001First uh order of businesses and with every meeting is the pledge of >> allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. All right. >> Are we ready? All right. Well, I'd like to welcome everybody here this evening. It's wonderful to see the team and uh Coach Ed Mateo and John Madano here as well. I heard Neil say 20 years ago you convinced them to start this program back when he was the principal of Simsbury High School. And that was certainly a a great decision. So, we're here to recognize um our newly minted state championship team here. SO, AROUND AND AS WE HAVE had quite a bit of uh success in state tournaments in the past
002couple years, Heather Golden always sends me some some fun facts and then we can we can fill in. So um 20th season as we just said in division 1A state champs, an 8-0 season, so an undefeated season defeating Stanford in the championship game 33-26 down at Richfield. um pretty awesome this uh this past weekend. Um last year lost in the state title game >> by two to >> so great way to come back with a with a veteran group. How many seniors in this group? I know it's a large number. >> Unbelievable. And those that are around sports and high school know there's nothing like senior leadership, right? So what a testament to the to the group. Uh this is a team that that traveled internationally to Portugal this year. Had a great experience and
003a great trip. um and an impressive over a 20-year period 82 and 52 in one record. Um really something to speak of. I'm sure some of you are are going on to play at the next level. I'm not sure how many. Um but that's exciting. And just to see the number of you that came out tonight um with pride is is absolutely awesome. I know you have you have a son on the team. >> I have a personal connection. >> Very very cool. So I don't know if you want to add anything to watch. >> So much so much fun watching you guys this whole year. You had a great blend of of of beef and strength up the middle and speed on the ends. It was just a real joy and and probably more
004than even what you guys did on the field. You guys really seem to like each other and you guys had a great time as a team and that is something that is really really great to see and great to watch. So congratulations on a really unbelievable season. >> Great. Coach, you want to add anything? >> You know, hey I mean Neil already started 20 years ago. We met in his office with with Mr. Holden, Mr. and and Dan Beta and we talked him into letting us go and would would there be enough players to play? Could you guys pull this off? And here we are 20 years later, thousand kids through the program. Two international tours, several tours to Boston, Washington, Philly, and an 82 win record. And we're just so proud of our program.
005These kids are are awesome. I mean, the the culture we talk about building, they adopted it. They really they really lived it. they they got a lot closer after the trip last year and and you know part of our culture is to promote the game and we're excited to be here to do that. So and this team really idolized what we try to do and I'm so proud of them for what they accomplished. >> Awesome. >> CONGRATULATIONS very busy time of the year. So thank you and we will let you get out of here. >> Yeah. Can we get a photo real quick? >> Yes. You stay right there. We'll come to you. >> Stay where you are. [laughter] >> I was going to say get there. There's so many of them. >> You want
006us to circle behind you or >> No, just stay where you are. >> Like I >> We've done this before. We haven't >> sarity squad. They don't know what that [laughter] join us. Well, we can give you I know you do a lot of things, but you didn't play rugby for the last You don't want to be in it. >> You know how to do the [laughter] >> best. Diva horizontal. >> Yeah, I'll take it. This one's for the Instagram, though. That way they can post it on Instagram. >> You always let the young kids do it. >> Like my food truck today, right? [laughter] >> All right. Great job. You guys [music] know [laughter] >> how to post that makes the camera. So when you have a bunch of people and you want to
007post >> I hope so. You [clears throat] can't post the horizontal. >> No tips. Tips it. Thank you. >> That's the way to start. >> Has to be well trained. >> Okay. So we are moving on to yearbooks. Jillian Caulfield here, the editor of the yearbook. >> You're going to tell us a little bit about the the theme and then we'll get these passed out. >> Awesome. >> So, I'll kind of talk as I start passing them out. I'm sure you have one. >> So, I'm going to start grabbing one. >> Yeah, you can do that one. >> So, as you kind of start looking, you'll see that the theme this year is small winds. Now, Miss Sidell probably knows a lot about this considering we might have done a little bit of plagiarization there.
008Stole that from her. Um, as our principal, Miss Sidell really does have a motto. Every year she makes an effort for it. And we as the yearbook committee identified with this year's as small wins. It's the idea that trying to have a little bit of a win every single day, looking at the small things and they'll eventually accumulate into something bigger. As some of you I just pointed out, Miss Leky, those are our office staff. As editor, I get to make the dedication to decide who I want to do that for. So, on one of the first pages, you'll see that I dedicated it to our office ladies. Um, as Miss Luzetti knows, they have all been Latimer Lane Elementary School alumni. And as [laughter] someone who has been in the simary schools and actually
009longer at Latimer than Miss Luzetti himself, I have known all these ladies personally and it really felt fitting that I gave them that dedication as I exited for my senior year in high school. >> If you look at the cover art on the front, that is actually something that I draw, pardon me, I drew myself. So that is my own artistic little endeavor there. If you run your hands over the lines, you will see that they are like texturized. They're embedded in the cover of the book. Now, as a design choice, that's meant to add a little bit of finesse to it, considering it is a more simple cover. So, those of you who have been on the board of education for a while and have seen many of our yearbooks, you might note that
010this is a little bit more of a simplistic theme. You might remember that last year we had scrapbook and that's a very hearty theme to um embrace. and I as editor really wanted to make sure that I had a theme that allowed my crew to be really creative with it. So, especially as you go into the sport spreads, I see that come out the most. Um, those are where we came up with some of the really interesting layouts, a lot of really cool senior features, and a lot of really interesting journalism. I also tried this year to embed a little more of the perspective of Sims High School because it's one that I've truly grown to love. So, you'll see at the end of most of the portraits for our students and our staff, there
011are little blurbs asking questions here and there. Um, one of my favorites are the ones from teachers. So, we have, "What's your favorite story from your teaching experience?" And one of my favorite responses there was from Mr. Turjan, one of our social studies teacher, who said that his favorite story was the second story in the high school. So, that's a fun little thing. It gave our teachers a little bit of freedom and uh the ability to express a little bit of their humor as well. So really my entire goal with this yearbook was to really show and reflect the spirit of Sbury High School both through our students, our yearbook committee and our teachers and faculty. >> Great. >> So we'll give you guys a chance to flip through it. You have any questions? >>
012Looks great. >> Thanks for all your efforts. >> Absolutely. >> [laughter] >> I will say special thank you. They're not obviously not here, but Miss Abram and Profa Zubie are our two adviserss within the staff. They have done the yearbook year after year. So, special thanks to them. If you happen to really, really like this year's yearbook, shoot them an email. I'm sure they'd be really happy to hear that this was something you guys enjoyed. Thank you very much. [laughter] >> So, enjoy it. Thanks. For our next recognition, I want to recognize our our two student reps. Ser, I apologize you heard this in the last meeting, but I'm going to so I'll be a little repetitive, but I just wanted to thank you both for really an amazing year. You both have really elevated
013the student rep position. Typically, um, the reps come in and they do the little, you know, the reports and and that's about it. And that's what that's fine, whatever, you know, but you guys have had uh just dove right in, you know, regardless of the topic, whether it was the budget or the next construction project or what's going on in math, you guys have not been shy about um about sharing your opinion, and that is incredibly valuable to us, right? It's been a long time since any of us have been in a classroom. So, we really value your opinion. And so [laughter] >> well for some of us so again just from bottom my heart and let me speak on behalf of the board and I'll give them a chance in a second. Uh I
014just wanted to thank you both again and really because of the large shoes you're filling the the next crop we've expand we're trying to do a little bit more with the next year uh student reps based on exactly the great the great work that you have done. So, thank you uh again. Um and we have a little something for both of you. >> So, please put your name on. >> I look [laughter] double check if I can say something. >> Yesterday I had my training with Nick Caruso. Yes. And it was he asked me the question he's doing this board of ed training for many schools. >> So he asked me how are your reps are just they're reading reports. I said no that's not who are [laughter] they? They are very you know interactive.
015They always you know give their opinion which is impactful. I mean that's why we are here. It's different when just somebody tells us something we take it for what it is. But when you guys are here and you're really giving us that feedback it it's really helpful. So, I really appreciate it. >> What's in the box? >> Oh, >> do you want all know? I want to know, too. I'm glad you asked. [laughter] >> Being all polite. >> Oh, it's a cute glass apple. >> Oh my god. Oh, nice. >> Oh, that's so cute. Thank you. >> Your name, sis. >> It's Yeah, it says my name, board of education, and student representative. Very nice. >> Very cute. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE ONE MORE RECOGNITION. Michelle Henry, I'm going to ask
016you I'm going to make you uncomfortable and ask you to come around up front and just stand up for a sec. It's great to see you. >> Thank you for having me. >> So, every year um it's every other year now. It used to be every year, but we we board of uh Chamber of Commerce is uh in in collaboration with Graanby. We select the chamber selects an educator of the year and a business person of the year. And this year, Michelle Henry, our outstanding English teacher at Simsbury High School of 20 years, I believe. Um >> 20 plus. All right. Um has been selected our educator of the year. We're super proud of Michelle. Um had an opportunity to go to an event. Sue attended that event with her. Um but she's done amazing
017things for our kids over a long period of time. And if I had to to sum it up uh with a couple things in in in getting to know Michelle a little bit, she's a veteran teacher that continues to push her practice all the time. Uh she's innovative. Um she creates really safe spaces for kids to take risks, to excel, and to try out new things. It's really what we want in our educators. And she's demonstrated that over a long period of time. Has been very successful. Uh most recently she's brought a lot of really positive attention to our school district as she's helped to create and develop our Asian studies uh course in conjunction with Yukon. I don't know how many Michelle countless media stories we've had on this, but it's it's it's it's
018been great for our students. It's certainly been nice for you. Um and it it's been wonderful for our district as well. Um another thing Michelle has done pretty consistently over the past couple years, she's really brought award-winning authors to our district on an annual basis. um we brought them in, they've worked with our teachers, they present to our students and it's really been a great experience. So Michelle, we just wanted to kind of bring you forward tonight uh as the school year ends and say thank you very much for all you do for kids. Um you really uh exemplify what what excellence is and I just we appreciate that and I wanted to uh say thank you on behalf of the board >> event. Would you like me to say something? >> You sure can.
019[laughter] >> I just want to thank for the recognition and I I think this year was notable is the uh the amount of community support that that my course was able to garner uh the incredible support of uh especially Simsbury Community Media. Shout out. I I being able to um to really to help our students to conduct ethical oral history interviews. Uh even uh providing a space for us at the studio. I think that was amazing. uh being able to connect with all the local partners also including our local library um partner schools like Farmington High School as well as Graanby Memorial High School and even getting some grant funding through Connecticut Connecticut community uh Connecticut humanities right and I'm of course very grateful for the McGawan grant uh which kicked us off uh in
020the start of the year by allowing us to purchase podcast equipment so that we can conduct those oral history um uh recordings. Um it's just amazing the the caliber of work that students were able to um to conduct and also um how transformative and impactful their work has been. like you said, the the the media coverage that we were able to to garner and um and I have to say uh what what is really remarkable is uh students um finding their voice uh feeling empowered and the empathy that they're able to um to to be inspired uh to have um I think those are really great vision of the graduate traits that we want to see embodied in all of our students and I'm just so happy that our district here as well as as
021our partner community partners have just kind of rallied around um our students um and and it's all because they saw that there was a need they saw an issue they saw that there's a connection between uh students social emotional needs and also their sense of belonging and when they saw that need they said you know we need to do something about it and I said well what can we do I mean and and They said, "Well, let's make a documentary." And I couldn't believe just two weeks ago, we were able to screen this [clears throat] documentary before hundreds of people in our auditorium and have best-selling author Celeste A to be with us. And our our adult moderator who is Katherine Shen, host of NPR's Where We Live. And just to keep your eyes open,
022um that segment that was moderated in our high school auditorium that is now been uh that has been given permission by Celeste A to be aired on NPR sometime in the next few weeks. So I mean she was very strict about uh copyrighted issues. Everything had to be cop uh password protected, but now it's going public. that that whole uh segment um I'm so pleased to share that is going to be on NPR so we can all access that um that his her beautiful insights again to help raise awareness about the importance of students social emotional well-being. So thank you again for having me and and recognizing the work that really students have really um really had >> had done for the past few months and I only had nine students this year. Next year
023enrollment went up to 60. So just IMAGINE >> OKAY, >> we are set. >> Uh public audience. >> Okay. Uh committee reports. Eva, >> sorry, I have to use my phone from my computer died. [laughter] >> Okay. Um, >> thank you for everything. >> Okay, I have one from elementary schools. Ladder Lane um had a full day field day, which I remember my field day. They were so fun. Do you still do the car wash thing in the drive? >> Yes. And there's a giant slip and slide down the hill now, too. >> Okay, that wasn't there when um and then they had over 110 parent volunteers which came out to run the stations. So, they want to thank the Simsbury Fire Department also who ran the slip and slide, which is awesome. Um, okay.
024And then at the high school, um, girls lacrosse is competing tonight in their semi-finals. Um, so wishing them luck and hoping that they move on. Um, SHS has also revived the tradition of recognizing students with perfect attendance and this year 85 students earned [clears throat] a place in the 2025 2026 perfect attendance honor role. Last week, uh, students were celebrated to We celebrated students who were invited to the Trojan Code positive behavior breakfast. Um, administration cooked over 20 pounds of pancakes for the students and I heard people liked it. Um, and as graduation approaches, the seniors are being welcomed back to their elementary schools one final time. On June 17th, students have the opportunity to re revisit classrooms, reconnect with former teachers, and celebrate the educational journey that brought them to this milestone. So, that's
025exciting because I'm also excited to see a lot of I haven't been yet. >> Awesome. video. >> That's all I have. >> Great. Stephen, >> I'm all set. >> I'm good. Thank you, >> Josh. Jess, >> nothing to report. >> Jen, >> I'm all set. [laughter] >> I have a couple things, >> please. >> Sorry. Um, first things first, we had a curriculum meeting this morning and it was um great. We talked about this the second one. It was a followup. We talked about the capstone. We talked about um vision of the graduate with capstone aspects and um we talked about um edge of planet and and how we uh manage our curriculum and how you can find it on and how we have we are creating our own base of curriculum um awareness that
026people can find on the website. Every parent can find it on our website. >> Um and it will keep getting better and better. >> Yes, it will >> as we grow with it. Um we talked a little bit about vertical teams in the content areas and how we talk about K to K through 12 uh um issues or um any time of any of our subjects and our subject matters and um how they how they compare through from elementary school all the way through high school. So we do the vertical teams in order to do our best keeping everything in a flow of knowledge. Um so there I think that was it. Did I miss anything? No. >> Sounded great. >> All right. on two. Um so this year we're having the um it's the
027250th celebration of America's uh Declaration of Independence and our and so there is a 250th um committee in town and I might be on it but there are some people working much harder than I because they have their meetings on Tuesday nights and I'm usually here. So, um, but if you go to 250th Simsbury, um, there's a website and it gives you a whole calendar of events of things that we are doing. Um, I'll give you a little highlight on, um, and these if for a $20 donation, you can get a t-shirt. You too at home can get a t-shirt, >> right? >> There's for sale at the Sims Free Historical Society. >> It's a nice t-shirt. >> It's a very nice t-shirt. Heavy good cotton cotton [laughter] logo. [snorts] >> [clears throat] >> Um,
028so, um, that said, so you all have t-shirts and, uh, if you choose to donate to the historic to the 250th Simsbury Committee, it would be greatly appreciated because on June July 11th, I mean July 8th, we are having um, at Simsbury Historical Society, there will be a dedication of the Liberty Tree um, at 6:00 p.m. And then a reading of the Declaration of Independence at 6:30 and soon community band will be playing from 7:00 to 8:15 all on the mall there and there will be food trucks and things there too. I'm pretty sure to um and then on oh I should mention that on the 4th of July across the nation um at 2 o'clock in the afternoon um there'll be bells playing. Every church is asked to play their bells or anyone who
029has bells in their facilities is asked to play them. Um, so it will be going across the country. Um, so that if you hear the bells on the 4th of July, that's what they are. They're happening everywhere. Um, and then the big news, drum roll please, Mr. O'Brien. Thank you. Um, on Jul July 11th, step off is at noon and there is a parade. We're having a parade. It's starting at um at Owensbrook and it's going all the way through town to the ENO. Um, there'll be floats and many people will be coming out to see it. We'd love to see everybody there. Um, I don't know if there's much more to talk about on that, but again, check the Sims 3 250th website. It's there's a calendar there that can give you more information.
030>> Good problem. >> Thank you. That was I'm done now. I have >> t-shirts and parades. It's big day. It's >> exciting. >> And curriculum. [laughter] >> And curriculum. It's a big big big day. As Michelle had stated, she her class was the recipient of a McGawan grant. So, we just want to recognize the educators, community members, board members who sit on that committee to review many a proposal to decide on those teacher grants that are given out for to continue the legacy of Miss McGawan and her her generosity of the Simsbury public schools. One of the other ways in which we use those funds are for scholarships. So last Tuesday we had countless scholarships. It's just such a great night. You sit there as a community member and as an educator and just feel
031the support of our senior class, but we were able to acknowledge five Kathleen McGawan scholarship recipients. We invited them here tonight. They're in the midst of studying, doing countless different things. I said that's okay. But the recipients were Zoe Waterman, McKenna Pasani, Martin Hansen, Emily Narcisso, and Noah Summer who presented his original piece at our last quarter ed meeting for a music report. So just want to recognize these incredible seniors. Uh they are chosen on a number of different factors, but one is entering in the education or a related field. So, it's just a great way that you have chosen to utilize those funds to continue Miss Mcgottton's legacy. I just want to provide that update. >> I I noted I saw the brochure. I was glad you raised it. I just also what I
032was going to say, so I'll just maybe appropriate to piggyback on this now is over 100 scholarships uh equating almost $100,000. That that is astounding to me. We talk a lot about the uh gifts um at the meetings. I I I just I can't say enough about that and and what that means and the community engagement and involvement and the support. It's I think it's just incredible including to that our student representatives got were awarded. So >> talk really quick. >> My friend I won't say her name but college like paying for college has been a big deal for her. Um and she got a really big scholarship and could say yes to the program that she would have had to say no to. So now she gets to go and her um major is
033writing but she's minoring in French and they offered her to study English in Quebec for a semester and she wouldn't have been able to go and now she can. >> That's great. >> That's a great story. >> Um and I I I am sorry but I remiss in not mentioning that um Meg Evans is here and I'm looking and she has her squadron line school creating a time capsule for the 250th um celebration. >> Thanks. Yes, very excited. We sent all of you an invitation if you want to join us on Tuesday. U wear your red, white, and blue. Um we're going to do a little history and um then be able to do a little look to the future. So all the grade levels will have some tokens that we'll be putting in a
034time capsule. >> They can all wear their t-shirts. >> Be a perfect. >> That was that was Jen's decision. I think that's a good idea. >> Be careful about where we dig put. We are going to be very careful about which piece of land we're going to use. Um, >> thank you very much for doing that. >> I'm going to build off of what Terara was say. There's a project from the high school that I think it's the uh social studies honors society kids in conjunction with the 250th. They've put together a Simsberry history book and it's basically every plaque and monument that you see around town with like where it's located, what it is, and a local history explanation to about a page or a page and a half. And I know Katie and
035I were up here. It's it's like fascinating. Yeah. Um and some of it's older than 250 years. Um, so >> Century is 300 over 350 years old, >> right? So it will um I'm sure it's going to be available at some of these events, but >> it's on the Daughters of the American Revolution website. >> Yes. So, and um [clears throat] >> it's really it was a small group of students working with Barrett Faithful, social studies teacher, and it it really was outstanding. So, Katie, >> great. Okay. Uh, first on the agenda is the approval of the minutes for the 26th meeting. >> I I move to approve the minutes. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> All those in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> One extension. >> Okay. One abstension. >> Neil personnel.
036>> Yeah, just two resignations uh late in the year here. Lauren Gayton has been with us just this year. That's a very part-time uh art teaching job at uh Squadron Line, a little bit at Latimer Lane. Um she was coming back into the workforce um and [clears throat] learned that she is adding to her family, so she is going to give up this part-time job and actually one of our former art teachers who's coming back into the workforce is going to pick up this piece for us. So, um that's the first one. The second one, Emily Null, is a uh sixth grade teacher at Squadron Line, has been in the district for three years. Uh [snorts] this is a pattern we see that people in their 20s sometimes want to broaden the horizons out of
037Simsbury. So, she is headed I believe down got a teaching job in New Jersey and is headed there and uh hopes to come back someday, but for now she is headed to uh uh other other state. >> Move that the board of education accepts the resignation of Lauren guides and effective June 23rd, 2026 and Emily null effective July 1st, 2026. I'll >> second. >> Any discussion? All those in favor? >> Any opposed? Thank you. >> Uh end of the year fiscal authorizations. >> Yes, I will take those. Amy wasn't feeling well, so uh we gave her the night off this evening, but um she would normally go through these. These are three different um end of the year authorizations. So, in order to comply with regulations which uh govern our state federal grants and transfer
038funds within our education budget, uh the board [clears throat] of ed must vote to give authorization to the superintendent to act on the board's behalf. Um the first motion is relative to state and federal grants. Um the second transfer of funds >> move that the Simsbury Board of Education authorizes the superintendent to act as the board's agent in renewing applications for state and federally funded programs. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All those in favor? >> I. Any oppose? move that the Simsbury Board of Education authorizes the superintendent to transfer funds from those accounts in which a surplus is anticipated into those accounts in which a deficit is anticipated. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> All those in favor? >> Any opposed? >> All right. The last motion uh is in regards to any movement that
039happens with [clears throat] staffing over the summer. Uh normally we don't meet during the summer. We have a motion coming up on that, but this uh provides uh the board of education authorizing the superintendent to employ teachers during the months of July and August. >> Move that the superintendent with the approval of the board chair be authorized to hire staff for the 2026 2027 school year during the period of July and August when the board is not in session. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All those in favor? >> Any opposed? >> Great. Thank you. Thank you. Couple of gifts. >> Great. We have three gifts for your consideration tonight. The first gift is a $2,000 gift from the Latimer Lane PTO. It will be used to defay the cost of the annual high meadow field
040trip. And there is a motion there for your consideration. >> Move that the proposed gift of $2,000 to Latimer Lane School by the Latime school parent teacher organization be approved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? I have a question on on this is who who goes to this is this something that they do every >> sixth grade. Sixth grade. >> Is this instead of camp jewel or they do it in addition? >> In addition >> is camp jewel in the in the fall. >> Uh it most of the schools all but one go in the fall and then we have well we actually had two schools go in the spring but next year one of them will go into the fall as well but one will hold on to the spring. Uh, any more discussion? All
041those in favor? >> Any opposed? [snorts] Great. >> The next gift is from RTX RAON in the amount of $2500. It is to the robotics club to be used for registration, travel, equipment, and supplies. >> I'll go ahead. Move that the proposed gift to the SHs Robotics Club of Sing High School from RTX Rathon value at 2500 be approved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> I just want to say whoever's doing you are knocking it out of the park. >> They have missed something [laughter] every single time. Good job. >> All those in favor >> last one. >> The last gift is also to the robotics club. This is for donors choose. [clears throat] So it's multiple donors that go online and then choose into this one project which is called optimizing the pit. So
042it's a gift of $2,9259. And there's a motion there for your consideration. >> Move that the proposed gift to the SHs Robotics Club at Sbury High School from Donors Choose Community valued at $2,9259 be approved. >> Second. Uh any discussion? >> We had someone give to the P last month. Last week too. Okay. >> The um that broke that website is great. There's always teachers and stuff. >> The donor's choose is amazing. >> Yeah. >> All those in favor? >> I post. >> Next our meeting schedule. As Matcha said, we typically don't meet over the summer. Um There's obviously lots of work being held. So with that, there is a motion before us to cancel or can't cancel. Easy for me to say the regular uh meetings. Um and obviously we will schedule one as
043as needed if needed. >> Move that the board of education cancel regular board meetings scheduled on June 23rd, July 14th, July 28th, August 11, and August 25th, 2026. Second >> discussion. >> All those in favor? >> Any opposed? Great. Thank you. >> We almost always have at least one. >> September 8th. >> Jeff. Yes, >> Jeff to the to the big table. >> Um Jeff, it's good to see you. I'd like to welcome Jeff Wisinski, principal from Techtown Architects, who has a long history of uh working with us and I know he's done a little bit of work on the town side as well. Um this is the second time uh that Jeff has come before the board of education this year. Um so this will certainly be very beneficial to all of us but
044most importantly our two newer board members who I had sent the first presentation to uh as well. But what we are working on is identifying um our next priority large project that came out of our long-term study. So what we're going to be doing tonight and it's it's not a complete rinse and repeat. It's consolidated from what we did in November. Uh but Jeff's going to go over um really what some of the conditions are at Squadron Line School. We wanted to take a deep dive into various options so when this conversation becomes more collaborative with the other boards in town. We've done our due diligence in terms of looking at maintenance costs, potential renovate, and a new build as well. So what our hope is tonight is that we don't have to take an
045official vote but we have uh some consensus amongst us uh to move forward the conversation of what is the option that this board is most comfortable with so we have some synergy when we go and we we work collaboratively with both the board of selectmen and and the board of finance where we have representatives tonight. So it's nice to see you. Thanks for coming out. And we have uh Mike Lzetti from Latimer Lane that uh has been working with us and he's been involved in a 093 project and Meg Evans and Nancy the principal and assistant principal from Squadron. So with that, Jeff, I turn things over to you. It's good to see you again. >> Good to see you. Uh thank you very much. If it's okay, I'm going to stand just so that
046I can kind of go through the presentation without anybody to my back. So good evening everybody. My name is Jeff Wazinski, principal at Techtown Architects. Good to see some familiar faces. Nice to meet some new ones. Um so we have a brief presentation 15 20 minutes or so. I'll walk you through kind of the highlights of um our analysis at the squadron line and if it's the pleasure of the board if you want to ask questions as I work through them or if you want to hold them to the end. Either way, I'm comfortable either way. But um what I intend to do is kind of give a high level overview and then certainly we can dig back into some of the details um if needed. So this um as you know we've been working
047on uh the master plan uh since about 20189 so for some quite some time now. And um I should say thank you u for the opportunity to continue to work with the community. It's been it's been a great experience um overall. Um so back in 2019 um we identified several different steps in the master plan is is um what we're considering the ne next best step as far as the priority priorities. So why squadron line for for those in the room but also those um listening at home um building is about 56 years old really hasn't had any significant improvements over the period of [clears throat] time. So, it's as it was constructed um basically in 1970 when it opened its doors. Um as I mentioned, no significant renovations. Obviously, there's been maintenance. So, this
048isn't um an indictment on the maintenance. Um the building's been wellmaintained, but public um school buildings get um used quite intensively as you well know. Um so, the age and condition is as expected for a building that's 56 plus years old. It's the largest elementary preaching to the choir uh in your district. And then it also contains the prek program. So since uh the master plan and actually since um the renovate is new for uh Latimer Lane, uh the state has had several different um modifications to their um school construction grant program. um we can talk about those in a little bit more detail, but one of them that is significant to communities and many communities have um leveraged this is there's um an incentive program for basically early childhood care. So um an expansion
049to an existing program is the way that it's written and it's an additional 15 percentage points on top of your base reimbursement. So that's a piece that I think is new from, you know, six, seven, eight years ago. Um and then there's some other um incentives along the way as well. Um so we did as part of this um effort um we walked through both building and site analyzed the program understood spent some time with the principal staff to understand um some of the conditions the needs as it relates to both programmatic and uh the physical condition um and overall um as indicated in the master plan. um when compared to other institutions um and other buildings of a similar nature, it's [clears throat] a poor quality. So um we analyzed and there's several different
050diagrams um that we'll go through. We kind of simplified them um graphically just to kind of indicate the So obviously red on the left it's kind of out of gas if you will or in the middle it's it's it's fair and then on the far right it's good. But but uh anybody that's been there during uh the morning session uh realizes tr traffic uh bus parent uh conditions the separation of all of those is historically been a challenge operationally for quite some time. um building envelope things like or components similar to roof, windows, sealants, um the masonry, all of those um are in need of um significant repair andor attention maintenance improvements and upgrades. Uh safety security, we know that there has been some modifications to the administrative administrative suite. um from diagrammatically the placement
051of that administration does um it's in a good location overall from visibility. So that's something that's not too much of a concern. So the safety security aspects of your schools, we know there's been some um upgrades related to that um particular component of the building program space. Um if you look back at the original drawings and and it's always interesting to spend some time um trying to understand how the building evolved over time. Um there's the classroom portion is is I'll call it a donate donut shaped um portion of the building and and it has on on the four sides it has um six classrooms all the way around with exception to one that has four. And the original design, and this kind of leads to some of the acoustical um comments and questions that
052they had, the original design had three open classrooms um paired, right? So, originally designed, it was two open classrooms with foldable partitions. Those have since been permanently closed. Um but it was never intended to be um you know, that that classroom separation that you expect in today's uh contemporary educational environments. Uh accessibility. Um of course, you know, 56 years ago, accessibility didn't necessarily exist to the extent it does today. So things like pushpull clearances on doors, hardware, um sink heights, floor clearances, um there's um there's significant areas and areas of non-compliance. In particular, the ramp that connects the two major portions of the building that >> the raceway. It's it it is it is quite the ramp, but it's also the the challenge with um some of these conditions when you start analyzing them is
053there's no easy fix. You can go for a code mod of course um but that's not necessarily going to make it a safer and more accessible space. Um and the challenge is is that is the ramp is is placed and located between two permanent locations. The classroom here [clears throat] and your cafeteria gym space here. So you can't necessarily resolve it in a simple fashion. So and these are some of the the the components the the thoughts that this community needs to think about when you're starting to compare you know the the fix um as you go the renovate as new or new. So this is a slightly or it is a different story than than Latimer lane right. So Latime lane had a different story to it where it was almost begging for a
054solution to connect. This is a different situation. Right. So every building is a little bit different building systems um things like um the fresh air intake right so there's been plenty of studies on the fresh air exchange and the re reason why the codes exist today where you need 100% fresh air exchange over a period of time in a classroom is because it's proven that fresh air improves student scores attention performance overall. So those kind of components um back in in 1956 just simply there were different metrics um to measure um support spaces um toilet uh toilets we hear quite a bit about um uh storage utility um and also from the programmatic perspective uh the specialized education too right so special ed didn't necessarily exist 56 years ago education continually evolves this building was
055programmed much differently than you would in today's um space. And then I I already mentioned the acoustical challenges. So this is a a fairly simplistic diagram and slide, but a lot of data is behind it to to summarize the conditions. And I won't go over each one, but this is again just the the physical the photos, existing photos that represent that condition. Um so again, it's it's a safe building. It was a well-built building. it was wellmaintained but after 56 years of uh use as an elementary school um it it needs um significant attention. Um so there are some active leaks and and sealant repairs that need to be looked at. uh the middle of the top of this slide is a good example where when we talk about accessibility um what you have to
056imagine is yourself um either disabled whether it's on crutches or some assisted device or in a wheelchair um when I talk about floor clearances this this doesn't comply these days because you need the ability to navigate through um in those in using that equipment. So those conditions aren't easy fixes um when you study these buildings, right? Because you you have the option of putting a power assist door on or widening the hallway. Um neither of which are attracted from a from a costbenefit perspective. So just a couple just anecdotes um related to some of the fixes that you have ahead of you. So there were three options that we we studied overall and um they're somewhat familiar to what we had talked about in previous projects, right? So status quo basically fix what you have
057and that's that's a perfectly fine option. It's available um a renovate as new which is called RNV. The best example of that for this community is is Latimer Lane. And then there's new construction. So very high level um the status quo the benefits there are several right it's the lowest initial immediate cost right if you're looking at just fixing things as you go it's the fastest path to to fixing items because you can do it on an annual basis um it could allow for these phased improvements you could do you know HVAC one year you could do electrical the next um it preserves the the the investment the asset in the school that that exists today and it could improve the critical systems such as HBAC, life safety, fire alarms, those kinds of components to
058the building. The challenge is when you start adding up this list is it doesn't at all address the programmatic needs um which we know over over that time period have changed and evolved. the aging infrastructure and risk of failure of the systems remains meaning um so I live in a community uh adjacent community where um it's fine to to fix things as you go but when uh an electrical panel from a 1956 version those aren't on the shelf um they shut school down for two days have you know the parents stay at home to watch the kids and wait for this and pay three times as much to get an electrical panel in a building so the risk risks. That's a that's an anecdote to some of the risks that are ahead of you if
059you if you pay as you go. I'm not saying suggesting that it'll happen, but those are the situations that you might face if that occurred. Some of the the other challenges and are all of the projects that need to be addressed in this building are not necessarily bless you um summer projects, right? So, you're not going to replace the mechanical system over the summer. um that is likely 8 to 12 months at best especially with the long lead items today in today's con construction environment. So you will have to face some kind of occupied phasing disruption along the way. So again just a challenge that needs to be identified early. Um we already talked about the code EDA efficiencies and and the challenges that may still exist um because some of these are very difficult
060to resolve. outdoor education and recreational um limitations remain and I guess the the code to that is the the basically the separation of the site the fification of the site with the existing wetland and and that does pose some operational challenges um if you don't move the building that gets improved right and then [clears throat] the biggest one from a financial perspective um is that you're going to get significantly less reimbursement um however ever. Um, some of the changes since the master plan, um, you certainly do roofs right here on a on a repeated basis. The roofs will get a certain percent reimbursement. Windows will they've now included um, building systems in that non they're called non-priority projects. So, you will get reimbursement. It'll be at a reduced rate at that um, about 30% re
061reduction rate. And I when we get into the numbers we can we can go over that. Um so what I did here and it might be difficult to see and hopefully you can see in the um in the handouts is this option is is a little bit challenging to compare to the other two because the other two the renovate as new and new would be would occur in that 3 to four year window. Right? So it would be done and likely you would bond for whatever it is 15 20 25 whatever. So you would you would [clears throat] pay it all up front, get it all renovated. So you're buying it you're buying that work in the first two to three years. This what I did here in this chart, just to be clear, is
062I tried to analyze the priority of the components that needed to be replaced and spread them out over essentially a 10-year period to be try to be equitable in the comparison of these options. Okay? because you wouldn't if you were to do all of these these all of these components in two years, you might as well just do a renovate as new. It just doesn't financially it doesn't make any sense. So, if you want to spread these out, I picked 10 years. It could be 20. I we estimated them and then escalated them at four and a quarter, which is pretty much average compounded for all of these. And that's the probable budget. I I round it. Obviously, there's a much more detail behind it. The estimated town share is here and the estimated state
063share is here. So, some things may may not receive any reimbursement. Um, and there's a term which I I think we've heard before or this group called ineligibles. So, there's a list that the state has that if you do a project like this, if you have to replace the mechanical system, it's above the ceiling. You're going to have to take the ceiling down and probably pay for that. and replace it. That might be an ineligible because you're applying for reimbursement for the mechanical system, not the ceiling. So, those are some of the challenges that you need to just consider here. So, when you add all this up, your effect you're you're paying the total project cost if you over 10 years is about 83 million and your effective reimbursement if you do some assumptions and
064calculations is about 20 20%. because some aren't going to get reimbursement, some will, some will get the reimbursement within eligibles. So the cost over that period of time is about 67 million. When you look at renovate as new, which is I think the most familiar, most recent to this community, the benefits are that it substantially modernizes the school, right? The school environment addresses both the physical assets and condition and also the programmatic piece. So you can you can reimagine the building similar to what we what we did at Latimer. It extends the life of the building uh for decades. It improves the educational space, balances the reuse of the assets with new construction. So you can again there's a lot of metrics here that I'm throwing out but the state says when you're done 55%
065of that building needs to be existing 45% can be new as long as you're at or below those that threshold you can you can get the renovation as new status. So that's a that's you can leverage that in this option. Uh and that's what that graphic on the left shows on the right. The limitations are um basically a majority of the building is going to be where it is. So there's existing limitations with it. You're going to live with those in perpetuity until that until you tackle the next, you know, the next 40 50 years down the road. Phasing complexity becomes a real challenge. As I mentioned at the start, this is the largest elementary school. Um, so if you had a building to put the students in for two years, this becomes more viable.
066Um, when you don't have a spot to put them, you're basically building additions similar to what you're living through that renovation. And if you live through it at home, you kind of know the disruption. It's not It can be fun, but it also can be painful. Um, and we're thinking that this is a bigger building. Um so Latimer was about 30 months more or less maybe a little less. Um we're we're proposing about 40 months for this one. So why the the length of the construction matters is because the state is going to ask you when you're submitting your grant whenever that is is to escalate the construction to the midpoint of construction. I mean escalate the cost to the midpoint of construction, excuse me. So, so what that means is when you start looking
067at the detail, you're paying basically another year and a half of escalation on a large project because of the length of construction. So, not suggesting it's wrong or right, it's just where do you want to put where you want to put the dollars is is something you need to think about as a community. So where the summary shows up here and trip over this um >> everything here um if you achieve renovation status um will be reimburseable at the base rate of 36.43 if we pursue the increase in prek you get the 15% on top of that. So you're talking a much higher percentage than what you what you experience through Latimer. Um so we have demolition site building construction. One piece that um we may have um took a stepped in some discussions that
068we probably shouldn't have during Latimer was um the the sustainability components. We've included it here. You don't have to do it. You have to comply with high performance building standards. But I will tell you that I would say nearly all of our projects have um some aspects of geothermal s uh PV um building thermal envelope improvements to get you to a reduced energy consumption. So we put it in we put it in all our projects. Do you have to do it? You don't. But if the state is going to give you [clears throat] 50% and it's going to reduce your long-term operational cost from an energy consumption, most communities choose to to do this. That's a different that's a different another item that's different from the 2019 master plan. the state back when there was
069different leadership um at that group said if you're going to get we're not paying for um components that you're going to get rebates from the energy companies from. So we're going to take that off the top. That's changed. You put it in they'll give you the reimbursement. You also get um so Eversource I think is the the utility here. It's hundreds of thousands of dollars of a rebate. The problem with that, not the problem, the the phasing of that is you don't get the rebate until the end. So from a community perspective, from a cash flow perspective, it's not it's great at the end, but um you you can't use that as part of your analysis necessarily. Um it's a cash flow issue. So soft cost, temporary mods, and phasing. We've included temporary mods because
070we think we're going to need them. So, temporary modulars um in order to house the students to get through. And then that escalation, remember I was I was telling you about this $37 million when well when we're escalating to the midpoint of construction and we're not submitting a grant application until 2028. And I have a schedule to show you. So compounding uh 4 and a4% of escalation per year on a project that's you know uh 80 $90 million it adds up quick. So I'll I'll show you that in the schedule. Um town share is here state share is here. The effective reimbursement rate is around the 48%. So, the total project cost, and I I realize it's eyepopping, um, but if you look around at other communities, um, there's [snorts] a lot a lot of
071communities looking at preK5s now, um, we're in that range. So, um, I know it's it's might be different for this community, but 132 million. The cost estimated cost to Simsberry is 68.5. So, just to to go back real quick, if you if you spend 83 and got 20%, you're at 67 million. If you spend 132 and get renovation newest status, you're at 68.5. So, they're close. Um, >> Jeff, the reimbursement rate is the standard whatever 35% for plus >> 15 for prek. >> Yes. >> Wasn't there an additional five for specialized programming, special education? >> So, there is. Um so there's so your base reimbursement for um for new construction and is 29.17 for renovation is 36.43. You the prek incentive applies to the entirety of the building. So you can add 15% to both
072of those. And then there's another incentive for um specialized education. It's 15% but only on the area that for dedicated to specialized ads. So that will probably increase this by you know two maybe three more percent from a reimbursement perspective. And then there's one other incentive at least at the moment there's one other incentive um which is [clears throat] the housing incentive. Um it's kind of strange the way they wrote it, but um they wrote it last year, effective this year, but for grants last year. So I think it's I think it's um it applies to every project moving forward. I Yeah, I can't make some of this up, but that is 5% if you um comply with basically a housing program. That would be something I think we mentioned this a little that is
073something worth looking into. um because I you don't necessar >> based on like community new bills or >> it's based on a combination. It's an incentive basically to provide um the appropriate mixture of housing to your community. Um and it the way that it's written is that you can set up the structure. You don't necessarily have to have the physical assets in the community. So, in other words, you can do like an overlay if if there's a plan, a housing plan, and I don't know if there is one in this community, but that would be something that we can run. We can send the the text to the um town planner or um if there's a housing department, we can certainly coordinate that, but it's an additional 5% on the entirety of the project. So,
074there are some um ways and I can get into that a little more detail. But before you construction, could you talk a little bit about the temporary modulars and why we would need them here and I don't think we needed them at Latimer, for example. Can you talk about why we >> Sure. So this building is unique in [clears throat] that um this portion of the building houses all the classrooms and um it's a two-story building and that portion of the building would be from a construction logistics and sequencing perspective would be very difficult to separate and build and and and phase you. It can be done but I think it would be you would add some significant costs because of one I I think people I've heard it before why can't we just add
075up who you know who in this room wants to swing steel over an occupied space with children in it to add up on build it's the same theory when you're renovating a building you there's the systems between floor levels and contemporary buildings are so intricate that you can't renovate the bottom like you can't move out the the students on the first floor, renovate that. You can it's just going to be incredibly costly and and from a logistics perspective challenging because many of the components of the building infrastructure are connected vertically and horizontally. So that's the main difference. Latimer was one story kind of had a wraparound that it was a logical let's add here first and add on this end here. We'll use those as our swing space and then go through the building. So
076it's this gets to like every every building's a little different. Um this one is is unique in that everything it's very bifurcated from a building design perspective. So, so our to be we're very conservative that this phase with budgeting and phasing and logistics. So, we included modulars where they go would likely be, you know, obviously somewhere on the pavement, but we think the safest and logical approach is to carry some value related to temporary classroom just because, you know, at this level, I think you're going to need it. >> Makes sense. Sure. >> Yeah. There's one other caveat on the reimbursement that before I go to the next slide is an important one to remember. This isn't new. Is um when you're doing your analysis because the state wants to see this, right? They want
077to see status quo, renovate as new new. If the renovate, if the new construction is more economical than a renovate as new, you're entitled to the higher reimbursement rate. Okay? Because the state, I mean, they do care, but they also want at the end of the day, they want to know, they want the most economical solution that's going to address all your your your educational needs. So, these, and this is pretty common. We're doing a fair amount of these these the studies to analyze. The challenge with renovations these days is they've become a bit more complex with some of the environmental regulations that you need to um adhere to. Um and like it or not, a building that's built in that vintage has some materials that we need to remediate. And so when you're talking
078about setting up containment, taking it down, setting it, it starts to complicate. And if the market if there's if the market out there is steady and there's a new build versus a renovation out there, they're going to be more aggressive on the new builds. So that's why we're seeing the numbers from the actual raw construction come closer together. And then when you start analyzing the additional escalation, that's what kind of really makes it like it gets it really close. So, we're there's plenty of data to back this up. Um, and it's it's through Connecticut, Rhode Island. It's this analysis holds true uh for most educational projects. So, so new construction um existing site or site TVD let but the presumptions on the new construction are um no site acquisition. Obviously, we would build the building,
079a new building somewhere on this site or on a town- owned property that has the similar types of utilities. So, the benefits are um in our opinion, we think you can maximize the state reimbursement because we we through this analysis, we feel confident that you could apply for the higher reimbursement. Um it's a it's a um green field um for the most part. So it gives you you can m maximize your whatever you want to do educationally from a from a design perspective it gives you limitless possibilities. Um so it optimizes that. It also can make you can also make the building much more efficient from a from a plan efficiency perspective particularly in educational facilities. The the travel distance I can only imagine that the time lost climbing up and down those ramps but
080you can make it more plan efficient uh from an educational perspective more time in the classroom. So these are some interesting benefits. Um maximizing energy efficiency as well. The challenges are there there will be some if it's on this site there will be some phasing disruption. Um there might be a perception because some most of the work here has been a combination of ad rena you know so we listed it just as a it's a it's it's a different um proposal um impacts to the site and construction logistics um and then um land use approvals if it's on a different town owned property um and the potential cost related to if if you stay on the site somewhere around here, it doesn't matter where, and you choose to demolish the entirety of the building, all
081of that's reimburseable. If you go to a different site, the challenge is going to be getting the demolition reimburseable. So, something to keep in mind because basically the state's going to pay for whatever's in that property line. Anything outside of that is going to be considered ineligible. the benefit but the potential benefit to an alternative adjacent site if that's important could be adaptive reuse of this building if if the community has a need overall. So there are some options within this option that that could be considered. Um, and then the cost summary, same structure, same categories as renovated as new. Um, but this time I think the escalation's about a $7 million difference or somewhere in that range. So, it's a shorter period of time. You're probably paying a little bit more on the cost
082per square foot, but you're paying less on the the escalation. So, it brings you to about 65 66 million. Um the if cost to Simsberry, the total construction cost would be in that 131 range. And again, >> I realize eye popping numbers, but the reason um the reason why is in in the schedule, and I'll show you that in a minute. >> Jeff, just before you go, I just just to tie it together, the escalation would be less, I'm assuming, because the the time frame is only 20 minutes on this. >> That is correct. Yep. Yep. So that that delta is the four and a quarter compounded times your construction costs. Yep. But I mean at the end of the day, new construction, renovation, it's all these are all-inclusive costs, right? So total project costs,
083furniture, everything needed to deliver the project, just as we did with the previous project. >> And on the new construction, the disruption to the students, I think, would be less than if it were renovated as new or doing the phase in, fixing the roof one year and HVAC the next year, things like that. It would be far less. Yeah, there will be some just because of the construction logistics, but um we've done many of the build new on the side or back of or on a different portion of the site. Um you set up separate entrances, separate, it can be completely separate. Um there will be some disruption at like the edges of you know switching over and the demolition once you're ready to do that but it's going to be far less than than
084for sure. Yep. Yep. >> Ask on the temporary [snorts] mods between the new construction and the renovators new there's significant difference and I was just wondering why one is 1 million the other one is 7 million. So, >> no, it's a little bit longer, but I >> So, so on the new construction, the the phasing the cost related to the reason why it dropped is because we don't we don't need the modular classrooms, but we're going to need some phasing, site logistics, some fencing, separation, those kinds of components. That's what that 1 million is on the renovate as um new. Why it's seven is because you're you're basically either buying or leasing >> for 40 months like basically students in there. So I think I calculated um >> still not getting classes. I can >>
085I ask a similar question about the site in development >> from the first the first option site improvement is 22 million and the other two are close to 10 or 12. What is the difference in that site improvement since >> so as in the status quo? >> So it's because you're starting and stopping multiple times. So the idea of the site improvement is that you're you're not going to do a continuous site improvement. You're going to do sections at a time on the status quo. So you're going to start, stop, put up, separation, you know, so there's what what we call um general conditions and overhead. So you'd likely fit three, four, five different projects on the status quo because you can't do it all at once. That's the reason why it's higher. Yep. >>
086Okay. Thank you. >> Sure. >> So, sorry I'm going a little long here. So, uh, on the All right, we already went through new. So, the comparison when you look at them all together, um, I'm not sure the dollars really are going to govern the decision. I think I think It's it's really they're all very similar. So when the the net cost to Simsbury, I think you need to dig into the value of what you're getting for those dollars. And that's the discussion we've had um at previous projects through in through the entirety of the master plan. Um we're we're confident that these are solid budgeting numbers and these numbers are based on this schedule and this is why um you may wonder why um the escalation is a is a significant number. It's because
087of this. So if we're we're here in 2000 2026, um we set this table up as such that you would not submit a grant application until June 30th of 2028. So when you submit the grant application, what historically happens, you don't have to, but typically you start selecting your team. It's going to take about a year and a half to design it, get all your approvals. While while you submitted the grant application, it's going to go through the legislative approval. They're going to look at it and the next spring they're going to issue a letter to you saying you're you're approved for whatever whatever grant you submitted. At that time, you could start or shortly thereafter, you can you could put the project out to bid and then new constructions somewhere between 18 and 20
088months, a renovate as new as two more years. So from where we stand today, if we follow this schedule, the project would be completed in 2032. So when we submit this grant application here, we have to escalate to that point. So I'm escalating a project in today's dollar costs, which is five years out. So that's kind of why. And then for a renovate is new, another year and a half out. So that's kind of how that math works. [snorts] Um so we we've been looking at this for several months. This I think sorry for the long presentation but um I think this is the second um presentation to this. So really the next steps are establishing a preferred option um or if you need more data we can certainly provide it and then um depending
089on that option if if there's site decisions that need to be made and then um just engaging like you have in the past and all your other projects engaging the community in discussion um and I think what what our job is at this point in the project is to to arm the community with information and facts in in the process and what the decision typically just it comes to consensus because of the best value for for your community or something. I can answer any questions. >> Can I ask you a question? As we're looking at five years from now, please um in those scenarios two and three, have you accounted for the investment that we still have to make in the cloud school? because you said the roof is leaking really this >> to maintain
090it in order to have >> we we haven't included those costs. I guess if you're close to a decision point and a schedule um our our guidance would be that you would you would do the minimal repairs as you go through if if the decision gets deferred. There's options within options like so instead of replacing the entirety of the roof, you can strip seams and and do flashings to to buy you another two, three years if you need to. So there's there's a couple different steps. If um if a decision point, you know, has is not isn't going to be made. Um but if there is one and you have a schedule um then we can kind of give some guidance on what we think you need to do to preserve the asset for the
091next five years. So >> thank you. >> Absolutely question. >> I think my only question is um how long is this going to be like for so many years the state it was way we got much better opportunities from the state if it was >> um uh renovate as new. Yeah. >> So when is is the state >> will is the state going to change this opportunity? That's I mean >> where's that? >> Um so >> it's a great question. Um >> I'm going to go to this because I think this is >> well it's a question that also holds true for the new special education reimbursement. How long will that last and preschool all of those? >> Yeah. [clears throat] >> So I time is of the essence. I think there's a the [clears
092throat] further you go out, there's likely a risk to these incentives. I I think we know what's we know right now. They didn't change or modify any of the incentives in this past session. Um I would encourage this community and I've sent it along. There were quite a few communities that asked for what's called special legislation. So, I would encourage the community to kind of read through who got what modifications to reimbursement, square footages, incentives because that could be >> It was significant for some. We're working for a community that um got a much higher reimbursement rate. I how all these happened, I'm not exactly quite sure. There's I'm sure there's a lot of dialogue and and discussion on need. I mean a similar community just to put it in perspective was Fairfield an elementary
093bill 79% reimbursement >> 75 when there are stated reimbursements lower than ours correct >> I yeah and and I don't know I I can't predict who's going to get what >> I'm not putting you on the hot either we went through the legislation I wanted to familiarize myself with it and there had to be 10 plus >> we're working with them now >> significant ificant projects that increased the community's ability to put a number out there that was more absorbable than it would have been. So, I think we got to >> So, the only reason Yeah. The only reason why I bring that up is because if that is a desire or an ask, it's best to ask before you go to referendum so that there's predictability for the community, right? So some communities will
094get it like go after it retroactively like we're finishing up one Cheshire's gone back a few times on their projects. Um so that was like after referendum so it was a great footnote but they're getting you know 14 or 15 million back on their projects. But I [snorts] guess from if I were a community member, which I am next door, they went after 15, got 10% for a project that they're pursuing. I I don't know if it's because of I'm not sure exactly the mechanics behind it, but um this here to answer your your original question. I just want to get back to that. >> [cough] >> Back in the master plan times, you remember me suggesting that this was always a 10% difference. So, in August of um last year, they I'm not sure
095why they modified they modified the reimbursement rates and and that 10% was all over the place for the communities. It came closer together. My guess is because they're seeing the construction costs between renovated new and new come closer together. So, they're that they don't really see the value that of that much anymore. This is a risk to the community. I you can go online and look to see how much this changes. It doesn't it's not going to change from 36 to I don't think it'll change from 36 to like 20. Um or it's not going to change from 36 to 50, but it might go up and down a little bit. Um I the the delta between the two was something that was um new to us since for the time I've been working at
096schools in Connecticut. So 15% for the early childhood um prek and 15% for the specialized deck. Those are still applicable. And then lastly, um this is the language and I'll send this to you just for if there's people at home looking and if they want to look it up. This is the housing planning it's in. So, um you can I don't know enough about what's written in your community, but it's definitely worth looking into. Yeah, >> it's a little bit of an impossible question, right? because we can only go forward and and on what we know today, right? This is always going to be a risk whatever we decide. >> So, I'd love to steer the conver steer the conversation back to what Matt said at the outset is is is there a feeling about
097which of the scenarios to push forward? Is there strong feelings one way or another? What where are folks thinking about that? >> I'm I'm happy to jump in. I mean, I've sat through this now a couple times here and then in our finance committee meeting and I keep coming back to the same conclusion that building a new school is faster, less expensive and better for our students because it provides the most flexibility, flexibility and sort of futureproofing our educational spaces and is the least disruptive. So that's where I'm coming out every time. I also think it's the least disruptive to the surrounding community. Like there's a huge neighborhood right there. So if they're doing construction for 40 months, that's so disruptive to that neighborhood. [snorts] So like 20 months is quick, I feel. And also,
098if they're doing it in a different place, doesn't that mean equipment is off the road rather than being like in the way of the parking lot, things like that? I feel like that seems faster for the >> Yeah. I mean, I'll echo what they both said, right? If you look at the options and one's the cheapest for cost to the town, least disruptive, provides the greatest benefit for what they actually have when they're said and done. Um, I mean, I don't know. I don't see the argument for the other two. Open to discussing, but cheaper, less disruptive with a better product at the end of the day getting done quicker. I mean, checks those four boxes. cuz I don't know if there is a fifth box but >> and we'll have modernized building. Yes, for
099sure. program and will be fit to what we really need and it will be less also um just to finish um two years maybe where students will not have to be in that whole building school where we're saying the way you're describing it and I'll be honest I have not been in school but the way you're describing it it's means it's disruptive and it just not the best in seven years it will not be I guess >> well our our group was the first group to go through that building in 1970 and um it was it was built on a different educational model. They weren't called classrooms, they were called modules and they opened up all the we have one science class with 60 kids, you know, and you know and uh that's all changed
100that they don't even open them up anymore. And now the classrooms are very narrow and constricted and they all look exactly the same. And there's just it it I was surprised when my kids went through it. I started walking through the building like ah and it was very um everything was just in little pockets everywhere. And it had and even back then um it had issues about um mold and and wet the wetlands nearby and everything. So I'll miss the old building, but I I like the I like the idea of the new building. It must have been right behind you because I [clears throat] I I went to that school fourth, fifth, and sixth grade, and my kids did this too, and it's the same building. Yeah. There's significant issues. I >> I just
101don't know how you get around the ramp issue, too. >> Exactly. >> If it's a and that's that's a that's an issue. That's a real issue. >> Still have the restrictions. building just >> can I ask what if we're doing scenario three and you know costwise you know burden for the town and the taxpayers we're looking at something very similar which is good and it seems like actually number three will be less expensive um what is the plan for the site you mentioned some options um so and then for the demolition of the building >> well we don't I or just right now scenario and just >> yeah with th those are all the questions we want to ask right that that's whether there's a use for that that building >> I think just to
102jump in a really important thing to consider and I appreciate everybody sharing the perspective is >> the fact that we took a long hard look at each of these I think when we started a couple years ago thinking about what the next priority would be it was hard to get the conversation centered because we just knew about a number and how large that number is and it's really daunting so Um, however we move this conversation forward to the other boards, I'm pretty certain we'll be talking about all three with a preference that we've identified, but we have good data to share. And, you know, from my lens, that's what I feel good about. We've done our due diligence on in terms of our normal capital process, what would it look like, you know, in terms
103of how we've done things in the past with reneilities new, what would it look like? And as Jeff said, this is a brief presentation tonight. We have significant data that we're able to share to have conversations with the board of selectman and the board of finance just to get them to better understand um what's behind this. So, you know, I appreciate that. I think that puts us at least in a better conversation, have a very educated um discussion with the other boards. >> Just don't mean to put you on the spot quiet. I like the idea. I do have some questions. Um, >> but I'm gonna hold off on it right now. >> Great. >> So then what do you all have then what you need to move forward or >> Yeah, I start having
104these conversations. Yeah, I think and and um you know, we'll center a conversation before too long on on what that looks like in terms of you have some concepts and some desires and a lot of data and you have a very formal uh capital process with the town. Uh that first involves quite a bit of discussion with the with the board of selectment on priorities and board of finance on you know scope and ability to [clears throat] pay. So, um, we'll have to get a timeline on >> when they want to >> to hear from us and exactly what they'd like to see and and >> we'll go from there. So, >> I ter I didn't mean to I think you spoke up. I just wanted anything as well. >> No, I I think Matt's
105absolutely correct. We we've have done a lot of work. We've we've analyzed all the buildings and um it does keep coming up. So, see what what the see what the town thinks. See see what people feel. >> Great. Great. Well, thank you. Perfect. >> Jeff, thank you very much. Very appreciate. >> Thank you. [snorts] >> I am happy new is the same as >> I know. If you do something like this, you got to do you can't >> that's disrup >> the process. >> Okay. So we uh come to our second topic audience. Anybody? >> All right. So we are Thank you. Uh we are going to adjourn. >> I make a motion we go into executive session. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All those in favor? Hi. >> For over 40 years, SEM has
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