Crescent City nearly complete as oversight committee presses for clearer cost reporting

Construction managers told the Putnam County Bond Oversight Committee on April 22 that Crescent City Elementary is moving through phased closeout and that a temporary certificate of occupancy is being pursued as inspectors and fire marshals complete final reviews.

“We are moving into the second phase of the building,” said Justin, the Ajax representative who described the site’s phased handoffs, furniture installation and final asphalt lifts. He said the team is working to close punch‑list items and obtain the temporary occupancy needed to hand the facility to the district.

The project team reported a contingency balance “of about 324,000 contingency on paper,” Justin said. Several committee members contested percentages and totals shown in the packet, noting differences between GMP (guaranteed maximum price) figures and invoice-based expenditures. Staff and the construction manager explained that some entries reflected owner-direct purchases and tax savings that had been subtracted in the report presentation, which made the left‑hand and right‑hand columns appear inconsistent.

Greg Kelly of CRA Architects said furniture and equipment procured outside the general construction contract often carry their own vendor warranties and can be handled separately by the vendor: “He provides an extensive warranty with that,” Kelly said of the FF&E vendor, noting the district can call suppliers directly for repairs on items the district purchased.

Committee members pressed for clearer public-facing labels on the packet. A member noted that some line items appeared to show a large reduction (described in the meeting as an $11 million apparent deduction) that was actually a combination of owner direct purchases and included tax-savings, not a reduction in construction scope. Staff agreed to correct the labeling and provide a reconciled summary.

The meeting also covered warranty and post‑occupancy procedures. The project team confirmed a one‑year written contractor warranty to the Putnam County School District for construction work, while specialty systems such as certain roofs or HVAC components may carry longer manufacturer warranties.

What happens next: staff agreed to produce a corrected report that clearly separates GMP line items from owner‑direct purchases and tax savings and to provide the committee a reconciled, commitment‑aware balance so members can compare commitments (awarded GMPs and furnishings) with available bond funds.

The committee did not vote on any contracts during the meeting.