Walpole committee approves $463,741.36 in vendor invoices, projects $1.23 million underrun and celebrates LEED Gold

Walpole School Building Committee members on Oct. 14 voted to approve the September vendor invoice package of $463,741.36 and authorized the committee chair to sign vendor invoice packages going forward as the Middle School project moves into closeout.

The committee heard a project status and budget update showing the construction punch list nearly complete, an anticipated return of roughly $560,000 from the construction contingency in Fontaine's contract, and a projection that the overall project will close about $1,234,564 under budget. Committee staff also reported that the district has received LEED Gold certification for the new middle school.

Kate, a project staff member, told the committee the team is “99.57% complete with the punch list” and that most remaining items are landscaping work. She outlined the budget presentation that showed the MSBA project funding agreement, later transfers and revisions, committed contracts, invoices to date and projections for remaining spend. Kate said the team expects about $560,000 to come back from Fontaine’s contingency and noted a small remaining amount—about $3,000—for furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E).

On the vendor invoices, Kate summarized invoices related to paving, field work and Fontaine’s work. She identified a Fontaine invoice for $278,861.70 as part of the package and asked the committee to vote on the full September package of $463,741.36. The motion to approve the vendor invoice package passed; committee members recorded a single abstention by Jack Fisher.

Kate also said the project team is continuing to submit reimbursement requests to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) through ProPay but will not receive further reimbursement until the MSBA closeout paperwork is complete. She added the project team is circulating the commissioning certificate for signature as part of closeout.

The committee recognized the project’s LEED outcome: “we are now, LEED Gold certified,” a milestone credited to design and construction efforts and to coordinated documentation work, committee members said. Kate and Fontaine team members described receiving points beyond the project’s required LEED Silver target and finishing with Gold.

Because final closeout with the MSBA may require the committee to reconvene in the future, the committee also voted to authorize the school building committee chair to sign vendor invoice packages on behalf of the committee in the interim to avoid monthly reconvening. Committee members said the authorization is intended to allow efficient processing while the project’s audit and closeout documents are completed with the MSBA; the committee noted formal disbanding, if desired, would be performed later and likely by the town’s Select Board, which originally created the committee.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of meeting minutes (Oct. 14 meeting): motion by Jack Fisher; seconded; outcome: approved (unanimous roll call recorded as “yes”). - Vendor invoice package (September) — $463,741.36: moved by Miss Giositz; seconded; outcome: approved (record shows one abstention by Jack Fisher; remaining members voted yes). - Authorization for the school building committee chair to sign vendor invoice packages going forward: motion by Jack Fisher; seconded by Dr. Goff; outcome: approved (unanimous roll call recorded as “yes”). - Motion to adjourn: moved by Jack Fisher; seconded by Miss Giositz; outcome: approved (unanimous roll call recorded as “yes”).

Committee members and staff closed the meeting by thanking the project team, contractors and consultants for their multi-year work on the middle school. The project team said they will continue MSBA closeout steps and circulate final closeout documents for signature.