Middletown council approves major school-construction subcontracts as project stays on schedule

The Town Council on a series of motions approved subcontracts and authorizations for the new Middletown Middle–High School and renovation work at the elementary complex, awarding trades including roofing, glazing, gym equipment and site work and authorizing alternates to make the building storm-shelter ready.

Town project manager Justin Bernard told the council the packages recommended by Colliers and Gilbane follow the project schedule and budget. Among awards the council approved were: Patrick McKenna Roofing for roofing; JK Glass Company for interior glazing; National Equipment and Facility Solutions for gym equipment and bleachers; and contract amendments for trailers, site work, and electrical storefront and curtain wall work. Bernard said the roofing bid included a warranty per the design team, and the gym equipment package had a substantially lower low bid, which project staff attributed to vendor buying power and scope compliance.

Bernard also presented an Authorization to Proceed (ATP) to upgrade the school generator to 800 kW and to change windows in the gym area to hurricane-rated glazing to make the gym a true shelter. Town staff said the total for the two alternates was $484,308, and that school construction costs tied to shelter upgrades may be partially reimbursed by the Rhode Island Department of Education under the project memorandum of agreement.

For the elementary school renovations, Bentley Companies and Colliers recommended awards for acoustical ceilings and low-voltage work. The acoustical ceilings contract included an owner allowance for removal and reinstallation where above-ceiling utilities exist. The low-voltage award included a small owner allowance to cover an area-of-rescue provision tied to a potential elevator alternate.

Town Administrator Sean Collins and project managers told the council site mobilization and groundbreaking have been completed, topsoil is being hauled, concrete work is about to start and required state approvals have been received. Collins said the project remains on budget and on time and that the construction manager will submit a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) once the remaining packages are awarded. He also told the council the project team is actively tracking minority- and women-owned business participation and expects upcoming packages to bring overall participation closer to targets.

Councilors moved and passed resolutions directing the town administrator to authorize Gilbane and Bentley to award the recommended subcontracts, and to record related expenses in the school capital project fund.

Votes at a glance: The council approved the recommended awards and ATPs by motion and voice vote; councilors followed staff recommendations and authorized the town administrator to proceed with notices to award.

The project team said further trade packages remain to be procured in subsequent rounds; project staff estimated a total of roughly a dozen additional RTAs for the middle–high school and another dozen for the elementary project before the GMP is finalized. Collins said contingencies remain in place and that the town has budgeted contingencies in capital funds to cover expected adjustments.