Norwich building committee hears multi-school construction updates and approves change orders

The Norwich Building Committee on July 15 reviewed construction progress across the district's four active school projects, heard updated cost and schedule figures and approved a set of change orders and contract reconciliations for Greenville and Stanton schools.

Committee members voted unanimously to approve three PCOs for the Greenville project and a separate package of alternates and PCOs for the Stanton project. During the meeting CSG and design and construction teams reported that payment request No. 9 for both Stanton and Greenville has been approved by the state but the city had not yet received the funds, and that drilling and blasting work at Greenville began in mid-July.

Why it matters: The decisions approved by the committee allocate additional contract funds and reconcile work that was not fully priced at the time the contractors' guaranteed maximum prices (GMPs) were set. The committee's actions allow the projects to proceed with approved electrical and site-work revisions, bleacher and sign alternates, and other previously reviewed items while keeping the overall program within the grant-authorized funding envelope, according to staff reports.

Most important actions and vote results

- The committee approved PCOs 12, 14 and 15 for the Greenville project by unanimous roll-call vote (see vote record below). Those items include alternates for telescoping bleachers and concrete curb revisions and a reconciliation for general trades and millwork allowances that exceeded the original allowances.

- The committee approved a package of PCOs and alternates for the Stanton project (listed in the agenda as items 1'6 and 8) by unanimous roll-call vote. That package included a two-sided digital monument sign alternate (pricing submitted except for concrete and steel bases, which staff said will be provided and returned to the committee), bleacher alternates and electrical grounding/manhole revisions required to meet utility (NPU) requirements.

What the presenters reported

CSG project lead (identified in the meeting as Mike) told the committee that the consultant team submitted payment request No. 9 on June 12 and that the state approved it: "payment request number 9 for both Stanton and Greenville is approved," he said, adding that the city had not yet received the funds. Mike also summarized schedule, contingency and procurement items across Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 work, and explained that owner and other contingencies remain in place.

Downs Construction project manager Kyle reviewed on-site progress at Greenville: clearing and perimeter fencing were completed, temporary trailers and laydown areas are in place, and drilling and blasting commenced. "We actually did our first blast yesterday," Kyle said, and described two separate blast shots that took place without neighbor complaints. He also described ongoing work to crush blasted rock for reuse on-site and the long lead-time items the team is tracking (electrical switchgear, rooftop units, steel).

DRA (design) lead Jim walked committee members through interior renderings and school identity concepts (for example, motifs for Moriarty based on monarch butterfly and Connecticut habitats) and confirmed the team is coordinating FF&E standardization across the project set.

Budget, contingencies and estimates

Presenters said the DD (design development) estimate reconciliation reduced some project costs compared with earlier SD estimates and left substantial contingency at the program level. Mike and other presenters noted an approximately $6.8 million owner-level contingency across projects that remains available but cautioned it should not be treated as a spending reserve without specific justification. For Moriarty the project team reported a current DD-based project cost figure cited in the packet (speaker: Mike): "Moriarty specific based on the design development estimate this project cost has been reduced to the current project budget is $72,897,377" (transcript). Staff also reported a separate project-basis current budget figure of "$74,541,600" for a related project scope; both figures were presented by the consultant team in the reconciliation materials and were described in the meeting packet and discussion.

Schedule and permits

Teams said they have received blasting permits and completed pre-blast surveys; the first Greenville blast was reported as completed on the day before the meeting. Inland-wetlands and special permit applications were submitted for Moriarty and UNKUS/Uncas sites and staff expect to present at upcoming city planning and wetlands commission meetings. Several presenters emphasized site logistics and phasing issues (parking, bus queues and temporary access), noting some schools must be vacated or redistricted before renovation work can begin (Huntington/Central Office project remarks).

PCOs and contract reconciliation items approved

The committee approved the listed PCOs for Greenville and Stanton; staff said most of the PCOs will come from owner contingency or be reconciled against allowances or GMP-excluded scope. The committee also approved consent/agreement agenda items earlier in the meeting.

Ending

Staff said they will return with any outstanding pricing for items that remain under review (notably the concrete and steel work associated with the monument digital signs) and with the final invoice reconciliations for the general trades and millwork packages. No additional committee actions were tabled.

Votes at a glance (full roll-call recorded in actions[])

- Consent agenda (minutes and consent items): approved by roll call (8 yes; 2 members absent) - Greenville PCOs (PCO 12, 14, 15): approved by roll call (unanimous of members present) - Stanton PCOs (alternates 1—2 and alternate 8 as presented): approved by roll call (unanimous of members present)

(See actions[] for motions, movers/seconders when specified and verbatim vote tallies.)