Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Construction Ceiling Upgrades topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee approves ceiling-material upcharge and multiple ATPs for Fairfield schools
Summary
At its Jan. 31 meeting, the HVACI acute building committee approved three allowances and three ATPs to cover above-ceiling repairs and an upgraded, sag‑resistant ceiling tile at Fairfield Woods, North Stratfield and Osborne Hill, and accepted a Gilbane preconstruction invoice.
The HVACI acute building committee on Jan. 31, 2025, approved several authorization-to-proceed items to cover ceiling and above-ceiling repairs and accepted a contractor invoice, the committee said.
The approvals affect three Fairfield public schools: Fairfield Woods, North Stratfield and Osborne Hill. Mark (committee member) opened the meeting’s construction updates and motions; Tim (staff member) reported that work is proceeding on schedule across the three sites and that ductwork at Fairfield Woods is roughly 85% complete.
Committee members said they intend to complete disruptive shutdown work—such as energizing new transformers and switchgear—over the April school break to minimize impact on classes. Tim said crews have begun receiving ductwork for Osborne Hill and will sequence work at Osborne Hill, then North Stratfield. Tim added that long‑lead security vestibule materials have been approved and will arrive from Cherry Hill Glass as needed.
Why it matters: the motions cover contingency funds for finish work that must be completed before summer inspections and a material upgrade to a longer‑warranty, sag‑resistant ceiling tile that the committee said will reduce future maintenance.
Allowances and above‑ceiling work
The committee approved a single motion to release three allowances, one at each school, to fund above‑ceiling CMU/drywall infill and related work. The motion (moved by Mark and seconded by Joe) authorized ATP 006 for Fairfield Woods, ATP 027 for North Stratfield and ATP 016 for Osborne Hill, each in the amount of $25,000; the allowance releases will be billed against the respective school allowances. The motion passed by voice vote; the transcript does not list an individual roll‑call tally.
Acoustical ceiling material change (HumaGuard)
Committee members also approved a material change to replace the originally used ceiling tile with a stiffer, sag‑resistant product (referred to in the meeting as HumaGuard) for areas not yet tiled. Sal (staff member) warned that some of the existing, lower‑grade tiles are already showing sag and said the HumaGuard product is sag‑resistant and moisture‑tolerant. "We're already seeing sagging in some of the tiles that were installed with the lesser grade tile," Sal said.
Three separate ATPs to cover the upcharges were approved out of contingency: ATP 34 (Fairfield Woods) for $16,092; ATP 026 (North Stratfield) for $12,185; and ATP 015 (Osborne Hill) for $12,912. Each motion was moved and seconded as recorded in the meeting; all three passed by voice vote with no recorded roll‑call tallies in the transcript.
Committee discussion noted that the upgraded tile had been used on prior Fairfield projects (Millville, Riverfield, Holland Hill) and that the specification for the higher‑grade tile was omitted from the current construction documents. Meeting participants said the omission occurred during design coordination and that staff and the project architect had expected the specification to be included; the transcript records committee members describing the omission as a project documentation error.
Invoice approval
The committee voted to accept Gilbane's Phase 2–5 preconstruction invoice (invoice no. 202413-J204, dated Jan. 17, 2025) in the amount of $6,339.11. Jeff (staff member) moved the motion; Joe (committee member) seconded. The motion passed by voice vote; the meeting transcript does not list a roll‑call tally.
Other business and schedule notes
Committee members discussed coordination with UI for energizing transformers and switchgear and ongoing commissioning work on thermostatic controls; staff said troubleshooting remains in progress. The committee also discussed upcoming meetings: a presentation to the Board of Selectmen planned for Feb. 5 (time to be confirmed) and a scheduled site walkabout on Feb. 14 after the committee’s regular meeting (the Webex meeting will remain available for remote attendees).
The committee adjourned after the votes and scheduling confirmations.
