Town of Cheshire building committee reviews construction schedules, approves invoices and change orders

The Town of Cheshire Building Committee reviewed construction and budget updates for the Norton and North End elementary school projects and approved several invoices and potential change orders during its meeting.

Committee members were told both school projects remain on schedule overall, with Norton showing somewhat more finished work on foundations, slabs and early steel erection while North End continued heavy site and underground work. The committee received the monthly cost control and schedule baselines, a trade allowance log, and a PCO log showing potential and approved changes within the guaranteed maximum price (GMP).

The committee was given a schedule summary that shows area completions clustered in May–July on the North End project and a July 16 substantial-completion milestone for one of the areas. On Norton, the contractor has begun erecting structural steel in Area D and scheduled Area C steel to begin in June; Tekton and the construction manager reported active coordination of MEP, submittals and inspections. Project managers said drilled wells, geothermal piping and most underground storm and sanitary piping are substantially complete at North End.

Budget and contract oversight: presenters said all trade contracts have been awarded and the project team is tracking allowances, contingencies and owner change orders in the CMGC cost-control reporting system. The presenters explained that O&G (the construction manager) and Arcadis (owner's representative) review requisitions, PCOs and change orders before those items come to the building committee so the committee sees items that have been checked multiple times.

Topsoil testing and disposal: the committee heard that testing of a large stockpile at Norton (the meeting referred to it as “Mount Norton”) found some soil that cannot be reused on site. Consultants classified soil in three categories (clean, polluted and contaminated). Approximately 2,100 cubic yards were identified as contaminated and will need off-site disposal; a disposal price was not yet available and staff said they are working with the testing firm and the contractor on disposal options and DEP notifications. The committee approved a PCO to pay the testing invoices (see votes at a glance).

Change orders and schedule impacts: staff emphasized most of the PCOs presented that evening would not change the GMP but would draw on allowances or CM contingency where shown. The committee was told that some PCO amounts reflect Regional Water Authority requirements for additional water meter vaults or fees, and, in one case, a material credit from a bidder that was reallocated into a scope-clarification allowance.

Votes at a glance (in meeting order) - Invoice: Tescon (testing services) — $729 (motion approved by voice vote). Outcome: approved. - Invoice: Arcadis (owner's representative services) — $10,702.30 (motion approved by voice vote). Outcome: approved. - Payment application: O&G (construction manager) — $2,814,566.20 (payment application approved by voice vote). Outcome: approved. - Invoice: Tekton Architects (architectural services) — amount stated in packet (motion approved by voice vote). Outcome: approved (amount in packet; transcript text not clearly readable for a precise dollar figure). - Invoice: Eagle Environmental (environmental consultant for Jordan Elementary) — amount in packet (motion approved by voice vote). Outcome: approved (amount not clearly readable in transcript). - Additional O&G payment application and Tekton invoice for other pay period(s) — motions approved by voice vote. Outcome: approved.

PCOs approved for North End (all described as coming from allowances or CM contingency unless noted): - PCO 003 — additional meter pit required by Regional Water Authority at Jarvis Street: $49,803. Outcome: approved; funding: CM/contractor allowance (as presented). - PCO 004 — RWA water service connection fee overage, Richards trade allowance credit use: $41,236 total (the overage against the listed $40,000 allowance was $1,236; the change shows how that overage is handled). Outcome: approved. - PCO 005 — Marion Drive meter vault (material not carried at buyout): $9,329. Outcome: approved; treated as buyout/GMP-contingency item.

PCOs approved for Norton (items drawn from CM allowances/contingency unless noted): - PCO 006 — temporary construction trailer generator and fuel costs: $13,061 (rental, service, mobilization and fuel). Outcome: approved. - PCO 008 — credit for roofing misinterpretation from a bidder (Greenwood), moved into allowance for scope clarifications: credit of $142,468 (accounting change; reallocated to an allowance so funds are available for clarified scope). Outcome: approved. - PCO 009 — RWA water utility overage at Norton: $7,763 (overage plus Richmond markup). Outcome: approved. - PCO 010 — testing for Mount Norton stockpile (soil sampling and reporting): $21,346.10 (testing and related subcontractor time and markups). Outcome: approved.

The committee chair and project staff repeatedly emphasized that many of the PCOs are covered by allowances carried in contracts and that O&G and Arcadis review and vet change orders before committee consideration.

Why it matters: committee members said the packet-level cost and schedule breakdowns are intended to give the full committee visibility into potential liabilities and the status of critical path work (underground utilities, foundation/slab pours, steel erection). The topsoil testing result creates a near-term cost and permitting issue because contaminated material must be removed under DEP rules; staff said they will return with disposal pricing and regulatory steps.

Next steps: staff will continue biweekly coordination (OAC/BIM) and weekly schedule updates with more frequent photo and OpenSpace documentation as steel and interior work accelerate. The committee asked staff to circulate schedule baseline pages electronically rather than providing large paper packets each month.