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School Committee updates public on Wildwood MSBA project; Fontaine Brothers selected as construction manager-at-risk
Summary
Superintendent and staff reported that Fontaine Brothers was selected as the project's construction manager-at-risk; weekly leadership meetings will include the firm and a community forum is scheduled in March for further public briefings.
Superintendent Dr. Brand reported Feb. 26 that the Wildwood Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) project continues to advance and that the district has selected Fontaine Brothers as the construction manager-at-risk (CMR) for the Wildwood school project.
Why it matters: A CMR-at-risk is contracted to provide preconstruction and construction services, including cost review, scheduling support and value-engineering input that inform the project's budget before MSBA approval. Committee members said the CMR will play a key role in finalizing a project budget that the district will present to the MSBA.
Update details: The school building committee interviewed four firms and selected Fontaine Brothers, a firm with substantial Massachusetts K-12 experience. The superintendent said Fontaine Brothers joined the project's leadership meetings and will participate in weekly coordination calls alongside designers and district and town leadership. Staff said two informational videos for staff and the general public are in production; one video will be shared with staff on a CIT day in mid-March, and a community-targeted video will be released later this spring and during the summer outreach phase.
Public engagement: The district scheduled another Wildwood community forum (Forum No. 6) and a Wildwood School Building Committee meeting on March 31; packet materials also referenced a community forum in early March (committee members were told more broad notification would follow). The superintendent emphasized ongoing outreach and the district's commitment to keeping the public informed as design and budgeting proceed.
Actions and next steps: Staff will continue weekly leadership meetings with Fontaine Brothers, SMMA (design firm) and Dore & Whittier, finish the informational videos, and publicize the March community forum. Committee members emphasized the importance of community notification and said the district is coordinating with town offices and recreational groups to reduce scheduling conflicts for a planned town meeting vote in September.
No formal vote on the CMR selection was recorded in the committee's verbal update during this meeting; the selection was presented as an update from the school building committee.
