Central Falls school building committee approves bond payment requests as high school nears turnover
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Summary
The committee approved bond requisition and reimbursement payments and received a final owner's project management update on the new high school, including commissioning status, move dates, and a March ribbon-cutting. The OPM flagged closeout tasks, contingency use for recent change orders and state-awarded FEI items.
The Central Falls School Building Committee approved two payment requests and heard a detailed update on the new high school as the project moves into turnover.
Erica, presenting the owner's project management update, said commissioning began in December and is progressing, elevators are installed and awaiting inspection, and finish work and FF&E (furniture, fixtures and equipment) installations are ongoing. The district anticipates turning the building over and moving students in on Feb. 24; items moving from the old high school to the new facility are expected to be out of the old building by Feb. 18. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for March 9, Erica said.
Erica described the billing and turnover process: once the project receives a certificate of occupancy, the OPM will transition operations to the district and city and step back from on-site coordination. She emphasized that routine updates will shrink as operational responsibility shifts but that significant on-site activity will continue through closeout.
On budget items, Erica reported that two recent change orders (nos. 16 and 17) have been approved and that the project remains under active contingency monitoring. She stated an accumulative total associated with recent changes and provided a remaining construction contingency figure during the update. The OPM also reported an uptick in MBE/WBE participation and reiterated that the project's goal is 15% participation; because parts of the project pre-date higher thresholds, the team said showing "best efforts" to meet current requirements will be an important state consideration.
Erica also said the district received a memorandum of agreement (MOA) from the state listing FEI awards that include rooftop terrace outdoor furniture for the high school and security, a generator and outdoor play furniture for the dual-language project; she cautioned that the security items are additive to the budget figure noted in the update.
Financial paperwork presented to the committee included Bond Requisition No. 30 and a related FEI reimbursement request. Speaker 3 moved to approve both requests; a second was recorded and the committee approved the payments by voice vote.
The committee also heard that a single bid for the track-and-field work (from Narragansett Improvement Company) is under review and that a retaining-wall enabling contract will be a schedule driver before track work can begin.
The meeting adjourned after routine business. The committee is scheduled to reconvene as stated in its bylaws and will oversee remaining closeout and turnover tasks.