School committee approves RIDE MOA and hears progress on Mount Hope High renovation
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Summary
The Bristol Warren School Committee approved a memorandum of agreement with the Rhode Island Department of Education and received a construction update for Mount Hope High School: $32.5M billed to date, about $14.5M in PAYGo reimbursements, and continued tracking of multiple change orders and contingencies.
The Bristol Warren Regional School Committee voted to approve a Memorandum of Agreement with the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) on Monday and received a detailed construction and finance update on the Mount Hope High School project.
Nick Paul, the owner's project manager from PMA, told the committee that the bill‑to‑date for the project is about $32.5 million with roughly $14.5 million in PAYGo reimbursements already recorded. Paul said the district’s RIDE‑eligible funding pool of about $157 million remained unchanged; what shifted was where savings were applied in the project scope.
Paul described several cost‑saving measures that have been used to reduce outlays, including bundling smaller CIP projects into the main high‑school contract so the general contractor bids them as part of the overall package and a change from a construction management approach to design‑bid‑build. He said the project team used recent bid data to adjust mechanical, electrical and plumbing estimates and removed duplicated work where schools had already completed security or HVAC upgrades.
Committee members pressed staff on contingencies and change orders. Paul said the team is tracking roughly 10–15 change orders that have not been fully formalized; they will be submitted for technical review when finalized. He confirmed an owner‑funded audio enhancement line—identified during questions by members—accounts for roughly $2 million of current exposure.
The project team described recent on‑site progress: steel erection nearing completion, first slabs placed, under‑slab plumbing and radon piping installed, and framing underway. Paul said trades are mobilizing and the district is still targeting a January occupancy for the district move while Phase 1 completion remains scheduled for May 28, 2027.
The committee approved the RIDE MOA after brief discussion about paperwork delays from RIDE. Chair noted the MOA formalizes previously discussed terms and funding commitments.
Next steps: PMA said it will provide more detailed contingency reporting and the technical review committee will examine formal change‑order submissions as they arrive.