Steve Neskrack, the newly introduced owner’s project manager from Turner & Townsend, told the Coventry School Building Committee he will serve as the district’s on-site coordinator for upcoming school capital projects, with particular emphasis on schedule, budget and safety.

Neskrack, who said Turner & Townsend operates across New England and that he has worked on multiple Rhode Island school projects, described the OPM duties as coordinating design reviews, partnering with the selected contractor during construction and keeping the committee and district staff informed of cost and schedule risks.

Neskrack said he will work closely with district project staff — including Phil (district project lead) — and meet regularly with contractors and school administrators to anticipate issues. “We’ll have probably weekly work sessions with Phil to say, what do you see, you know, 3, 4 weeks out in the job that might have an effect on the cost or the schedule,” he said. He added that OPM responsibilities include enforcing safety protocols in occupied buildings and coordinating around school calendars.

Superintendent Don Cowher introduced Neskrack and asked him to explain typical OPM responsibilities and how he would fit into Coventry’s program. Neskrack said his approach is to “partner with that contractor that’s selected through the bid process and try to get ahead of it,” and that he expects to bring routine updates to the committee about whether projects are on budget and on schedule.

Committee members and staff who spoke during the OPM introduction included James Pearson, chairman of the school committee; Amy Anzalone, assistant superintendent; Russell Hill, director of facilities; and Christine Kennedy, senior project manager with Sean and Simon Construction. Several members asked operational questions about when Neskrack or his staff would be on-site for critical phases; Neskrack said on-site presence would depend on project needs and that Turner & Townsend can provide field staff for “challenging phases of the work.”

The committee did not take a formal vote on the OPM role at this meeting; Neskrack’s remarks were presented as part of ongoing project implementation planning. The OPM will participate in subsequent design reviews, procurement and weekly construction meetings once contracts are awarded.

Ending: The OPM introduction closed with committee members agreeing to integrate Turner & Townsend into upcoming project planning and to involve Neskrack in next steps for the Coventry High School fire-protection project and other Stage 2 work.