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Millis school building committee trims project contingency by $2 million ahead of town meeting
Summary
The Town of Millis School Building Committee voted to lower the building project contingency, reducing the budget by $2 million and approving two consultant invoices. Committee members said the move marginally lowers the town share and could cut the estimated per-household tax impact by roughly $50–$120 depending on future interest rates.
The Town of Millis School Building Committee on Wednesday voted to reduce the previously approved school construction budget by $2 million, after debate over contingency levels and the project’s risk profile.
Project consultant Jeff (last name not specified in transcript), who reviewed the budget with the committee, told members he was comfortable lowering the construction contingency from the previously carried 7.5 percent to 5 percent and reallocating some funds from line items into more targeted uses. “There is $11,000,000 inside the construction number itself that normally does get used throughout the process,” Jeff said, describing escalation and design-and-pricing contingencies within the construction total.
The committee’s reduction was proposed to present a more realistic, defensible figure to voters while keeping funds available for likely renovation and site risks. Jeff told the panel the town still carries both owner and contractor contingencies plus a set-aside the construction manager (CM) holds: “So between your pure contingencies, you have $7,000,000,” he said, and the CM also holds about…
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