School committee authorizes RFP for OPM to study aging wastewater plant

The Whittier Regional Vocational Technical School Committee voted to authorize Superintendent Lynch to issue a request for proposals for an Owner's Project Manager to evaluate and begin design work on the district's deteriorating wastewater treatment plant.

The motion, made by Mr Murphy and seconded by Mr Sosi, passed on a roll-call vote after members described the plant as more than 50 years old and at risk of catastrophic failure. Committee discussion emphasized urgency but noted that the RFP is an early step and will not commit the district to construction until costs and options are known.

Mr Murphy said the work is "step one of a very long process" and stressed the need to move now so the district can keep the building open if the plant fails. Superintendent Lynch said the OPM would hire a designer and provide clearer cost estimates and scope.

Committee members asked whether pursuing the RFP ahead of a decision by the Massachusetts School Building Authority would raise any issues; Lynch and others said it would not preclude MSBA review and that the district needed to avoid further delay. The committee noted MSBA's anticipated planning pipeline decision on Dec. 11.

The motion authorized issuance of the RFP; financial commitments for design and construction will depend on returned proposals and future votes. The board recorded the motion on the meeting record and proceeded to other business.

The committee did not set a construction budget at this meeting; next steps include evaluating OPM proposals and returning to the committee with recommended scope and cost estimates.