[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6462416,"mediaKeyId","5809592-81559d5d5d14831259840a22e5ffc1de","parentId",5809592,"title","Votes at a glance: Norwich School Building Committee approves minutes, consent agenda, multiple PCOs and two final school project plans","audioSeconds",4543,"startMs",71000,"endMs",4614000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5809592-81559d5d5d14831259840a22e5ffc1de&start=71&end=4614","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5809592-81559d5d5d14831259840a22e5ffc1de/thumbnail_71000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6462416/Norwich/New-London-County/Connecticut/Votes-at-a-glance-Norwich-School-Building-Committee-approves-minutes-consent-agenda-multiple-PCOs-and-two-final-school-project-plans","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6462416-8e37f473dfd616f29c62b17e59d6c9cb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770687026&Signature=LhEAnDLqwgb-fd6RZBgVNQoq1MkuT6e3r3S94tiyNMLsG5T7RkcfjorHce7N6g6oebLS0ySKrOrNxKrVZRlpET42noPfdPjhsPjAl965Vir3yCoOtx5J~6TUvCQhtZsljgcNvvLQJ6NT77wuVr8wNgkc9Ywl8sip7JNjffNkG11wdLjA6dy-4IIu8uW7YtR-Pwx0m940dozMcbYC2OOxDpE3FeqSAO7Bz6a5WvzsO9~IHpBb07b2FyCe0rm2ca64hvww5E57zsJxAaxjOqkKvKpYsQJdRCB2QFpyJ97GBR2hG4Wkvlc0ty9qxGjrXUbAKunarpFAAF1te~TyzN210g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Norwich, CT","date","2025-09-22T15:22:18.213Z","article","The Norwich School Building Committee recorded multiple formal actions at the meeting, including approval of the prior meeting minutes, the consent agenda, several contractor change-order items (PCOs) and final plans/specifications for two state school projects. Committee members conducted roll-call votes for each item.

Key votes recorded at the meeting:

1) Approval of minutes from 08/19/2025: Motion to approve moved by Bill Hull and seconded by a committee member; outcome approved with one abstention (recorded by the chair during roll call).

2) Consent agenda (invoices and routine items): The committee approved the consent agenda by roll call. Multiple invoice items were discussed for clarification; members confirmed payment timing and documentation.

3) Approval of PCOs (Stanton and Greenville): The committee approved a set of PCOs that adjust contract scope and costs for Stanton and Greenville, including sanitary rerouting, deletion of cord reels, removal of an abandoned 36-inch pipe encountered in utility excavation, added receptacles and other items. The committee voted to approve the listed PCOs; staff confirmed contingency or construction-manager-held funds would cover several of the items.

4) Approval of final plans, specifications and cost estimates for state project numbers: The committee approved final plans/specs/cost estimates for two state projects identified in the meeting as state project numbers 104-0120N and 104-0121N (elementary school projects). Motions to approve were moved and seconded; both measures passed by unanimous roll-call vote.

5) Delegation for Greenville retaining-wall PCO: In a separate motion (detailed in the separate article), the committee authorized the PCO subcommittee to approve remediation for unsuitable soils at the Greenville retaining wall up to $150,000.

Vote procedure: The meeting used roll-call votes with online members polled first. Where invoice or agenda item numbers on printed materials did not match invoice numbering, staff clarified the correct invoice identifiers in the minutes.

Why it matters: The approvals move design documents to bid and allow certain contractor activities and PCOs to proceed. The committee also confirmed financial handling for PCOs (construction-manager contingency vs. owner contingency) and set a path for immediate remediation decisions when site work is on the schedule-critical path.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025-09-16 School Building Committee","oneSentenceSummary","At the meeting the committee approved minutes, a consent agenda, a bundle of PCOs for Stanton and Greenville, and final plans/specifications/cost estimates for two state school projects; roll-call tallies were recorded for each action.","taxTitle","Norwich, New London County, Connecticut","taxId",4639,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6462421,"Committee authorizes subcommittee to approve up to $150,000 to address unsuitable soils for Greenville retaining wall",250,6201000,6451000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5809592-81559d5d5d14831259840a22e5ffc1de&start=6201&end=6451","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5809592-81559d5d5d14831259840a22e5ffc1de/thumbnail_6201000.jpg","/articles/6462421/Norwich/New-London-County/Connecticut/Committee-authorizes-subcommittee-to-approve-up-to-150000-to-address-unsuitable-soils-for-Greenville-retaining-wall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6462421-de78eda0587c5957c2500f4c61eece4a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770687026&Signature=NIeMs~TqUWLfnRQIFelAk4awwq6Ml6zIo944JgxEyq45hKLaO4eedczSGkREZDgdfDQOuoTrvv96alXgdOV3BcUgu0TLMRFx90kNdzW-hcgvnDTcNQBXdxhyBSKww5YPDK88yUu8V-OZ-09T4A0HUQWsg4UJ9C0Ta7zkq1w7W5snTbiCcvWSmWuKHGu-35auw-AY53zuxFzUtNp6BcBzlZMZPDCI9R9-kVOJ1VHosk4yHRXqitq0bI6m3o2Z83gvoNkKPTJxKoI3vDOV0ogHWl6XfRyQoFBhgFAzDM2QmC9sgNvfiAdwNzFXS8faY6MEsTs~yeWEH57qOrUbSb8aUA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Norwich School Building Committee authorized its subcommittee to approve a contract change order up to $150,000 to address unsuitable soils encountered at the Greenville retaining-wall location, enabling the contractor to continue wall construction without a special full-committee meeting.

Project staff reported that excavation for retaining Wall 1B revealed about 14 feet of unsuitable fill before reaching native bearing soil. The design firm SLR provided two engineering options for the site: (1) extend modular concrete block down to bearing soil, or (2) construct a poured-in-place concrete foundation wall below the visible block face and then install the block finish above that foundation. The committee was presented with staff pricing for both options; staff said those numbers were preliminary and under review.

CSG’s project representative and the design team said both engineering solutions would provide the required structural support. “Both solutions are gonna work,” the CSG representative said. The construction manager indicated the poured concrete option carried additional costs tied to formwork, placement and curing time; the modular-block option avoids some of that but required additional block materials.

Committee members expressed a desire for the design team’s preferred option, but also emphasized schedule risk if work paused awaiting a full-committee vote. To avoid schedule delay, the committee approved a motion delegating approval authority to the PCO (price-change-order) subcommittee for this single issue, with a not-to-exceed authorization of $150,000.

Motion and vote: the committee voted to authorize the subcommittee to make this approval up to $150,000. The motion was moved by Peter Gardiner and seconded by Greg (Chair); the motion passed unanimously.

Why it matters: the retaining-wall work is on the Greenville site critical path. A delay to evaluate remediation methods or to schedule a special meeting could have pushed back subsequent foundation and concrete work. The committee’s delegation keeps the work moving while allowing the subcommittee to finalize pricing and technical details.

What’s next: the PCO subcommittee will finalize review of the contractor’s proposals and report the chosen solution and final cost at the next full committee meeting.","Faced with unsuitable soils under a new modular-block retaining wall at the Greenville site, the committee authorized its subcommittee to approve a change order up to $150,000 so work can continue without delaying the schedule.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6462426,"Norwich school construction advances amid increased blasting, switchgear delays and a fallen tree complaint",4422,191000,4613000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5809592-81559d5d5d14831259840a22e5ffc1de&start=191&end=4613","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5809592-81559d5d5d14831259840a22e5ffc1de/thumbnail_191000.jpg","/articles/6462426/Norwich/New-London-County/Connecticut/Norwich-school-construction-advances-amid-increased-blasting-switchgear-delays-and-a-fallen-tree-complaint","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6462426-47b6f44e630da86adfd953fc8e46244f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770687026&Signature=DDOpLs0aXnySaZT-kFm8YOwk3bxYguJVt2hCufPKyMvi6jSbNrNna~WO8VywU8a~9wHaBPvCNml79Cw6jfxqaPBLXTH5ZAs8f4Zf0ZSoN-8IN8cwJK4jX8RnA91pZnlNzbkpfcLc6U-tqcbUWYN6SWwxctDWs47l5aRhq6svmLYcOPWXTVC5pNm-yZSBJcinWB39HAqJkZL30jcjaTgpoev9-vdmhz-YE2RdcREypWo9VGlNOFWOllpETCGdX6cGf2DKOWNmaBABrdtYgNpGN4IkAvbV2nu4PYactRtYLLqpKywn-9-LcK1sWHQehK3UdQLlrovr5F376esH4VGoxw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Norwich School Building Committee received progress reports on multiple school construction sites and discussed a string of schedule and site issues, including an uptick in blasting activity at the Greenville site, long lead times for electrical switchgear and a public complaint that a construction-related tree fell onto a private property.

CSG project staff told the committee that blasting frequency has increased in recent weeks. “We are blasting twice a day, almost every day now,” the CSG presenter said, reporting that activity and rock removal have ramped up and that the contractor had begun modular-block retaining-wall installation on the Greenville site. Downs Construction’s project manager, Kyle Ontini, said the project had completed 43 blasts as of the meeting and expected blasting to continue for approximately two months while undercutting and rock removal proceed.

The committee also reviewed procurement actions intended to reduce schedule risk for long-lead electrical equipment. CSG and the design team described an “early procurement package” for electrical switchgear, automatic transfer switches and emergency generators that would allow fabrication to begin before the larger building contract is awarded. The presenters said the state school-construction reimbursement rules require the state to review design documents before purchase; the early package narrows drawings and specifications so an electrical contractor can bid the electrical gear in advance.

CSG and construction staff discussed current delivery expectations for the primary switchgear. “They have a current ship date of mid-April right now,” one project speaker said, describing an eight-week improvement from earlier estimates but warning the items remain long-lead.

A member of the public, Heather Harris of Page Street, told the committee that a tree from the Greenville work area fell onto her property. “The tree came down from the Greenville project on my property,” Harris said in public comment. She said a contractor representative initially accepted responsibility but later told her the work was not the city’s responsibility; she said she was pursuing counsel and expected insurers and attorneys to be involved. Committee and staff members said the city and contractor had met with homeowners and with attorneys and insurance representatives, and that legal and insurance processes are proceeding off the public record.

Committee members pressed for more regular baseline-schedule updates linking blasting production and the planned concrete and foundation work. CSG said an updated baseline schedule was pending and that the team would report impacts if the schedule analysis shows a change to finish dates.

Project staff also reviewed site photographs and progress at Stanton (sometimes transcribed as “Stan” or “Stanley”), where structural steel erection and decking have advanced. The presenters walked the committee through interior-finish decisions, tile and durable wall finishes for toilet cores, and plans to present physical finish samples to school staff at a follow-up meeting.

On furniture and classroom equipment, the team said most classroom furniture will be procured via state contract to ensure local distribution and long-term durability; special-education and program-specific furniture decisions will be made with the school district’s special-education staff.

Why it matters: the pace of rock excavation and the availability of long-lead electrical equipment are schedule drivers for the first phase of the district’s school-construction program. The public complaint and the question of responsibility for the fallen tree also raised potential insurance and remediation costs that could affect homeowner relations and schedule coordination.

What’s next: staff said they will circulate an updated baseline schedule to the committee when available; the design team will continue PCR (project cost review) preparations for the next state review; and the contractor will continue to coordinate blasting and retaining-wall work with the design team and the city.","Project managers reported faster blasting and progress on foundations and utilities at the Stanton and Greenville sites, while residents raised a complaint after a project-related tree fell on private property. Staff described long lead times for electrical switchgear and confirmed an early procurement package for long-lead electrical items.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Norwich School Building Committee approves minutes, consent agenda, multiple PCOs and two final school project plans

Committee authorizes subcommittee to approve up to $150,000 to address unsuitable soils for Greenville retaining wall

Norwich school construction advances amid increased blasting, switchgear delays and a fallen tree complaint