Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Facilities topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee discusses next steps for school roof and HVAC projects, favors smaller building committee
Summary
Officials updated the school committee on roof and HVAC schematic warrants for multiple schools and debated whether a smaller, 3–5 member building committee or a 5–7 member committee should oversee the projects.
The Hingham School Committee received an update on ongoing roof and HVAC projects for multiple buildings and discussed the composition of the building committee that will oversee the next phase of work.
District staff said three separate warrant articles will go to Town Meeting: one each for Plymouth River and South schools (schematic designs for roofs) and one for Hingham High School (schematic designs for roof and HVAC). The articles will use language prescribed by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). The Select Board previously voted to allow the 2017 building committee or another committee designated by Town Meeting to continue oversight; members reported the 2017 committee is not uniformly willing to continue another multi-year term.
Committee members and staff discussed whether to revive the 2017 building committee structure or create a smaller, new panel. Several members favored a smaller group of 3–5 members for practical recruiting reasons and because roofs/HVAC are narrower in scope than a full building project. Others noted MSBA historically suggested including building principals, superintendent and finance staff as part of meeting attendees if not as voting members. Members also recommended including at least one member with sustainability/"green" expertise given HVAC goals and an owner’s project manager (OPM) and designers will be part of the work.
No formal vote to create a new committee or to name members took place; the advisory committee will consider the structure and may return recommendations. Staff said they will provide more information to the community about the roof/HVAC warrant articles through principal and central-office newsletters. Members also raised concern about seasonal weather damage accelerating the need for repairs after heavy rains and ice earlier in the year.
Committee members emphasized recruiting volunteers with relevant experience and suggested the school committee appoint at least one or two members to any new panel to ensure school perspective is represented.
