Norwood building committee approves change order, three purchase packages and defers walking-path decision

The Town of Norwood School Building Committee on Aug. 4 approved a $624,206 change order with contractor WT Rich, accepted several purchase orders totaling about $77,395, authorized a $4.01 million invoice packet and directed staff to develop alternate designs for a north-side walking path intended to restore a previously removed route to the lower athletic fields.

A staff member who presented the budget and construction update told the committee that “everything is tracking on or below budget.” The presenter reported the project’s budget at $147,000,000, of which about $137,482,000 (roughly 93 percent) is committed and roughly $121,373,306 (about 82 percent) has been expended; available balances were described as approximately $12,000,000 (about 8 percent of the total budget).

Why it matters: The committee’s approvals keep construction and procurement moving ahead as the new school nears occupancy. At the same time, the members paused a major scope choice for the north-side walking path after engineers returned order-of-magnitude estimates that ranged from roughly $185,000 for curb-and-guardrail-only alternatives up to more than $1 million for a large retaining wall solution. Committee members emphasized the need to preserve accessible connections from the school to the fields and to avoid jeopardizing emergency access along the adjoining road.

Most important actions and votes - WT Rich change order No. 22 for $624,206 (approved): The change order package includes multiple items summarized in the project change-order log, most prominently a revised, full-scope package for a half-court basketball/play space (which had…