School Building Committee approves three contract amendments and $1.39 million in invoices

The Canton School Building Committee approved three contract amendments for firms working on the new school project and authorized payment of project invoices totaling $1,387,690.60.

The committee opened the meeting by approving the Jan. 15 meeting minutes; the motion passed with one abstention. Chair Derek Follin called for roll-call votes on three contract amendments and a group vote on project invoices.

The committee voted to approve Left Field (owner's project manager) contract amendment No. 2, AI3 Architects contract amendment No. 1, and Consigli Construction contract amendment No. 1. Each amendment passed by roll-call vote. Committee members named on the record who registered their votes included John Connolly, Benedetti (member of the Building Renovations Committee), Robert McCarthy (vote/abstention reported where noted), Charlie Doody (town administrator), Brian Lynch (assistant superintendent of finance and operations) and Randy Scollins (finance director for the town). The amendments were presented as continuing services needed as the project moves from schematic design into the next phases.

Project invoices were presented together for a single vote. Jen Carlson, the project owner’s representative, described the invoices: Left Field invoice (listed as the first invoice) for $205,112; AI3 invoice 13B for basic services for January, $1,180,578.60; and an invoice for communications consulting to Ellis Strategies charged to the printing and advertising budget line. Carlson noted the printing/advertising line has $40,000 available. The total amount the committee authorized was $1,387,690.60. The committee voted to approve the invoices as a single combined payment.

Votes at a glance: - Approval of Jan. 15 meeting minutes — outcome: approved with one abstention (Robert McCarthy reported he abstained because he missed that meeting). - Left Field contract amendment No. 2 — outcome: approved (roll-call vote; unanimous among those recorded). - AI3 Architects contract amendment No. 1 — outcome: approved (roll-call vote; unanimous among those recorded). - Consigli Construction contract amendment No. 1 — outcome: approved (roll-call vote; unanimous among those recorded). - Project invoices totaling $1,387,690.60 (Left Field $205,112; AI3 $1,180,578.60; Ellis Strategies billed to printing/advertising) — outcome: approved (roll-call vote; unanimous among those recorded).

The committee did not attach conditions to these approvals in the recorded discussion; members said the invoices align with the contracts and cash-flow projections. Chair Derek Follin and project staff thanked the consultants and communications team for work leading into the approvals.

The approvals advance the project into the design development and documentation phase discussed later in the meeting.