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Committee debates contract change-order policy and thresholds for superintendent approval
Summary
The advisory committee reviewed a draft contract change-order policy allowing administrative approvals to keep capital projects on schedule, debating percent-based versus dollar-based thresholds (10% and a $20,000 cumulative cap were discussed) and whether the proposed limits leave too much discretion.
The Policy Advisory Committee reviewed a draft contract change-order policy intended to let administrators approve time-sensitive change orders on bond- and capital-funded projects so construction can proceed without waiting for school committee meetings. A district representative explained the policy "allows myself, superintendent, to approve change orders...as long as those change orders...stay within the budget that we have." (as presented in committee remarks).
Discussion centered on approval thresholds. Some members noted prior language that used a 20% threshold in policy; others pointed to a separate emergency-purchase policy with a dollar cap. Committee members expressed concern about cumulative authority and potential for large unreviewed expenditures on multimillion-dollar projects; one member called a percent-based approach "a lot of wiggle room." Attorney Andrew Henness and others recommended confirming whether the policy should rely on a percentage of the project budget or a fixed dollar cap and suggested reconciling the new language with existing purchasing procedures.
No final vote was recorded. Members asked staff and counsel to cross-check the draft against prior policies that set dollar thresholds for emergency approvals and to bring clarified language back at the next policy meeting so the advisory committee can decide whether to forward the policy to the school committee.
