05/12/04
Pond Cove construction project
awarded state grant
School Board member Elaine Moloney announced at Tuesday's meeting of the
School Board that the Pond Cove Elementary School construction project has
been awarded a $200,000 grant from the state Department of Education's Revolving
Renovation Fund.
The fund will also lend the town $800,000 for the project interest-free,
Moloney said, which will save the Town another $175,000 in interest. Once
the project is put to bid, the savings will be realized in decreasing the
amount of the bond approved by voters in the November 2003 election.
Voters last fall overwhelmingly approved a $1.5 million bond to add a new
wing to the Pond Cove School to accommodate kindergartners. The kindergarten
is expected to move back to Pond Cove from a wing in the High School, where
the classes have been housed for the last 12 years, some time next spring.
Also last fall voters approved a $7.9 million bond for renovations and
improvements to the 35-year-old high school building. The Town and School
Department have also applied for state help on that project, Moloney said.
"We are hoping that this is an early sign of maybe subsequent success for
the High School application as well," she said.
In a related matter, the School Board Tuesday voted to recommend that the
school building committee consider hiring an owner's representative to work
on the High School renovation project.
The owner's representative would act as a liaison between the School Department
and the construction manager on technical matters as they arise during
construction.
Board members agreed it would be wise to hire an owner's representative to
act on behalf of the School Department, especially after Superintendent Dr.
Thomas Forcella leaves for a new job in Connecticut July 1.
"We are looking to hire an owner's rep to work with the construction manager
to relieve some of that responsibility from a brand new superintendent who
we feel should be focusing on the schools and curriculum and what's happening
every day in our schools," said board Chairman Marie Prager.
Payton Construction has been hired to serve as construction manager for the
High School project.
Forcella said owner's reps typically charge an hourly rate and that the School
Department and Town could set a limit. Services of an owner's rep might range
between $50,000-$100,000 for the 18 month duration of the project.
"An owner's rep has the expertise, has worked on jobs before," Forcella said.
"They are another set of eyes representing the owner on a project," he said.
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