Superintendent reports progress on high school sprinkler plan; StudioJADE and Jensen Hughes contracted for design work

Superintendent Cowart updated the Coventry School Committee on efforts to address fire suppression and other high-priority building projects.

Cowart said district leaders met with the state fire marshal's office, the division of investigations and the division of inspections and worked with town legal counsel to develop a consent order that gives the district time to complete required sprinkler and suppression work without monthly extension requests. He said the consent order moved the matter out of the investigations office for the time being and clarified what remains to be completed after re-walking building spaces with the inspections office.

Cowart reported StudioJADE, the architect engaged by the town, has subcontracted Jensen Hughes to measure spaces and produce engineering plans. He said the town council voted to approve a $302,000 design proposal that will pay for the engineering work; the $302,000 covers design and scoping work and is part of the broader bond-funded project budget. Once design work is complete, the district intends to issue an RFP for installation and construction; Cowart said the bond needs to be released before construction funds are available.

Cowart said some work could occur during the summer and on second shift during the school year to allow construction while students are in class. He outlined other high-priority projects the district anticipates addressing once bonding proceeds: the high school sprinkler system, the well at Western, the roof at Alan Shawn Feinstein Middle School and the high school gym and bleachers.

Committee members asked about upfront payments and the superintendent said there is no money due immediately to Jensen Hughes; the $302,000 proposal must be approved so the design firm can proceed and be paid from bond proceeds or interim town funding prior to final bond close. The building committee will resume meetings after a long pause caused in part by audit delays; Cowart said the committee will post agendas and recordings as usual and that committee representatives on the building committee are James Pearson and Anna Isabel Dos Reycouto.