Portland creates school building committee to oversee voter-approved renovation project

The Board of Selectmen unanimously voted June 21 to establish a Portland School Building Committee to oversee planning, design and construction of the school renovation and repurposing approved by voters on May 11.

The resolution creates a committee of up to nine voting members and two alternates, with ex-officio nonvoting seats for the director of finance (or designee), the first selectman, the chairperson of the board of education and the superintendent of schools. The committeewill act as the townbuilding committee for state reimbursement purposes and is charged with monitoring scope, schedule and budget; reviewing design and construction recommendations; coordinating state reimbursement and grant applications; and providing regular public updates.

The Selectmenmoved and seconded the resolution after a discussion about membership size and the need for diverse expertise (architecture, engineering, finance, special-education teaching experience and project management). The board directed staff to begin soliciting applications immediately so the committee can be formed and begin work on vendor RFQs/RFPs and early-stage tasks, including publishing requests for architectural and construction-management services. The motion passed unanimously by voice vote.

What happens next: the board will accept applications for committee membership, the newly formed committee will select officers and will review RFQs/RFPs for architects and construction managers with the goal of hiring those professionals by the end of the summer. The committee will also coordinate required reporting for state school-construction reimbursement programs.