Committee reviews safety projects; approves $72,000 from Case High Trust for door security upgrades

Swansea school officials updated the school committee on three facilities and safety matters Tuesday — a districtwide safety and security assessment, a Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) developer-selection step for the junior-high project, and a motion to draw $72,000 from the Joseph Case High School Trust to augment a door security project.

Superintendent Scott Holcomb said the district received $200,000 to fund a Safety and Security Assessment and that proposals were due Feb. 4 at 11 a.m.; the school safety committee will review vendor responses and recommend a vendor to the committee. Holcomb said the junior high MSBA process had narrowed architectural finalists to Arrow Street, Feingold Alexander and Keeselboos Associates; a virtual MSBA presentation was scheduled the following morning and the district-level presentation would be held on the following Wednesday evening.

Finance and operations staff explained the trust draw. The approved $72,000 will allow the district to add battery backup units (UPS) at buildings without generators, to encase wiring in conduit in high-risk locations (for example, 8 feet up gym walls where a ball could strike exposed wire), and to integrate separate security systems so they operate together. Staff told the committee the additional integration and protective work kept the project cost below other bidders for a comparable integrated system.

The committee voted unanimously to approve the $72,000 transfer from the Joseph Case High School Trust for the expanded scope of the door security work. The committee also discussed timelines for the safety assessment and upcoming MSBA meetings; no further committee votes on the MSBA selection were recorded at the meeting.

The committee directed staff to continue implementation and report progress at future meetings.