District updates on roofs, HVAC, field redesign and council approves small garden grants

District facilities and capital‑projects staff updated the school committee on multiple construction items and sought committee direction on upcoming work.

For building infrastructure, construction documents for roofs and HVAC equipment are nearing completion (98%); the district plans an RFQ process followed by bids later in June and proposals due mid‑July, with a building‑committee review in August. One awarded contract covered building renovations near a $6.4 million project budget, with alternates (auditorium seating/carpeting and Memorial curbing) declined pending generator pricing.

On the athletic fields, designers returned a revised layout that tilts and slightly repositions the field to reduce impacts to vernal pools and wetlands. Staff discussed tradeoffs including reducing an eight‑lane straightaway to six lanes (which would preclude hosting state track meets), the location of a maintenance/storage building and number of spectator seats (estimates reduced from 800 to roughly 500 in the latest plan). Officials said they will continue to work with conservation authorities and expect further design refinement before final bids.

Committee members expressed concerns about generator and transformer siting near Misco’s driveway and asked staff to pursue alternative placements to reduce visual and functional impacts. Construction work on some facilities is scheduled to start in late June; field construction is likely to follow in a later phase pending permits and final bids.

On grants, the committee unanimously accepted two garden grants totaling approximately $4,500 for a school garden club (funds noted as from a Waterwise grant and a Whole Kids Foundation award) after a motion and voice vote.