001Commissioner Fitz Simmons Bula, can you hear us? >> I can hear you now. Was I able to hear you okay? >> It needs to >> It It is now 6:00. Oh, I'm sorry, 5:30. >> [laughter] >> at the meeting, yes. And it went on Wednesday, June 10th, 2026. And I would like to call the special meeting to order. Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. >> As a reminder, please be sure to turn on your microphone when speaking and voting to ensure those online can hear you. First item on the agenda is the discussion and possible action of the approval of the final plans and project manuals for the Edgewood Pre-K project. I will now turn it over to Tara Levine. >>
002Good evening, commissioners. First, I just want to say thank you for coming a little bit earlier tonight and welcome back Commissioner Tighe Santello. It's exciting. Um I am here tonight to uh seek approval for the final plans and specifications um and the cost estimate for the Edgewood Pre-K uh building project. So, as part of the state requirement for the plan completion review, which is scheduled now at 9:00 a.m. for June 17th, the School Building Committee, the Board of Ed, uh and some local officials must approve the final plans and specifications. Um these were shared with you guys, I believe it was June 5th? If I'm correct, it was. June 5th. Um so, I can just give you a little bit of a of a rundown, and then if there's any questions, I'll be happy to
003do my best to answer them for you. So, PACs, QA&M, and Downes Demato, or Demato Downes, worked together and reconciled the cost estimate to just under the $30 million. Demato Downes' initial review of the documents brought in in an estimate that was much higher than the original $28.8 million. They were able to value manage many items. Examples of the value managed items um would include that items that were carried in another line, quantities were something were miscalculated, or it could have been determined that it wasn't needed after all. Once they completed the exercise, the project estimate still came in over budget. Because of this, the team was able to pull some of the nice-to-have items um out of the project, and they're now kept in there as add alternates. So, if we do come in
004under budget, we would get together back with the building committee, and we would make decisions on what we would want to put back into the project. They don't affect the programming at all. They're more aesthetic, the little things that look nice or are fun to have in the project. The estimate that's being presented tonight is an aggressive estimate, but it's an estimate that the design team feels is a good estimate for approvals that will at least get this project out to bid. And then once we're out to bid, we'll have real numbers that come back, and then we can approach the committee, and we can actually be sharing what what the actual bid estimates or what the bids were versus what the estimates are. They opted to go a little bit lower um because historically,
005Bristol has been very successful with their bidding and they have come back um much much lower than what the original estimates are. So, um I'm just kind of the estimate was you have Yeah. So, the total estimate that we are looking for approval tonight is the $29,985,309. Are there any questions? I will share that I went to the building committee on Monday, yes, and was able to see the virtual uh pictures and listen to all of the people who know how to talk about how to build a building in the room and um the design looks great and I understand that they did have to reduce some things and seem more like functionality type of things but not that the program couldn't operate. And so, I I'm I felt very satisfied with the expertise around
006the table. It was a packed room and so, I could give my opinion on that that everything looked like you guys did a great job and you brought the cost back down when it went up. So, I think it looks good. Does anyone else have any questions? Sure. Who's the chair? >> Uh I guess my only question um would be there was a lot of discussion when we were talking about moving forward with renovating Edgewood and the number of um grants that could possibly be available and that it could be a like a unicorn where we're possibly getting a grant to you know, 97% I think was the number that was brought up. Do we have any idea what um that looks like? >> Yeah, so right now we've been approved through the legislation. We're
007at 84.64%. We did reach out to the state for that additional up to 15%. It was clarified that we can only get a maximum of 95%. So, their initial response back to us, which we just received it um yesterday actually, was a hard no. Um so, I composed an additional letter that I sent to Iris for review that we'd like to appeal that because I think that the depending on how you interpret it, I think that we have a we have a leg to stand on to go back and and ask them for some of that additional 15%. >> So, um with it being the uh without the 15% up to maybe 95%, what does that look like for the responsibility on the Bristol taxpayers? >> So, we would the eligible costs is what we
008would get that 80 um 84% 84.64% is what we're looking at right now for a reimbursement rate. And that's 84.64% up to the 20.8 million dollars at this point. Um and when we come when we get the bids back, we'll we'll know better if we need to go back and ask for additional funding on anything above that 28, but we want to go back to them with real numbers as well. So, when I say eligible costs, it's anything on the site, it's anything within the building. There's not a lot that would be considered ineligible on this part particular project. We usually for a safe bet take anywhere from 3 to 5% that we assume would be ineligible off of that. So, um I don't have the figures right right on the top of my head,
009but I can certainly get those figures together and send them out. >> Uh that would be great. And then also um I saw it was so many documents I couldn't really go a lot. There's I mean I think we had a touch of a 2100 pages. Um >> [clears throat] >> some of it referenced like site work. Are we Is this entailing like site work, too, or just So, we're going to do in the back side of the in the back side of the school where the bus loop is and the playgrounds are. So, there's one area where we're looking to add an additional playground. We're going to remove the older of the two playgrounds. We're going to refurbish all of that blacktop that's back there. We're going to create some sort of a race
010race track for the kids for their trikes. Just kind of give it some pretty fun design for them. We're going to We're looking at putting a new play skate and some additional pieces of equipment for those children in the back. In the front, we're looking to Not mill and repave. I think We're considering milling and repaving, but I think right now the design includes they're taking it all the way down and and redoing that whole front parking lot. So, it's also going to include based on what planning and zoning gives us, we're going to be putting back some additional planting and and what have you. That's based on their request in the final bids. >> Through the chair. >> Yes. >> I just had a questions related to the exclusions. So, to confirm, are you
011saying that up to 84% or the 84% up to 28 million that will be reimbursed? So, with the exclusions with like cost potentially going up that will be monitored, like how does that play in in terms of like, oh, we notice 3 months later this is substantially higher? Is that like something that will be continuously reported? >> Yes, so basically what we're doing is the amount that we're looking for approval tonight is what our estimate is. So, once we go out to bids, we're going to get the true numbers back. So, we're going to know a little bit closer what we're actually dealing with for actual versus estimates. And there's always a chance because it's a building and it's a it's an existing building um that there would be some sort of change orders, um
012but we carry contingencies and allowances. So, you know, in hopes that we've kind of assumed what might happen. Um so, we're hopeful that that's going to be that we would come in at that number or lower at least. And in the event that we come back higher, we would obviously have to come back and and get the approvals and the and the go through the proper channels again. >> Thank you. Any other questions? Hearing none, can I have a motion to approve the final plans and project manuals as prepared for bidding and dated June 5th, 2026 and the professional cost estimate completed in accordance with level three of ASTM International Standard E1557, standard classification of building elements and related site work Uniformat two for the project dated June 5, 2026. Motion's been moved. Can I
013have a second? >> Second. >> Motion's been moved and seconded. All in favor? >> I. I. >> I. >> Did you vote? >> I'm going to oppose. >> Okay. So, who was online? Jill. Okay. So, motion passes. One one opposed. Commissioner Vanguard. >> Thank you. >> Um The next item on the agenda I will be doing some appointments to committees. Um while I would like to acknowledge the untimely resignation of Commissioner Simmons. Maria's departure departure is a significant loss to the board. Throughout her service, she consistently demonstrated professionalism, optimism, and a sincere commitment to finding common ground. Her example reminds us all that even when we disagree, we can do so with respect, kindness, and a shared commitment to the work before us. At the same time, I am pleased to welcome Commissioner Tagliello back
014to the board. Her experience, institutional knowledge, and prior leadership as board chair will be valuable asset as we continue our work together. I'm grateful for her willingness to serve and look forward to working alongside her. Uh to ensure continuity and support for the board's ongoing work, I will be recommending Commissioner Tagliello for the position of vice chair and to fill the vacancies that Commissioner Pero Simmons um has now left. And so, with that, the appointment of board commissioner to school liaison assignments, can I have a motion to approve the following appointment of Commissioner Tagliello to serve as a school liaison to South Side and Bristol Eastern High School, as well as crack districts representative alternative. >> So moved. >> Motion's been moved, can I have a second? >> Second. >> Motion's been moved and seconded.
015All in favor? >> I. >> Oh, I did not ha ask for a motion to approve Commissioner Tagliello to serve as my vice chair. Can I have a motion? >> So moved. >> All right. So moved. >> Second. >> Motion's been moved and seconded. All in favor? >> Can we have a discussion? >> Oh, sure. Um typically when we do a vote of the officers, it's by um, paper ballot. Is is Are we able to do it this way? >> Yes. It's just a vote of the board. That was just a practice that the previous administration >> So, this is this is okay to do it this way? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> [snorts] >> Um, so I had a motion. Do we have a second? Yes, and we went into discussion. Any other discussion?
016All in favor? >> I. >> Motion passes. Um, the next appointment is for board commissioner to committee assignment. Can I have a motion to approve Commissioner committee chair, the policy committee member, and an alternate to the school, family, and community partnerships committee, and as a member of the ad hoc labor relations committee. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion's been made and seconded. Any discussion? Hearing none. All in favor? >> I. >> Opposed? Motion passes unanimously. Thank you, everyone. Uh this meeting is adjourned. >> How quick was it for you? It was good.