

 

 Robert Carroll, Central Office, Board of Education Business Manager

 Pete Govert, Board of Selectman

 Pamela Gourlie, Board of Education Chairman

 Dr. Steve Durham, Superintendent of schools

 Wyley Peckham

  James Ventres, Land Use Administrator

  Bob Mather, Board of Education

  Mary O’Brien, At Home Realty, LLC

  Jacqueline Michael, At Home Realty, LLC

 

 

Approval of Minutes

 

 

Motion by Dana Barnes to approve the minutes of the March 24th, 2004 meeting amended as follows:

 

 

·        Sstrike the word “Board” and replace with “Committee” throughout.. 

·        5th  page, 1st paragraph “a letter was sent to Mr. Ventres asking him to come back to the next meeting to discuss other potential sites for consideration”. 

·        Amend the second paragraph on page 3 to read, “Craig Parker voiced concern with Kaestle Boos ability to be properly staffed before the referendum stage to meet the committee’s schedule.” 

 

Seconded by Mary Beth Mordecai and carried by unanimous vote.

 

Motion by Todd Moss to alter the order of the agenda and proceed with item  5a, review of site, seconded by Dave Lafemina and carried by unanimous vote.

 

New Business

a.       Review of Potential Sites- James Ventres

 

Mr. Ventres reviewed the criteria that the Committee established during the 3/24/04 meeting and the letter Todd Moss sent him dated March 26th, 2004 requesting a review of the Committee’s potential 98 site selections. He described how the GIS program works to establish the maps used, as well as the accuracy of the map’s topography, water, buildings, roadways and soil surveys. He also stressed the importance of considering increased traffic on the sites.

 

Mr. Ventres distributed the following documentation to the Committee.

 

1)      Correspondence addressed to Mr. James Ventres from Land-Tech Consultants, Inc. dated March 29th, 2004 regarding  Site No. 22 and 23 and it’s feasibility with respect to a field inspection of the existing road network. The inspection was to evaluate the effect of an estimated additional 200 car trips plus 16 – 20 school bus trips during the morning and afternoon.  

 

2)      Correspondence addressed to Mr. James Ventres from Land-Tech Consultants, Inc. dated August 13th 2001, regarding the preliminary evaluation of the costs related to rock excavation on one potential site as being costly and recommending it would be an extremely poor choice for a school site. 

 

3)      A document prepared by Milone & MacBroom, Inc. for the School Site Study Committee dated May 28th, 2003.  It discusses the further development of the high school property for a new elementary school as being very limited by the insufficiency of the soil to support another large on-site sewage disposal system.

 

Mr. Ventres reviewed each of the 9 sites and using the Committee’s criteria and provided additional traffic and geological considerations for the following 4 sites Mr. Ventres systematically reviewed each of the 8 sites and using the Committee’s criteria, documentation and established maps recommended the following 4 sites for further review: Site No. 18, Site No. 22 and 23, Site No 5.

 

Audience of Citizens

 

Mary O’Brien and Jacqueline Michael introduced themselves as associates with At Home Realty, LLC.  They suggested 11 Johnsonville Road, as a site for the Committee to consider.  They distributed a packet of information regarding the site for Committee to review.  The Committee voiced concern of possible asbestos abatement from current buildings on the property, wetlands, inadequate land available, and the removal of structures on the land.           

   

Wyley Peckham handed out a letter regarding his concerns of the selection of a site for the proposed 4-8 middle school.  He summarized his handout and requested the Ccommittee to revisit their criteria.

 

Old Business

 

a.      Election of Chairperson and Vice Chairperson

 

Motion by Mary Beth Mordecai to nominate Todd Moss as Chairperson, seconded by Melissa Ziobron and carried by unanimous vote.  

 

Other nominations were sought.

 

Motion by Todd Moss to nominate Dana Barnes as Chairperson, seconded by Mrs. Ziobron.

 

  Mr. Barnes asked for more background information about Mr. Moss in relationship to his specific experience and how this would benefit the Committee.  Mr. Moss responded highlighting his experience with a large construction management company (Turner Construction) in similar fashion, Mr. Moss highlighted his credentials for the position.    Mr. Barnes declined his nomination upon hearing Mr. Moss’s credentials for the position.

 

 

Motion by Mrs. Mordecai to nominate Dana Barnes as Vice Chairperson, seconded by Mrs. Ziobron and carried by unanimous vote.

 

b.      Election of Treasurer

 

Motion by Mrs. Ziobron to nominate Mary Beth Mordecai as Treasurer, ssecond econded by Mr. Barnes and carried by unanimous vote.

 

General discussion of the treasurer’s duties ensued. 

 

c.       Discussion of Budget for Committee

 

Mr. Moss referred to a letter sent to him from Mr. Brad Parker dated April 1st, 2004.  The letter stated that there is currently a budget of $9,800 for the School Building Committee split as follows:  The fiscal year ends 6-30-04.

 

            Recording Secretary   $ 800

            Legal                            8,000

            Printing                          1,000 

 

Paid to date are

            Map copies             -    11.13

            Milone & MacBroom   232.50

 

Leaving a balance of $9,556.37

 

The letter also noted that there is an outstanding bill from Land-Tech and that if additional funds are required, the Committee can address that with the Board of Finance.  

 

 

d.      Update of KBA and Newfield Construction

 

Mr. Moss told the Committee that he had called Kaestle Boos Associates “KBA” and Newfield Construction and made them aware of the Committee’s agreement to work with them.  The Committee agreed that the sites chosen would dictate the design plans of the new school.  Mr. Moss stated that David King from KBA had already started working on a plan based on site No. 22 and 23. He also stated that Mr. King is aware of the Committee’s time constraints.   Mrs. Ziobron suggested that the Committee should have a public hearing.  Dr. Steve Durham reiterated the letters attached to the March 24th, 2004 meeting

 

1)      Correspondence from the East Haddam Planning and Zoning Commission

2)      An outline authorized by Dr. Durham outlining various criteria regarding the new school.

 

New Business

 

b.      Discussion of North Moodus Road – Site No. 18, Site Investigation

 

The Ccommittee revisited the letter submitted by Mr. Ventres from Land-Tech Consultants, Inc, dated March 29th, 2004.

 

c.       Selection of Sites for Review

 

Mr. Moss distributed the following document to the Ccommittee

 

1)      A document sent to Jim Ventres dated March 26th, 2004 from Todd Moss.  It states that based on the Committee’s criteria they had identified some sights that they would like to be considered for the new school.  The letter requests that Mr. Ventres review the potential sites and present his findings at the April 1st, 2004 meeting. 

 

The Committee discussed all of the 9 potential sites.  They also discussed the documentation received and after long deliberation, the group decided on the following 4 sites for further review: Site No. 18, Site No. 22 and 23, and Site No 5.

 

The Committee agreed that they needed to drive by or walk the Sites.  Robert CarollPete Govert agreed to call the property owners of Site No. 22 and 2318 to seek permission for the Ccommittee to walk the property on Saturday, April 3rd and Sunday April 4th   and to contact KBA to do preliminary testing on the site.  There was discussion of having the Oopen Sspace Ccommittee team with the Sschool Bbuilding Ccommittee in purchasing part of the unusable parcel, which would help maximize the reimbursement rate.   The Committee also discussed the importance of getting an appraisal on the desired site. They also asked that KBA and Newfield Construction be asked to attend the next meeting.

 

Mrs. Ziobron emphasized the importance of a public hearing to show how the Committee went through the process of selecting potential sites the criteria and to invite the people to comment and ask questions.  It was decided that a public hearing would be set as well as a press release after tests had been performed to make sure that the site is viable.

 

Mr. Barnes voiced his opinion on the selection process. and only finding 1 suitable site.  He suggested that all of the decisions were made before the Committee even met.  Mrs. Budzik agreed with Mr. Barnes that the Committee did end up choosing the original1 site originally site suggested by Mr. Ventres, however, the Committee chose the criteria, looked at all 958 map sites and came to the same conclusion on their own.  With this in mind and after great deliberation and discussion, the Committee agreed that they would go forward with confidence in recommending the sites to the public.

 

Determination of Next Meeting

 

 

Motion by Mrs. Ziobron to have standing meetings on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month at 7p.m to referendum, seconded by Mr. Barnes and carried by unanimous vote.

 

Motion by Mr. Moss for a special meeting Wednesday, April 7th , second by Mr. Barnes and carried by unanimous vote.

 

 

 

Other Discussion

 

It was it was reiterated the importance of inviting the Conservation Committee to the next meeting.  Mr. Moss discussed a letter he had from Dr. Durham suggesting that the building Ccommittee attend an open house at the newly built Rham middle school  in Hebron on April 30th, time to be determined. This is a school that KBA worked on.  It was also discussed that the Old Saybrook Middle School principal could be used as another point of reference. 

 

Dr. Durham stressed to the Committee the importance of their charter.  He explained that the work they are doing is a culmination of many years of work.  He stressed that the new school is not about politics. but a process with a very important end in mind.  He stated that the current middle school is unacceptable .unacceptable.  He told the Committee that the Board of  Education toiled and deliberated for a long time over the 4 – 8 school concept.  He explained the urgency to fix the schools over crowding conditions and the importance of the committee to get the school passed at referendum. 

.

Mrs. Gourlie told the Ccommittee that there was a coordination of Ccommittees in town that had been going through this process for a long time, that no one is being deceitful and that a new school is needed for the children of our community.  

 

Adjournment

 

Motion to adjourn at 10:21 made by Todd Moss 10:21 p.m. seconded by Dana Barnes and carried by unanimous vote.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

E. Ruth Ziobron     

 

 

Attachments

April 1st ,, 2004 East Haddam School Building Committee Agenda

Letter from Selectman’s office to Todd Moss pertaining to budget

Letter from Todd Moss to Jim Ventres about potential Site selections

 

Filed at Selectman’s office

Attendance

Land-Tech Consultants letter to Mr. Ventres dated March 29th, 2004

Land-Tech Consultants letter to Mr. Ventres dated August 13th, 2001

Milone & MacBroom School Site Investigation dated May 28th, 2003

Folder of material presented by At Home Realty about 11 Johnsonville Rd

Wyley Peckham’s letter to the Building Committee dated March 31, 2004