Stoughton building committee approves $380,453.93 in design invoices and amends architect contract for $111,750

The Stoughton Public Schools Building Committee unanimously approved payment of invoices totaling $380,453.93, including a Vertex invoice and a DRA invoice, and later voted to amend DRA Architects’ contract by $111,750 to cover additional civil and landscape design work. The approvals came during the committee’s regular meeting, where members also discussed wetlands surveying and scope changes tied to newly acquired parcels south of Fano Drive.

The invoice approvals covered Vertex invoice OPM-100Nineteen-30 for $46,625 and DRA invoice 19R for $333,828.93, for a combined total of $380,453.93. A committee member read the line items into the record and moved the payment; another committee member seconded the motion. Committee members voiced no objections and the chair called the voice vote as unanimous.

The later amendment to DRA’s contract — described at the meeting as the “final request” for the committee — was presented to cover additional civil engineering and landscape work needed because the project now includes three parcels south of Fano Drive. The presenter said the original proposal had been $163,000 but was negotiated down to $111,750; a committee member made the motion to recommend approval, a second was recorded, and the committee voted unanimously.

Committee discussion clarified that the increased fee is tied to a roughly 40% increase in the project’s area of disturbance after the additional parcels were added, affecting stormwater design, wetlands investigation, and driveway/parking revisions. One committee member requested that future materials explicitly say the 40% figure referred to area of disturbance so the public would have clearer context.

The meeting record shows the committee also authorized staff to proceed with contract-amendment paperwork consistent with MSBA contract requirements if the committee approved the amendment.

Votes at a glance - Approval of Vertex and DRA invoices (Vertex OPM-100Nineteen-30 for $46,625; DRA invoice 19R for $333,828.93): approved, unanimous (voice vote). Notes: invoices recorded as eligible for MSBA reimbursement where applicable. - Recommendation to amend DRA Architects contract for additional civil/landscape services (BSS No. 6) for $111,750: recommended/approved by committee, unanimous (voice vote). Notes: staff to prepare MSBA-compliant amendment form for town execution.

The approvals clear bills for payment and allow architects and engineers to proceed with additional design-development work tied to the expanded site area. Committee members said documentation and SharePoint updates would be provided to the committee as contract and payment paperwork are finalized.