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Fall River board reviews referendum construction savings, awards drywall work and weighs roof options
Summary
Administrators told the board that Findorff bids for the CTE/elementary project came in about $239,186 under budget and presented a $26,389.65 drywall subcontractor price; members discussed soil change orders and roofing options, and approved the drywall work to be funded from bond-interest proceeds.
The Fall River School District board heard an update on referendum-funded construction work and approved using Findorff's subcontractors for drywall work at a price the administration said was substantially below earlier estimates.
Mr. Burke, who delivered the referendum update, said bids allocated to Findorff were originally $7,255,000 and came in at $7,015,814, leaving roughly $239,186 under that allocation. "That 239,000 ... is money the district will have when this project is done," he said, adding that district-held soft-cost surplus and contingency lines put roughly $400,000 or more of unspoken funds on the table pending final accounting and any change orders.
The board was told soil conditions discovered during site work created the potential for modest change orders to stabilize foundations; administration said an additional $20,000'$28,000 is a plausible range but that final figures were not yet available. Members asked whether soil testing would be documented; Mr. Burke agreed to check with the project engineer and return with written confirmation.
On a separate but related line item, administration recommended Findorff handle drywall on the elementary wing at a price of $26,389.65. Mr. Burke said using crews already on site saves time and materials and reduces the estimate by about $8,000'$10,000. The board approved that recommended bid by voice vote.
Board members also discussed roofing options for older buildings. Mr. Burke said districts are evaluating membrane repairs versus an angled steel roof and that permitting and state plan approvals may be required for steeper options. "By the May board meeting, we'll have a better idea what it's going to cost and where it could come from," he said. No roofing decision was made this evening.
The administration asked board members to prioritize a list of additional projects should surplus funds remain at project closeout; Mr. Burke said that exercise is intended to create a "road map" for possible future work rather than an immediate spending plan.
Next step: Buildings & Grounds will review roofing and outstanding bid items in May and bring any recommended actions back to the full board.
