1. Call to Order

• The meeting was called to order at 4:30 pm by Chair Ed Brady. Twelve (12) of thirteen (13)  voting members were present or represented by an alternate.

• Also present: Colin McCarthy and Ryan Healy, Colliers Project Leaders; and Emma Osborne  and Sara Whiteley, DBVW Architects. School Committee member Theresa Spengler arrived  at 4:42pm.

• Present via Zoom: Matt LaRue, Tina Stanislaski, HMFH Architects; Ed Cifune and Robert  Monahan, DBVW Architects.

2. Consider and Vote on Meeting Minutes from January 14, 2026

• MOTION: Marc Thayer moved to accept the meeting minutes from January 14, 2026, and  Bill Nash seconded.

• DISCUSSION: None 

• VOTE: The motion passed unanimously (12-0).

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3. Architect’s Update

3.1 Valley Elementary Finishes Presentation and Approval

• Emma Osborne and Sara Whiteley provided an update on the finishes that are planned  for Valley Road Elementary School. 

• They met with the Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent and elementary school  principals to review the options for finishes, receive their feedback, and develop the  plan that is being shared with the Building Committee tonight.

• Many updates are planned for the existing spaces to refresh the building and turn it into  an elementary school. 

• One thing being done throughout the building is painting, with a refresh throughout. • For the corridor spaces, to bring alive the elementary atmosphere, they will be infusing  ocean environmental type colors through the space. They're introducing color as  wayfinding for the students, with different colors outside the doors to each of the  different classrooms.

• New, double stacked lockers are planned for the fourth/fifth grade corridor to replace  the existing high school lockers. 

• New learning commons will be added, and the media center will be updated. In the  media center the current circulation desk will be replaced with a new one to help open  up the space.

• The bathrooms will be redone, each in a different color, with children’s height fixtures  installed.

• In the gymnasium the bleachers and the blue wall padding will remain, but the walls will  be painted to introduce some new color to rebrand the space for elementary-aged  children.

• The cafeteria will be painted, and a request for a proposal has been presented to  Bentley to remove the existing stage. A lower level performance area will be 

introduced. DBVW is waiting to see what the cost will be.

• Ed Collins added that money has been allocated for new playgrounds, new furniture for  the classrooms and the cafeteria, new window treatments and white boards/visual  boards for classrooms.

• The presentation from DBVW can be viewed here: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y3A5pDHpLvk54oVHFcFgE0AqwQ49wmLE/view?usp=s haring. 

4. Owners Rep Update:

4.1 Review of HMFH Design Proposal for Forest Avenue Elementary School Renovations • Colin McCarthy explained that Colliers Project Leaders advises the Building Committee  to recommend approval of the supplemental services request from HMFH Architects in  the amount of $530,705 for capital improvements at Forest Avenue Elementary School. • Colin explained that the proposed scope includes restroom renovations, exterior  window replacement, mechanical system upgrades, installation of a new sprinkler  system and fire service, lower-level flooring replacement with a moisture mitigation

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system, replacement of the existing non-compliant Lula elevator, targeted ADA  improvements, and installation of a new monument site sign.

• Bentley Builders will be the construction manager for the work.

• Ed Collins explained that there is money to modify the playgrounds for pre-K to grade 1  aged children, but it is not included in the architect’s scope of work.

• Ed Brady stated that during academic year 2027-2028 grades pre-K through 1 will attend  Aquidneck Avenue School while the work at Forest Avenue takes place. The work is  anticipated to be completed by April of 2028, so there is no impact on the current RIDE  reimbursement timeline.

4.1.1 Consider and vote to recommend approval of the HMFH Design Proposal for Forest  Avenue Elementary School Renovations

• MOTION: Don Morin moved that the Building Committee recommend approval of  the supplemental services request from HMFH Architects in the amount of $530,705  for capital improvements at the Forest Avenue Elementary School. Peter Connerton seconded the motion. 

• DISCUSSION: No additional discussion.

• VOTE: The motion passed on a unanimous vote (13-0).

4.2 Review of Prime Consulting Amendment #1 for Materials Testing and Special Inspections • Colin explained that Collier's Project Leaders is recommending approval of an  amendment to Prime Consulting in the amount of $145,870. The main point of this  amendment is for additional scope of services that was not included in the first round of  bidding when we put out an RFP for the materials testing agent. A large portion of the  scope is for window testing.

• Colin added that Colliers anticipated the need for $300,000 for materials testing and  inspections. With this amendment the cost will exceed that estimate by about $21,000,  but we had savings in the hazmat and abatement line item, so we were able to transfer  that money from hazmat and abatement over to the materials testing agent and cover  that overage. Normally we would have to pull money from contingency, but we don't  have to do that at all. There is no impact on the budget or the project contingency.

4.2.1 Consider and vote to recommend approval of the Prime Consulting Amendment #1 for  Materials Testing and Special Inspections

• MOTION: Don Morin moved that the Building Committee recommend approval of  Amendment #1 to Prime Consulting’s purchase order for materials testing and  special inspections services in the amount of $145,870 for the Middletown Middle  High School. Tom Welch seconded the motion. 

• DISCUSSION: No additional discussion.

• VOTE: The motion passed on a unanimous vote (13-0).

4.3 MSHS Project Update

• Ryan Healy shared information from Gilbane’s monthly dashboard report. • Safety Update

• Zero Recordable Injuries.

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• Document Control

• 157 Submittals in review

• 10 RFI’s in review

• Schedule

• Spray Fireproofing will begin in early March.

• The exterior Framing contractor mobilized on site about a month ago and is  currently doing perimeter framing and is starting up on the roof doing the  parapet blocking.

• The roofing crew mobilized on site this week, and they began putting down the  dens deck and the vapor barrier so the slab on deck on the fourth floor of the  high school wing can be poured, hopefully on the 19th.

• Colin took over to share the financial status.

• Financial Status

• Estimated PCO’s: $678,900. 

• Economic Inclusion

• MBE/WBE participation is at 15.3% - meeting the goal

• Recycling Rate is at 76%, which is a healthy number and a NE-CHPS 

requirement.

• Progress Photos

• Drone Flyover – Colin shared the drone footage taken by Gilbane in late January. • Ryan then walked through some construction photos of the steel erection in the  auditorium and high school wing, the stormwater detention system, the tarp 

being used to wrap the middle school section to allow for temporary heat until  the warmer weather arrives, the high school wing second-floor concrete slab  pour, and the high school wing underground utilities and slab prep.

• Topping Off Beam 

• Colin explained that a topping off beam is expected to be delivered tomorrow  and will be made available for signing. Colliers will work with the 

Superintendent to determine a location for the beam to allow time for students,  teachers, administrators, town dignitaries, etc. to sign the beam prior to it being  installed during a topping off ceremony that will be scheduled in the spring.

4.4 Valley Elementary Project Update

• Colin McCarthy provided the following update on the work at Valley Elementary: • New Water Service Design

• A draft design was sent to Newport Water on January 19^th.

• Newport Water responded with preliminary comments on February 3^rd. • The design team is in the process of addressing the comments.

• Summer 2026 Preplanning 

• Primary Focus for summer of 2026

• Nurse’s Suite

• First Floor Bathrooms

• Elevator Shaft

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• New water service pending coordination with Newport Water

• The next OAC meeting on 2/18/26 (during February vacation) at the school will  focus on safety, logistics, and coordination. Principal Donna Sweet will attend.

4.5 Budget Update

• Colin shared the following budget update:

• Project Funding Available: $194,684,308

• $190,000,000 Bond Funded

• $484,308 Appropriation from General Fund

• $4,200,000 Bond Interest

• Valley ES & MSHS Budget: $193,555,300

• Expenditures to Date: $36,864,100

• Contracted: $170,144,300

• Total Anticipated Costs (excluding Contingences): $181,858,500

4.6 RI NEVI Phase 2A Community Charging RFA Application Status

• The NEVI Grant application was submitted on 8/15/2025.

• An email received from the administrator on December 7th indicated that two final  internal signoffs were required. No timetable was provided.

• An email on 12/29/2025 from the administrator noted that approvals and 

notifications are targeted for early 2026.

• No update as of 2/6/2026

4.7 Four Week Look Ahead 

• Work Plan: MS/HS: Roof Decking, Structural Steel Erection, Concrete Slab 

Placement, Floor & Wall Penetration Layout, Gym Trusses

• Beam Signing / Topping Off Ceremony Planning

• Valley Elementary Summer 2026 Preplanning

• Forest Avenue Elementary School Design and Budget Establishment.

• The update from Colliers can be viewed here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Vioeff_ZD-iZsAC4ooYrW_zG_d

H6C3w/view?usp=sharing. 

5. School Building Committee Update

5.1 Cultural, Historical, Memorial Subcommittee Update

• Bill Nash informed the Committee that the Cultural, Historical, Memorial Subcommittee  has met with Matt LaRue and his team twice and their next meeting is planned for  February 24^th. 

• Michelle Fonseca and Tami Holden have been looking at colors and a wave theme for  the main hallway, while other proposed graphics are being developed.

• Tami shared that they are considering naming each floor of the school in each of the  Middle and High School wings after Middletown landmarks such as Second and Third  Beach, Surfer’s End, the Bird Sanctuary, Hanging Rock, Purgatory Chasm, etc.

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• The group has gathered many different versions of existing school and athletic logos.  Bill Nash stated that the School Committee will likely look at coming up with a unified  logo and branding theme to use in the new Middle-High School. 

• Principal Donna Sweet is looking into putting together a time capsule. Tami explained  that they are hoping to compile photos of existing artifacts in the current high school to  be retained digitally.

• Bill Nash stated that the group is still working on plans to memorialize areas named  after individuals such as the Gaudet Middle School, the Barry Clark Gymnasium and the  Krupowicz Planetarium.

• Ed Brady emphasized that Middletown has a lot of history that can be incorporated in  the new school, as well as the impact that the Navy has had on the town. 

5.2 Four Week Look Ahead

• Chair Ed Brady reiterated the need to establish a plan for the topping off beam  ceremony and added that work on the design plans for the Forest Avenue School work  will continue.

Adjournment: 

• MOTION: Tom Welch moved for the Building Committee to adjourn at 5:56pm and  Peter Connerton seconded. The motion passed unanimously (13-0).

Respectfully Submitted, Don Morin