School board approves RFP to seek outside owners project manager for Runlet middle-school work after public concern over cost

The Concord School District Board of Education voted May 5 to authorize a request for proposals to evaluate hiring an outside owners project manager for the Runlet Middle School project.

The board approved the recommendation after discussion about whether the district already has in-house capacity to manage large construction projects. "I will make that motion," Board member Matthew Richards said when he put the motion forward; a second was made by Board member Liz Buschai. Board members voted in favor; the motion passed.

The move aims to produce specific price and scope data so the board can weigh whether paying for an outside manager would add value. Board members said the RFP process will provide information and does not obligate the district to award a contract.

Why it matters: Runlet is the districts planned middle-school project and has been a focal point of community concern over scale and cost. Public commenters at the meeting urged the board to increase public dialogue about the project and consider cost limits.

During public comment, longtime Concord resident Steve Mikolovitz urged a structured public conversation about the project, saying, "Together, let's decide when, where, and how this will take place, and we, as the tax paying citizens, will show up." Another speaker, Patricia DeAngelis, urged the board to adopt a cost ceiling for the Runlet plan, saying the district should "make a serious reduction of the current amount for the cost ceiling." Commenters referenced a project figure often discussed in public materials: $164,000,000 for the middle-school plan.

Board discussion centered on three points: whether the district already has sufficient in-house project management expertise; the cost and administrative time required to issue an RFP; and the value of obtaining market estimates before making a decision. Several board members noted that Concord currently has facilities staff who manage capital projects and that using an outside firm could add costs; others said obtaining bids and proposals would give the board concrete numbers for an informed decision.

The board's action instructs administration to draft and release an RFP seeking proposals for an owners project manager. The motion was made by Matthew Richards and seconded by Liz Buschai. The board did not record individual roll-call votes during the public motion, but the motion passed on a voice vote.

Next steps and context: If the administration issues the RFP, respondents will return price and service proposals for evaluation. Board members emphasized that issuing the RFP would not commit the district to hire an outside manager; the district could choose to retain existing in-house staff or award a contract depending on the proposals received and subsequent board deliberations. The board will receive proposals and cost estimates before any decision to retain outside project management services.

Public concern about the wider fiscal impact of the Runlet project surfaced repeatedly during the meeting. A public commenter pointed to broader cost estimates for a full long-term financing package, and urged the board to consider more modest alternatives and explicit cost constraints.

The board took no binding action on the underlying Runlet design or budget at the May 5 meeting; the RFP authorization is an initial step to gather market information that the board said it will use when deciding whether to retain external project management services.