Approved December 14, 2022
MPS BUILDING COMMITTEE MEETING
Oliphant Administration Building
Michael S. Pinto Conference Room
26 Oliphant Lane, Middletown, RI 02842
11/30/22 3:00pm
Members in Attendance:
| Present | Voting Member | Name | Title |
| X | Yes | Edward Brady | Co-Chair, Community Member |
| X | Yes | Rosemarie Kraeger | Superintendent of Schools |
| X | Yes | Tami Holden | Member of School Committee |
| X | Yes | Poe George | Director of Facilities Management, Transportation and Safety |
| X | Yes | Thomas P. Welch, III | Town Council Member |
| | Yes | Jeffrey Heath | Middletown High School Principal |
| | Yes | Michelle Fonseca | Asst Superintendent for Teaching and Learning |
| X | Yes | Shawn Brown | Town Administrator, Local Budget Official |
| X | Yes | Charlie Roberts | Co-Chair, Community Member |
| X | Yes | William Nash | Community Member |
| | Yes | Vincent Lechmanick | Community Member |
| | Yes | Doug Arnold | Member of School Committee |
| | No | David Annese | Director of Technology |
| | Alternate | Don Morin | Alternate Community Member |
| X | Alternate | Marc Thayer | Alternate Community Member |
| | Alternate | Christopher Logan | Alternate Town Council Member |
| | Alternate | Liana Ferreira-Fenton | Alternate Member of School Committee |
| X | Alternate | William O’Connell | Alternate Member of School Committee |
| X | Alternate | Marc Tanguay | Town Finance Director, Alternate Local Budget Official |
| | Alternate | Bill Niemeyer | Gaudet Middle School Principal |
· Call to Order
o The meeting was called to order at 3:00p.m. by Co-Chair Charlie Roberts. Eight (8) out of twelve (12) voting members were present or represented by an alternate. Town Administrator Brown and Alternate Thayer arrived around 3:20. Colliers Derek Osterman was on the phone.
o Also present: Newly elected School Committee member Greg Huet, newly elected Town Council member Peter Connerton (arrived later in the meeting), former Town Council members Terri Flynn and Antone Viverios, Middletown Public Affairs Officer Matt Sheley and several community members.
· Approval of Meeting Minutes from November 16, 2022
o MOTION: Charlie Roberts moved to accept the meeting minutes from November 16, 2022, and Ed Brady seconded. The motion passed unanimously (8-0).
· Update on any Further Discussion of Regionalization with Newport or Portsmouth
o No new information on regionalization efforts and awaiting information from Middletown Town Council President Paul Rodriguez.
o Building Committee is moving forward and looking at options for Middletown yet open to receiving any new information regarding regionalization from Newport or Portsmouth.
· Presentation by Consulting Team (Colliers, HMFH/DBVW and Civic) of our Options and the Impact of the Concepts
o The architect team of HMFH/DBVW presented six options to the Committee with a handout and slide show presentation reviewing each.
o HMFH/DBVW reviewed the qualifications and terminology on the handout and went through each option, A, B, B1, C, D and D1, taking questions and providing visuals.
o Slide presentation showed existing sites with each option proposed.
o All options were discussed at length, and the Committee began to remove some options starting first with Option C, D and D1. They were removed from consideration as all believed that the need to build a new 6-12M/H was crucial and most representative of the plan shared with the public prior to the election.
o Ed Brady mentioned the importance of bonus points and the timeline. He also mentioned the cost of maintaining the older buildings.
o Doug Brown from DBVW stressed the importance of the demographics needed.
o Superintendent Kraeger said that CIVIC is ready to share their report and that NESDEC is currently preparing enrollment numbers. She also stated that military numbers are expected soon and anticipated to be approximately 29-30%.
o As the discussion continued over the remaining options, Shawn Brown stated that the original plan was off the table because it was too costly, and the Committee began to look closer at Options A, B and B1. The Stage 2 submission was mentioned and what was needed for it was addressed. Further discussion took place and Option A appeared to be the focus, removing Options B and B1 because of the need for a new consolidated elementary school down the road. Option A provided two steps to achieve what the original plan had stated. Option A was once again reviewed in the presentation and questions arose about the use of the Capital budget for the elementary schools.
o Option A was further looked at, and its general costs from the handout were discussed.
o MOTION: Charlie Roberts moved that the Building Committee move forward with Option A and Ed Brady seconded. The motion passed unanimously, (8-0).
o ACTION: Information will be gathered by Colliers and the architects to come up with the costs for Option A.
· Update by Shawn Brown/Marc Tanguay Concerning our Bonding Limits
o Throughout the presentation and discussion, Shawn Brown mentioned the borrowing ability, trying to extend RIDE’s deadlines, the January legislation submission and April’s possible vote. He also suggested that the middle school and high school should be re-evaluated for bonus points and that RIDE would be performing that work in the future.
o ACTION: Shawn Brown mentioned that Newport had reached out to him and that he would be returning the call soon.
o Ed Brady asked questions about Middletown’s borrowing ability.
o ACTION: Shawn Brown stated that he will be communicating with Hilltop and Colliers to put together a program of borrowing for the town. Analytics need to happen. He stated that the town’s bond rating was Aa1 currently and that this may change in the future.
o ACTION: Superintendent Kraeger will update School Committee about this meeting and the selection of Option A.
· Review/Update Task our Action Pending
o Awaiting further information on regionalization possibilities. — Paul Rodriquez/Shawn Brown
o Program of borrowing/bond is being addressed. — Shawn Brown/Marc Tanguay
o No information on reimbursement/bonus point changes.
o Reviewed all options well-presented and selected Option A moving forward.
· Open Discussion
o Antone Viverios spoke about the Jacob’s Report.
o Ron Heroux mentioned the idea of Thompson Middle School needing work in the future and perhaps a regional joint middle school. Charlie Roberts responded that Middletown is moving forward independently but open to any options that are presented in the future.
o Terry Flynn asked about communication with other communities, Newport and/or Portsmouth and was told that the Committee has no new information, and that Paul Rodriguez was working on that. She would like follow up information when available.
o Superintendent Kraeger applauded the selection of Option A because it best represented what the citizens voted for in the election.
o Poe George mentioned the need for capital for Forest Avenue and Aquidneck Elementary for repairs needed while awaits Step 2 in Option A.
· Adjournment
o MOTION: Charlie Roberts moved that the Building Committee adjourn at 4:31p.m. and Ed Brady seconded. The motion passed unanimously, (8-0).
Future Meeting Schedule – The next meeting will be held on December 14, 2022, at 5:00p.m. at the Oliphant Administration Building.
Respectfully Submitted,
Tami Holden