Norwood building committee approves $4.3 million invoice package, several change orders and funds walking-path work

The Town of Norwood School Building Committee on Sept. 15 approved a $4,318,212.36 vendor invoice package, voted to adopt two construction change orders including a no-cost extension of substantial completion, and authorized funding for granite curbing, a guardrail and a $10,000 field-layout allowance to restore walking paths near the new turf field.

Committee members heard a construction progress report showing the turf-field retaining wall and work around the outdoor classroom are advancing, and that landscaping and final paving are scheduled to wrap up this fall. The project manager said work paused when classes began but has resumed on second shifts and weekends, and that final commissioning and seasonal punch-list items are targeted for next June and July.

The project manager said the town has committed just over $138,000,000 to the project, with about $125,600,000 spent to date and roughly $12,500,000 remaining to spend. The project team reported $123,500,000 in costs submitted to the MSBA and MSBA reimbursements of just under $41,000,000 to date (about 54% of submitted eligible costs).

Votes at a glance

- Approve minutes of Aug. 11 meeting: motion made and seconded; voice vote unanimous; outcome approved.

- Approve monthly vendor invoice package, $4,318,212.36: motion made and seconded; voice vote unanimous; outcome approved. The package included OPM and consultant invoices (Vertex and Interval Data Systems), architectural services (AI3), testing (Intertech PSI), contractor requisitions (W. T. Rich), technology and FF&E purchases and miscellaneous project costs.

- Approve Change Order No. 23 (PCOs listed): motion made and seconded; voice vote unanimous; outcome approved. The committee reviewed 12 potential change items (see clarifying details) and recorded the approving motion as $78,848 at the meeting.

- Approve Change Order No. 24 (no-cost contract-date extension to W. T. Rich): motion made and seconded; voice vote unanimous; outcome approved. The no-cost change order moved the contract’s substantial completion date from June 6 to Aug. 25.

- Approve granite curbing and guardrail and a field-layout allowance: motion made and seconded; voice vote unanimous; outcome approved. The committee approved a combined authorization recorded at $122,142, which includes the granite-curbing/guardrail scope and a $10,000 time-and-material field-layout allowance to define final grading and path impacts.

Committee members asked technical and timing questions about several items discussed in detail. The project manager said the gym floor had shown polyurethane “poly balls” emerging where finish had settled; the flooring contractor proposed a maintenance program to clean and manage the issue until the floor stabilizes. The committee also discussed whether padding would be required near field-goal posts; the project manager said he believed the clearance exceeded 10 feet and that the team would confirm exact distances.

On change-order specifics, the project team summarized a group of smaller PCOs included in Change Order No. 23: added electrical receptacles for custodial charging equipment, a dedicated circuit for a salvaged kitchen mixer, a bookcase-style cabinet for a guidance office, a blackout shade for a second-floor office (no cost), an exterior guardrail at a loading dock, added outlets in special-education rooms, an AV rack swap in the performance tech room, bathroom signage, a requested swap to native plantings at the planning board’s suggestion, and a small bulletin board addition. The committee approved moving forward with the plant swap as part of the listed PCOs if the committee chose to proceed.

The committee discussed a proposed 10-foot northward shift of the turf field so the walking path could be maintained. That shift creates work where the existing path intersects the new field edge; the project team estimated a rough order of magnitude of $458,000 for restoring the paths and related adjustments, and separated out the granite-curbing/guardrail portion (estimated $112,000) as likely to proceed. The committee approved procurement for the curbing and guardrail and the field-layout allowance to allow W. T. Rich to lay out the field and confirm final impacts before demobilizing.

The project team said some cost savings might be possible through coordination with town groups and youth-sports organizations and that games themselves would not be impacted — only some practice-space dimensions could be temporarily constrained while contractors work. The committee asked staff to coordinate schedule details with W. T. Rich and local sports groups to minimize disruption.

The meeting closed with a scheduling note: the committee proposed moving its next meeting from the 13th (a holiday) to the following Monday, and confirmed a planned building open house for the public. The committee adjourned by unanimous voice vote.