THIS MEETING CAN BE HEARD IN ITS ENTIRETY ON THE TOWN OF MIDDLETOWN WEBSITE WWW.MIDDLETOWNRI.COM OR THE DVD IS AVAILABLE AT THE MIDDLETOWN LIBRARY.

At a Special Meeting of the Town Council of the Town of Middletown, RI by teleconference at the Middletown Town Hall, 350 East Main Road, Middletown, RI on Monday, January 10, 2022, at 5:30 P.M.

Council President Paul M. Rodrigues, Presiding

Vice President Thomas P. Welch, III

Councillor Terri Flynn, participated by zoom

Councillor Christopher M. Logan

Councillor M. Theresa Santos

Councillor Dennis B. Turano

Councillor Barbara A. VonVillas, arrives at 6:10 pm - Members Present

AMENDED AND POSTED – January 6, 2022

POSTED – January 4, 2022

SPECIAL MEETING – January 10, 2022

The following items of business, having been filed with the Town Clerk under the Rules of the Council, will come before the Council at a Special Meeting to be held on Monday, January 10, 2022, at 5:30 P.M. - Said meeting will be conducted in person, by telephone conference call/ webinar, in accordance with Executive Order 22-01 issued by Governor McKee on January 6, 2022, which modifies certain provisions of the Open Meetings Act (“OMA”) and the Access to Public Records Act (“APRA”) as part of the State’s emergency response to COVID-19. Members of the public may access and listen to the meeting in real-time by calling 1-877-853-5257 (Toll Free) or 1-888-475-4499 (Toll Free) and entering Meeting ID: 818 5624 4568 or on the web at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81856244568.

Wendy J.W. Marshall, Town Clerk

Town of Middletown

Town Hall – 350 East Main Road

Middletown, Rhode Island 02842

Dear Ms. Marshall:

Pursuant to the provisions of Article II, Section 203 of the Town Charter and in accordance with Sections 42-46-2, 42-46-3, 42-46-4, 42-46-5 and 42-46-6, RIGL, I hereby call a Special Meeting of the Town Council to formally consider, discuss and vote upon the following item of business:

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG

JOINT MEETING WITH MIDDLETOWN PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUILDING COMMITTEE

1. Presentation by MPS Building Committee and team, regarding options for Conceptual Designs and associated Cost Estimates for all four schools in the district and matters related thereto.

Said meeting will be held at the Middletown Town Hall, 350 East Main Road, Middletown, Rhode Island 02842 on Monday, January 10, 2022, at 5:30 P.M.

____________________________________

Paul M. Rodrigues, President

Middletown Town Council

cc :	Town Council		Public Library		Finance Director
	Town Administrator		Town Solicitor		School Committee

This meeting location is accessible to the handicapped. Individuals requiring interpreter services for the hearing-impaired should notify the Town Clerk’s Office at 847-0009 not less than 48 hours before this meeting.

Posted on January 6, 2022, at Middletown Town Hall, Middletown Public Library, Middletown Web Site and Secretary of State Web Site.

1. Presentation by MPS Building Committee and team, regarding options for Conceptual Designs and associated Cost Estimates for all four schools in the district and matters related thereto.

On motion of Vice President Welch, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to begin said presentation.

Also present were Superintendent Rosemarie Kraeger, Business Manager Cindy Brown, School Committee Chair Theresa Spengler, Vice Chair Douglas Arnold and members Liana Ferreira Fenton, William O’Connell and Tami Holden, MPS Building Committee Co- Chair Charlie Roberts, MPS Building Committee Co-Chair Ed Brady, MPS Building Committee members Amy Fater (participated by zoom), William Nash, OPM’s – Owner’s Project Mangers representing Colliers Project Leaders-Derek Osterman, Holley Demers Sawyer, the Design Team DBVW Architects- Douglas L. Brown, Senior Principal of DBVW and Edward Cifune, (participated by zoom) Associate Principal of DBVW.

Charlie Roberts, Co-Chair, MPS Building Committee and Ed Brady, Co-Chair, MPS Building Committee, presented a PowerPoint presentation (reviewing the conceptual design process, discussion of preferred option, soliciting Town Council input and obtain general concurrence) to the Town Council, which is on file in the Office of the Town Clerk.

Senator Louis P. DiPalma, addressed the Council regarding the temporary bonus of 5%, which expires in December 2022. Senator DiPalma explained there are approximately ten cities and towns which have passed resolutions requesting legislation be amended extending the 5% to December 2023. Mr. DiPalma noted it is unknown at this time if the bonus will remain in the Governor’s budget.

DVW Architects Doug Brown and Ed Cifune reviewed Option E within the presentation.

Discussion centered around deferring the large projects at the Aquidneck School and Forest Avenue School, Option E addresses the immediate needs of the schools, the current goal is to address issues at the Gaudet Middle School and Middletown High School, it is unknown if legislation will be approved to extend the temporary bonus of 5%, there is not 100% assurance that the state will fund the project, the amount of the new fiscal year tax rate and the total cost to the Town for the Option E proposal.

Town Administrator Shawn Brown reviewed the Fiscal Impact Sheet, entered here:

Discussion centered around the bond funding process, standard bond length is twenty years, the reality of the cost estimates for the bond projects, there are contingencies built into the cost estimates for both materials and labor costs, how long the bond projects will take to complete, the bond projects must be completed in five years, additional life of the schools once the bond projects are complete, the need for upgrades to the schools, education is evolving, keeping records of the bond money/projects (managing the bond), improvements to an existing school can extend its life for an additional 30 to 40 years, a new school’s life expectancy is 50 years, school windows must meet hurricane specs per state building code, vocational/pathway programs at the High School, a summary sheet of the deficiency list of work necessary at the schools which will be completed by the School Department staff vs the bond projects, phasing in the bond projects over time vs doing them all at once, the costs will increase the longer the Town waits to address the school facilities and if the Newport School Department is keeping their vocational programs.

Principal of the Middletown High School Dr. Jeff Heath addressed the Council explaining the need for flexible space at the High School to meet a variety of programs.

Discussion centered around the deadline to file for Phase II for the bond application and the committee needing direction from the Town Council.

On motion of Vice President Welch, duly seconded, it was voted unanimously to adjourn said meeting at 7:31 p.m.

___________________________

Wendy J.W. Marshall, CMC

Council Clerk

Supporting documentation is available at http://clerkshq.com/default.ashx?clientsite=Middletown-ri