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Board hears detailed Nest building update, approves wetlands engineering hire and asks for cost clarifications
Summary
Board received a detailed update on the Nest stadium project, approved up to $7,000 for wetlands/groundwater engineering from bond funds, and asked administration to clarify an apparent 1.2 adjustment factor and certain line‑item markups in the easyIQC price proposal before approving the full construction contract.
The Region School District 09 Board of Education heard a detailed status report on the long‑planned Nest building project and authorized a small, immediate step to move permitting forward while seeking further cost transparency.
Administration and facilities lead Mike Dagostino presented the project funding summary and scope, saying the total invoiced to date and remaining balances reflect bond proceeds, bond premium, local fundraising and a town ARPA match. The presentation described the project scope as code‑compliant restrooms, a forced main sewage connection, conditioned team rooms, a concessions building and demolition of the existing snack shack. Dagostino said the easyIQC contractor price proposal aligns with the conceptual floor plans the board has previously reviewed.
Board members raised several points about the vendor price proposal and its underlying task catalog. Multiple directors asked why some line items listed an $8,500 allowance but appear in the vendor bid as about $13,000 after an apparent 1.2 "adjustment factor." "I want to understand where that 1.2 came from," said board member Chris, who requested a memo explaining the Gordian/easyIQC adjustment factors and why certain architectural and engineering allowances differ between the catalog and the contractor totals. Chris added that seeing a 20% markup "on substantially all of it" made some members uncomfortable and prompted questions about whether easyIQC pricing is a reasonable market price compared with competitive bidding.
A public commenter who had earlier praised fundraising for the Nest urged the board to show donor funds as a separate line item and to apply fundraising surpluses to finishing items such as benches, accessible water refilling stations and concessions equipment rather than leave those items incomplete. "A surplus of approximately $76,000 from fundraising is a slap in the face to the donors," the commenter said, urging the board to dedicate those funds to necessary items to finish the project properly.
To avoid delaying the permitting work the project requires, the board approved a motion authorizing administration to hire an engineering service to perform wetlands and groundwater permitting work for the Nest project at Joel Barlo High School for an amount not to exceed $7,000, to be taken from bond funds. The motion passed unanimously. Dagostino said permitting and groundwater engineering would likely take several months and is required before construction logistics begin.
The board did not approve the full easyIQC price proposal that evening. Members asked administration to provide a brief memo or follow‑up for an upcoming meeting that explains the Gordian task‑catalog adjustment factor, reconciles the $8,500/ ~$13,000 differences in several line items and clarifies which elements are excluded (for example, appliances in the concessions building that would trigger commercial‑kitchen permitting). Administration agreed to return with clarifying information at the next joint/tri‑board meeting or a special session so the board can consider the full construction authorization with the requested cost details.
Next steps: the district will hire wetlands/groundwater engineering, pursue permitting, and administration will return to the board with explanations of the price adjustments and line‑item discrepancies before the board considers authorizing construction under the easyIQC proposal.
