Holyoke committee reviews ribbon-cutting feedback, punch list, warranties and finances as Peck school nears final closeout

Members of the Holyoke School Building Committee on Tuesday recapped public reaction to the Peck school ribbon-cutting, reviewed remaining punch-list and warranty items, and heard a financial update showing the project is close to final cost commitments.

Committee staff and project consultants said visitors, including members of the Peck family, praised the new facility and the STEM spaces, though several attendees asked about the media center’s book collection and final classroom finishes. “It was so great to see so many of you there and have that celebration,” said Erin (committee staff), who asked the group whether the committee should publish more final photos and a feature about the school on the district website.

The meeting shifted to construction closeout. John Landry, speaking for project staff and consultants, said the team has begun working through the back punch list for buildings A and B but is pausing some work until a consolidated punch list from teachers and Sean is finished. “We started to work on the back punch list for building A and B,” Landry said, listing items such as replacement glass for display cabinets, locks on corridor cabinets, minor paint and ceiling tile touch-ups and other finish items.

Landry and other staff said they expect the remaining contractor work to take a few more weeks. Tom (building operations staff) told the committee subcontractors and Fontaine have been responsive to maintenance requests and that teachers are using a shared spreadsheet to report furniture and maintenance items so staff can assign and track follow-up.

On warranties, staff described the standard construction closeout sequence: issuance of a certificate of substantial completion followed by the start of warranty periods. City staff said contractor labor warranties typically last one year from substantial completion while some manufacturers’ product warranties — for example on roofing and windows — can extend much longer. City staff said the city has been offered an extended window warranty and will consult with legal staff and project leads before deciding whether to accept it.

Connor (project financial analyst) presented the committee’s executive financial summary and cash-flow projection. He said the current invoice package was still in draft for August, that most remaining contracted work is punch-list related, and that the project’s uncommitted budget primarily consists of contingencies and buyout savings. “That’s the financial presentation update for this month,” Connor said after walking members through the cash-flow charts.

Committee member David Yost asked about total project numbers. Yost cited the funding agreement figure and committed amount during his question: “We have about, well, funding agreement, ’80 about 85 and a half million, and we’ve committed, you know, 75 about 75,200,000 so far,” he said. Staff responded they do not expect committed costs to exceed about $76 million and that permanent borrowing for the city’s share will follow MSBA final audit and project closeout, likely more than a year after substantial completion. Staff said any reduction in final project cost will reduce Holyoke’s local share rather than MSBA’s portion.

Committee members discussed next steps and meeting frequency. Staff recommended one final status update at the scheduled October meeting and suggested moving to an as-needed schedule afterward. The committee also agreed to a social gathering to thank volunteers and project participants, tentatively set for Oct. 15.

The committee approved the minutes of the previous meeting by motion and voice/raised-hands vote and later unanimously approved adjournment. No additional public comments were received at the meeting.