Approved May 14, 2025
MPS BUILDING COMMITTEE MEETING
Oliphant Administration Building
Michael S. Pinto Conference Room
26 Oliphant Lane, Middletown, RI 02842
April 30, 2025 5:00pm
Members in Attendance:
| Present | Voting Member | Name | Title |
| X | Yes | Edward Brady | Chair, Community Member |
| X | Yes | William Nash | Vice Chair, School Committee Clerk |
| X | Yes | William Niemeyer | Superintendent of Schools |
| R | Yes | Tami Holden | School Committee Member |
| X | Yes | Ed Collins | Middletown Shared Facilities Director |
| X | Yes | Thomas P. Welch, III | Town Council Vice President |
| X | Yes | Peter Connerton | Town Council Member |
| X | Yes | Donna Sweet | Middletown High School Principal |
| X | Yes | Michelle Fonseca | Asst Superintendent for Teaching and Learning |
| X | Yes | Shawn Brown | Town Administrator, Local Budget Official |
| X | Yes | Don Morin | Secretary, Community Member |
| X | Yes | Marc Thayer | Community Member |
| N | Yes | vacant | Community Member |
| X | Alternate | Gregory Huet | Alternate Member of School Committee |
| N | Alternate | Christopher Logan | Alternate Town Council Member |
| N | Alternate | Jerry Haas | Gaudet Middle School Principal |
| N | Alternate | Marc Tanguay | Town Finance Director, Alt. Local Budget Official |
X = Present/Voting; R=Represented; P=Present/Non-voting; N=Not Present
· The meeting was called to order at 5:04 pm by Chair Ed Brady. Twelve (12) of thirteen (13) voting members were present or represented by an alternate.
· Also present: Justin Bernard and Colin McCarthy, OPM, Colliers Project Leaders; and Anthony Murgida, Gilbane Building Company.
· Present via Zoom: Matt LaRue, HMFH Architects, Ed Cifune, DBVW Architects, and Theresa Spengler, Middletown School Committee member.
· MOTION: Greg Huet moved to accept the meeting minutes from April 9, 2025 and Bill Nash seconded.
· DISCUSSION: None.
· VOTE: The motion passed unanimously (12-0).
3.1 Middle/High School Exterior Building Signage
· Matt LaRue shared some renderings of the exterior signs at the new Middle/High School, located at the site entrances, drop-off loops and the building entrances.
· The same two-sided sign will be displayed at the Aquidneck Avenue and Turner Road entrances. Drop-off signs will be located on the seat walls on each of the Middle School and High School sides.
· The Building Committee asked if the School Department could provide input to the sign designs, and Matt suggested that it could be done, but he cautioned about using graphics such as logos as they could change over time.
· It was suggested that an allowance for any adjustments to the sign designs be held by Gilbane.
· In response to a Planning Board request to consider changing the roof mounted signs at the building entrances to wall mounted signs, three options were shared: roof mount, wall mount and ground mount.
· Matt suggested staying with the roof mounted version as the wall mounted would be too restricted by surrounding windows and too far back from the entrance to be effective.
· Given that the Town ordinance states no roof mounted signs, and the Planning Board already approved the design with a request to see if the signage can be changed, a motion was requested to retain the roof mounted signs at the entrances.
· MOTION: Ed Brady moved to retain the roof mounted signs at each of the two school entrances as shown on the current design and Peter Connerton seconded.
· DISCUSSION: None.
· VOTE: The motion passed (11-1), with Marc Thayer dissenting.
3.2 Permitting Update – RIDEM, RIDOT
· RIDEM responded to the draft resubmittal on April 15th and accepted all the practices that were proposed.
· The surveyor will be out next week to perform some additional flagging and will then prepare a full submission for final approval.
· RIDOT requested additional information due to the original surveyor’s work being performed before the Aquidneck Avenue project was finished. The surveyor is submitting a proposal for the additional work.
· The permit set of documents was provided to Gilbane on April 22nd and submitted to the E-Permitting portal as part of the Middletown Building Permit Application process.
· Bid package and scope reviews will continue between Gilbane, HMFH and Colliers.
· RFI’s and the issuances of addenda will also continue.
· The update from HMFH/DBVW can be viewed here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Sopx3-9nvOy3lBA8IyvX2Xe3PYn0NiFu/view?usp=sharing.
4.1 RIDE SBS Stage III 60% CD Submission Update
· Justin Bernard informed the Committee that RIDE approved the MS/HS 60% CD Submission on April 14th.
· RIDE also approved the ES Complex DD Submission on April 14th.
· The ES Complex 60% CD Submission with the project value of $10,279,865 can now be submitted once the RI Energy assessments for lighting and HVAC are completed. A meeting with RI Energy is scheduled for May 1st to review the lighting assessment package, while the HVAC assessment information is expected later in the week.
4.2 Schedule Update
· There are no major changes to the schedule except for the groundbreaking ceremony, which is now targeted for June 9th or another day during that week.
· Construction fencing will go up in late May, so parking for graduation will need to be relocated as the playing fields are normally used for parking.
4.3 Budget Update
· The project is still on budget and the total anticipated cost is still ~$178 million excluding contingencies.
· Colliers hopes to have the RI Energy incentives information by the end of this week so the Elementary Complex 60% CD Submission can be uploaded to the RIDE portal.
· Materials Testing and Special Inspections Vendor contract will be awarded pending approval by the Building Committee later in this meeting.
· Middle-High School and ES Complex bidding and scope reviews will continue in the coming weeks.
4.5 Materials Testing & Special Inspections RFP Status
· The Materials Testing & Special Inspections RFP Public Bid Opening took place on April 25th. Five proposals were received. Based on leveled proposals and reference checks, Colliers recommends that the Building Committee award the work to Prime Consulting.
· MOTION: Bill Nash moved that the Building Committee recommend that the Town award the contract for Materials Testing and Special Inspections to Prime Consulting and Peter Connerton seconded.
· DISCUSSION: None.
· VOTE: The motion passed unanimously (12-0).
· Justin Bernard informed the Committee that since this is the first set of RTA’s to review, the team should work through the process that works best and then follow that process for future RTA’s.
· Justin started by sharing the Add Alternates cost trending log. This document will be updated as bids are received to give the Committee a snapshot of the anticipated costs for each of the Add Alternates.
· None of the RTA’s to be approved today include funding for the alternates, and only one of the alternates needs to be voted on today, alternate #10, the visual roof screen at the High School entrance. The second elevator (Add Alternate #9) decision was originally planned for today but will now be made at the May 14th meeting.
· Colliers recommends that the Building Committee hold the bids for alternates #1 through #9 and only vote on alternate #10 tonight, which Colliers recommends the Building Committee reject.
· Precondition Survey RTA: Gilbane and Colliers advise the Building Committee to recommend awarding the Precondition Survey bid work to Falvey Associates in the amount of $11,250. This work is to take visual photos of nearby abutters prior to construction starting.
· MOTION: Bill Nash moved that the Building Committee make a recommendation to award the Precondition Survey bid to Falvey Associates and Shawn Brown seconded.
· DISCUSSION: None.
· VOTE: The motion passed unanimously (12-0).
· Concrete RTA: Gilbane and Colliers advise the Building Committee to recommend awarding the Concrete bid to J.L. Marshall & Sons, Inc. in the amount of $5,427,000, which is $1,948,797 under the 60% CD budget amount of $7,375,797. There are no allowances included in this package. Gilbane and Colliers recommend that the Building Committee hold alternates #1-9 and reject Alternates #10-13.
· MOTION: Bill Nash moved that the Building Committee make a recommendation to award the Concrete bid to J.L. Marshall & Sons, Inc. in the amount of $5,427,000, which is $1,948,797 under the 60% CD budgeted amount of $7,375,797 and to hold alternates #1-9 while rejecting Alternates #10-13 and Don Morin seconded.
· DISCUSSION: None.
· VOTE: The motion passed unanimously (12-0).
· Structural Steel RTA: Gilbane and Colliers advise the Building Committee to recommend awarding the Structural Steel bid to Shephard Steel Co., Inc. in the amount of $7,052,500, which is $1,636,579 under the 60% CD budgeted amount of $8,689,079. There is one allowance of $20,000 for modifications to the perforated stair riser included in this package. Gilbane and Colliers recommend that the Building Committee hold Alternate #9 and #14 and reject Alternates #1-8, #10 and #11, while accepting Alternates #12 and #13.
· MOTION: Don Morin moved that the Building Committee make a recommendation to award the Structural Steel bid to Shephard Steel Co., Inc. in the amount of$7,052,500, which is $1,636,579 under the 60% CD budgeted amount of $8,689,079 and to hold alternates #9 and #14 while rejecting Alternates #1-8, #10 and #11, and accepting alternates #12 and #13 and Bill Nash seconded.
· DISCUSSION: None.
· VOTE: The motion passed unanimously (12-0).
· Sitework RTA: Gilbane and Colliers advise the Building Committee to recommend awarding the Sitework bid to DiGregorio Corporation in the amount of $14,849,000, which is $5791 over the 60% CD budgeted amount of $14,843,209. The base bid is $12,174,000 with an owner allowance of $2,675,000 for soils disposal. It is likely that a large portion of this allowance will not be needed as the Town is looking into moving the soils to the Hoogendoorn property. Gilbane and Colliers recommend that the Building Committee hold alternates #1 through #4, #6, #7, and #9 and reject Alternates #5, #8 and #10.
· MOTION: Don Morin moved that the Building Committee make a recommendation to award the Sitework bid to DiGregorio Corporation in the amount of $12,174,000 with an owner allowance of $2,675,000 and to hold alternates #1 through #4, #6, #7, and #9 and reject Alternates #5, #8 and #10 and Bill Nash seconded.
· DISCUSSION: None.
· VOTE: The motion passed unanimously (12-0).
· The RTA’s will now get forwarded to the School Committee and Town Council for approval.
· The update from Colliers can be viewed here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-9pY9nrs8yxlY7sM0HCbTHRPhu3xp2z7/view?usp=sharing.
5.1 Consider and Vote to Approve Colliers to Submit the ES Complex 60% CD Package to RIDE Portal
· Chair Ed Brady asked for a motion to approve Colliers to submit the ES Complex 60% CD Package to the RIDE Portal.
· MOTION: Bill Nash moved that the Building Committee approve Colliers to submit the ES Complex 60% CD Package to the RIDE Portal pending receipt of the electrical lighting and HVAC energy assessment reports from RI Energy and Peter Connerton seconded.
· DISCUSSION: None.
· VOTE: The motion passed unanimously (12-0).
5.2 MS/HS Project Labor Agreement Update
· The Project Labor Agreement is currently in the hands of the Town’s attorneys.
5.3 Two Week Look Ahead
· Ed Brady, Bill Nash and Ed Collins will continue to participate in bid package and scope review meetings.
· The May 28th School Building Committee meeting conflicts with the second Middletown Open Budget Hearing. It was suggested that the Building Committee meeting be moved to the 29th.
· MOTION: Bill Nash moved that the Building Committee move its May 28th meeting to May 29th and Peter Connerton seconded.
· DISCUSSION: None.
· VOTE: The motion passed unanimously (12-0).
· The Elementary School Complex RTA’s will be presented at the May 14th Building Committee meeting.
Adjournment:
· MOTION: Tom Welch moved for the Building Committee to adjourn at 6:44pm and Peter Connerton seconded. The motion passed unanimously (12-0).
Future Meeting Schedule – The next meeting will be on May 14, 2025 at 5:00p.m. at the Oliphant Administration Building.
Respectfully Submitted,
Don Morin