Smithfield council approves $215,000 Colliers contract to prepare school master plan and two fast‑track projects

Smithfield — The Town Council on Dec. 17 approved a $215,000 contract with Colliers to serve as the owner’s project manager (OPM) for stage 1 and stage 2 of a new 10‑year school facilities plan and to prepare two RIDE emergency ("fast‑track") project applications.

Superintendent Don Bart told the council the work covered a district‑wide 10‑year master plan, schematic designs and the two emergency projects prioritized for the high school: relocating the intensive special‑education room and renovating a culinary‑arts classroom. "We chose Colliers in addition because of its expertise and relationship with RIDE that we thought we could do the emergency projects," Bart said, describing the contract as stage 1, stage 2 and the emergency submissions.

The contract price for the project‑management portion of stage 1/2 and the two emergency submissions is $215,000, Bart said, which he described as about $30,000 below the original proposal. Finance Director Melissa Devine told the council the OPM cost would be paid from the school fund balance; she said some OPM and stage work can be reimbursed by the Rhode Island Department of Education if the district follows RIDE requirements and is approved.

Councilors pressed staff on timing, cost and process. One councilor summarized past controversy over a prior contract and change orders, noting a $2.3 million change order cited in earlier minutes; that councilor said the history made them cautious and asked whether Colliers’ prior projects had significant overruns. Bart and the town attorney said the negotiated contract included redlines and changes and that the negotiation team had checked references and the firm’s bandwidth. "We have a dedicated team, including an OPM who lives in town," Bart said, arguing that local presence and the firm’s relationships with RIDE were important to secure reimbursements and to move the two emergency projects into the current fiscal timeline.

Officials described the RIDE timing: a stage 1 (intent) package due Feb. 15 and a stage 2 (schematic/feasibility) package due Sept. 15. Devine told councilors that some stage‑1 and stage‑2 costs, including the OPM, can be part of a reimbursable package if RIDE approves; she said the district expected to use school reserves (fund balance) to cover the OPM while pursuing RIDE reimbursement.

After discussion and requests for additional documentation, the council moved, seconded and voted by voice to approve the contract to proceed with stage 1, stage 2 and two fast‑track emergency project submissions and to authorize the interim town manager to execute the agreement.

The next steps the council was given were to finalize the stage‑1 package for RIDE by Feb. 15 and to return to the council as the school department seeks approvals for spending and future stage‑3 construction authorization.