001Thanks, Felix. >> Okay, we are live and recording. >> Good evening and welcome to the Nor Board of Education Facilities Committee monthly meeting. Today is Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025, and the time is 6:02 p.m. I am joined here this evening by fellow board member Ashley Gulios, as well as assistant superintendent Sandra Fyoz, Alan Low, Lunda Osmani, and our tech support team. So, welcome everybody. Um, we will um call this meeting to order. Um, and our first order of business is approving our minutes from last month's meeting, September 30th. Any edits or revisions that you saw, Ashley? >> No, I think we're good. >> Yeah, I agree. All right, great. So, we will approve the minutes from last month's meeting, and we will now move into our review and possible action items. We're actually going to
002skip over the Wolf Pit uh integrated art school update and go to construction and HVAC grant projects update. So I will hand that over to you Alan I believe. >> Yep. Good evening. Um yeah, regarding uh for this month we we do not have like a full print out document this month. Uh we we are you know for different reasons uh we don't have it for this month. In any event, uh for the for the uh the six school HVAC projects, uh two projects are moving along quite well. Actually, three projects moving along quite well. Jen is speaking, they're moving along, but uh yeah, for first of all, it's uh Silver Mine School and Rowane School. Those two project has boiler replacement projects. So the the boilers are operational uh but as existing boiler go
003I mean new boiler goes tying to the existing system always have a miscellaneous like tying issues and things like that. So overall we do have uh boiler operational but in terms of the temperature control and and existing equipment that may be a little bit old that we need to tie to and stuff like that. So there are like um secondary efforts being made to fully have the heating system fully operational. But again it's a overall it's a good day because uh you know the equipments uh the the main equipments are in completed and installed and and it's matter of working out the little king kinks that we have with our system. So that's good news. Um the other the relating to silver mine the silver project besides the boiler project we have uh we are
004providing air conditioning in the gym. So we're looking at the we start and finish the the cooling system in the gym by the end of this year. So silver mine by the end of this year will be fully completed uh and we go through close out uh during the middle of winter. Um we're waiting school will continue uh because we are bringing air conditioning to the entire school. So uh there may be some second shift work uh that we will need and eventually we will the full installation of air conditioning for school will happen next summer. Uh so in terms of utilization of school next summer uh we school will not be available for summer program. Uh we be working in that building. Um again silver mine will be completed uh by by end of
005this year. Um and the other two project which is uh Naomi and uh Naomi school I want to start with Naomi school na school it's uh it's one of the project that we are starting a little slower than other projects. So we are having uh container and science stuff like that but we really haven't really did anything uh much work there. uh we will go through second shift work and we'll go through this this rest of this year next year and the majority of the work will be installed uh next summer. So uh NAMIC school will not be available for summer program as well next year. Um the next project it's Brookside school Brookside school basically replacement of rooftop units. uh all the rooftop units been installed. Uh again when we tie to the existing
006duct work and controls and stuff like there's miscellaneous little issues that we are continuing to resolve and also some of the equipment they got delivered has a little bit of a technical issue with them. So we are getting replacement part for brand new equipment but the same time is for whatever reason this the the way they manufacture has some defect in it. So we are correcting those. So generally speaking we do we can we can provide air conditioning as well as heating for both side school. So in a way we're moving along but we should be finish this issue in a couple of weeks and then the project will be completed before the end of the year. Um the next big project we're working on is actually with uh it's uh prime man high school.
007So we we remove two of the underground oil tanks. There's some little minor contamination which we're addressing and uh we need to remove a little bit of but one truckload of contaminated soil and then uh and then we are putting a monitoring well in the ground and then we continue with uh uh doing the preparing um the slab and retaining walls that is going to surround our new uh chiller uh which is scheduled to deliver next February or March uh We're looking to complete the air conditioning project for Brian McMahon uh before the cooling season so that we do not have to rent the temporary chiller as we did build it this year. Uh so it will save us significant money as soon as we can finish this project prior to the cooling the the
008cooling season. So I think overall it's positive. Uh we are on schedule to do that. Um and then lastly, I think that's I think went flat. Lastly, we are actually going out to bid for Marvin School. Uh there was one project that bids came in really high and we have to repackage it and we went out to bid and the bid is coming in tomorrow. So I'm looking forward that by we repackaging the project we should be we're hoping that we'll get compet pricing that was acceptable and then we will go through we're scheduled to go through land use committee of common council and common council in November. So because because of election and and and holidays I mean um veterans day on 11 and stuff like that. So, I'm working with uh uh land
009use committee and the common council to try to schedule some special meetings so that we're looking to get a whole bunch of stuff approved uh including a couple item that Bill was looking for in terms of uh um uh Brook uh Colus school underground oil tank and also I forgot what's the other one was um baitment flooring material baitment right flooring material baitment another school oh I think it's Nathan Hail right >> Nathan Hale in addition some lockers I need to help. >> So anyway, so I'm I'm trying to schedule those meetings uh with common council to get it continue to move forward. In the event if the bids come in for Marvin is too high, then I have to go for a special appropriation. Uh that would take another uh two extra months uh
010to go for city's budget process. Uh the goal is to sign contracts uh in uh in the near future so that we can order the equipment ready ready for delivery for the to for installation next summer at Marvin. So that's a brief update for all six projects. I think if any questions. >> So just a quick question at the beginning you mentioned Silvermind and Row8 and I believe um HVAC work just to make sure now that things are getting cooler, the weather's getting cooler um we're not like expecting any kind of like heating issues with the HVA system install or anything. >> Yeah. Uh the bo most important thing is boilers running. I think what we experience that like certain part of building may be sometime a little bit overheated or underheated kind of thing.
011So we're actively trying to figure all those out. So only way to figure those out is to actually run the system uh to see where all those little miscellaneous deficiencies are and stuff like that. So we are really on top of it. So when we when we when we know there's a a problem here and there and we go in and figure out what's wrong and make the adjustment corrections as necessary. Nope. >> So we are we are good. I mean again we we we are expecting anticipating expecting that we will have uh full heating system for both. >> So no issues. And then along the eyes along the lines of heating I know that Marvin um has had some problems with like overheating I think in like their library or their media room or
012something. >> Do we have like a plan in place to get through this winter to help them so it's not an inferno in there? >> Uh yes we do. In fact, we made an adjustment last year to overcome that. So, we're going to make the same adjustment now that we're in the heating season >> until this coming summer where we basically remove that unit and replace it with a new one. >> Okay. All right. So, we have a remediation plan for this winter. >> Yes. >> Okay. Great. Thanks, Bill. [clears throat] >> There are no further questions around HVAC. Maybe Bill can just continue in his report. >> Yeah, sure. Um, the other thing is again typically we will have pictures and stuff relating to No High School. Uh, but since we don't have a
013report, generally speaking, no high school moving along there's we have meeting every every week and construction meetings and uh if you go to the site, I mean there's substantial improvement on the property, you know, wall exterior walls going up and stuff. This the construction is going to continue for next two years, right? that two years. Uh so it's really ongoing process. There's no major issues or crisis. But it's just as a reminder that this project is always expected to additional bidding has to happen. So we are we are looking to u um make another capital budget request for I think we're now we are projecting about $20 million uh as upcoming capital budget to complete the funding package for this project. And we are and know we're looking to city to go well uh board
014of education go through this request and uh we prepare the write up for it and uh I have spoken to Jared uh Schmidt from the city's financial officer and we are fully aware of it and at some point in the future uh we will make a request to the state uh so that we can add the additional money into the project so that we also we will get the additional money to be eligible for state reimbursement at 80%. Um but meanwhile this is the strategy that moving forward and uh I think there's still some unknown out there with about bidding as well as like you know the tariff issue the potential there's additional costs coming in play and when we first approved this project with gu with the u uh with gain [clears throat] our
015contingency amount was very low so as part of this request for additional money u well really is yeah I guess you call it additional money but overall it's part of our plan all along that uh we were going to continue [clears throat] to fill that contingency amount uh because during this phase of construction we ran into a lot of contaminated saw that we had to move. So it hit us uh somewhat. So again it's all we outline all those details as part of the uh the upcoming requests. So every generally speaking everything is moving along very well. Um again we we are on schedule right now and the and the number that's that the the cost of the project is what we projected uh when we first started this project. In terms of contracting, at
016the time of contracting, we we always anticipate that we will uh seek at uh the these funds to complete the fully complete the uh funding package. Uh and then maybe la or not lastly, but um typically we will update on the South Group as you know that project is finished and uh and the good news is that we really don't have any major issues since since we completed the project. We're still doing working with Bill's office. we're doing punch list items and stuff like that's a miscellaneous item that we need to um uh correct. Uh it's not unus it's very common for a project to finish and then you got you know miscellaneous items and um yeah I think also with with upcoming heating seasons that's when we really test the mechanical system and full
017operational full lower in the building. So we were able to run the cooling system when we finish the projects and now we have to go for the next heating season. Overall it's a it's we're still in very good place. Uh one last thing that I want to mention this come up this week is that I'm not sure you heard from me previously was that we have uh very challenging um requirement requirements regarding uh solar uh photoic uh because it is in the south Noah um electric works this area we are not we are not permitted to do what we typically do which is a power purchase agreement which is leasing the system and paying for all the utility savings kind of thing. Uh we cannot buy power from a third party that's how it's interpreted.
018So the only way we can do this is to do a capital project but there's couple of issue. One is that does not have or they have only minimum like $5,000 incentive money unlike eversource. source collect money and then they they create incentive programs but Snoo doesn't really do that. Uh so there's really no incentive money uh uh significance uh uh incentive money for solar project for South Law School. Also there's there's no uh federal change in u uh federal requirements. Uh there's no longer um energy tax credit available to uh the city. um the city would have re would have would be a would have able to obtain 40% of energy tax credit but since the program is is go going away and gone away so financially it's extremely extremely challenging to do a
019solar project in in South Norwalk and for this building so what I did was uh there's some free balance remaining in the south school project so I actually approached the state uh to see whether incorporate the solar solar panel as a construction project instead of a lease uh from a solo developer. Uh the initial respond to it this week is that it's it's very possible. So uh I'm starting a process of working with the engineers and also the contractor to see how we can put a package together and advertise for bit. Uh we're going to reconfirm with the states to make sure that they the the initial comment is correct. uh and at this point I'm expecting that like uh if we incorporate the construction of the solar panel as part of this project we
020will get 60 60% reimbursement so it make the financial aspect of solar saving uh uh worthwhile I guess you know feasible um so the only thing I would need from Bill is that unlike the other projects when we do this power purchase agreement uh those solar company will provide maintenance kind services to the system. Uh since we if for some school if we want to build this ourself then Bill had to go and and seek out a a a contractor for servicing. Doesn't mean that you have to go there fix. It's not like a daily thing either. It's like when when when the equipment fail we we become responsible for it. So it's not like outside company come and service the equipment when when you have when you there's a need. So we have to
021have our own service contract. Uh overall I think it's a good good place. Uh we should be able to get this in. So I think more information will come within the next two three months and then if everything works out I we will probably install the solar panel probably in the spring or next year. It's always good to have the building operating for 6 months to nine months so that in case any roof leaks and stuff like that. It's not unusual to get roof leak after a new roof goes on. So don't don't be surprised when you hear roof leak in new building. It's just that when you put these new roof in, sometimes the little miscellaneous location may have a little leak and stuff. So, it's always nice to go through like two separate
022nine months. So, you so that you know you go through some weather conditions uh so that you make sure the roof doesn't leak and then you put uh a solar system on the roof because otherwise you put in there put put a solar system on the roof and now you got chased out the leak. It's quite painful because you got to take the system off and try to find it. So anyway, so I think we're in a good place and I probably update the committee in the future, see how this project is going to go along and I I do not anticipate any challenges. Uh I think that from here on I think we should be pretty good in terms of going through the process to get it built. So that's all I have for
023South School. Thank you for taking the initiative to like to continue to try to problem solve the solar because I know that we sort of hit the wall with SNE and it seemed like it was sort of a done deal. So, thank you for going to the state and continuing to try to problem solve so that we can have that because I do think it's really important. >> Thank you. Yeah, it it is uh it's very unique. I I think uh it's kind of very interesting conversation and learning experience for me too because you know this relationships it's not that is not accommodating it's just the way the structure as a municipal utility company and I think I said this before in a way it's a good news for the south community because doesn't charge
024a lot for electricity uh uh generation rate so the community financially benefit from it uh but at the same time with that benefit there's not enough when you do a system you're not compare your rates so low that you're not saving any money. So, I think it's kind of very kind of interesting perspective, but yeah, thank you. >> That's all I have for the update, I think. Right. >> Thank you, Alan. >> So, um I have an update if uh if I can go next. >> Yes, please, Bill. >> Okay. So, um Allan, just want to mention one last thing on South Norwalk. It was a great transition. Uh u very welcoming. Everybody's happy. But I just want to make note of the gymnasium floor. If you want to talk about it or I could
025>> No, you can talk about Go ahead. Oh, you want me to talk about it? Oh, you got frozen. What happened is that uh Jas >> there there there was a problem with the installer slash uh manufacturing material kind of thing. uh there certain section certain area has uh >> I think they they they put a gym floor has multiple coat of polyurethane so we think that we believe that they didn't cure it they didn't dry it they didn't leave it long enough for full curing before another coat was put on I think it takes three to four coats of a bureane and also some area they put too much on so the the the contractor and the and the paint manufacturer came out looked at it and they suggested re recommending a solution, but
026then we decided that's not good enough for us. So, we want to actually completely strip the floor completely. Strip I just repeat myself here. We're going to strip the fall completely and redo the whole thing. Um, we are hoping and we're working with Randall to see we what we're looking to do is um the the the initial thought was do it next summer, but I don't want to wait that long. So, uh, what we're looking to do is, uh, do it during the Christmas, uh, holiday, but then because it takes beginning to end, it probably takes a month. So, we got, uh, we requested that we keep the kids out of the gym for generally speaking one week before and two weeks after the holidays. And because we have a a salary gym area, multi-purpose
027room, so the kids can go in there and use that room instead. So, I think that's a better solution for us to to just get I don't want to waste too long. I just want to like when when the contracts agree to it, we want we're going to grab on to them, hold on to them and do the thing right as soon as we can instead of waiting six months from now. You know, who knows what contract may go business, whatever. I mean, anything can happen. So, I rather once we get the commitment to do this, I want to get done right away and and close this issue as soon as we can. So, I I believe I didn't I didn't talk to directly, but I think Joanne from my my office been working with
028him to uh to make sure that he's okay with uh with having the kids go into the multi-purpose room. Again, that room is decent size. It's designed for kids to you use as a support space for uh you know, the gym as well. So, I think we are we are in a good place in terms of get finding a solution to this, but it is something that uh wasn't expected. So, anyway, >> thank you. Thank you. and and and I do appreciate Newfield uh for leveraging this. I mean the contract. >> Sorry, >> Bill. Bill, if you if you turn off your camera, sometimes it helps with you not freezing and then we can just have your sound >> me >> now. Yeah. Yeah, we could hear you now. So, why don't you try turning
029off your camera and then we can just have your sound and then you may not freeze. Let's try that. >> All right. So, um I'll try. >> Mhm. >> All right. So, again, I was just complimenting Newfield for leveraging their um idea to bring the contractor back and say this really doesn't look good. Our client is not happy and they agree to uh redo it from the ground up. Uh so uh I want to move along and uh stay on the topic of solar. Am I can you hear me okay now Sandra? >> Yeah we can. Good. >> Yeah absolutely. Thank you. >> So last month I gave an update uh of all the projects that uh I did the past summer and one job that was pending was the uh roof solar at Cranberry.
030So I'm here today to report that the physical work is done. So, if you look at the roof from uh uh you know, a bird's eye view, all the panels are up and it's all wired down to the switch gear room. It's going to take them another couple of weeks before they're able to energize the system. Uh that's going to take place probably mid to I'm going to say late November, so around Thanksgiving hopefully before they're going to energize that system. Then we're going to be up and running. uh the green uh sustainability officer from the city has um trying to do a press conference. So I want to bring that to the committee here that the city might be doing a press conference sometimes next month when we go live with that system. Uh
031so uh stay tuned for that. We'll certainly share that date with you and um you know I'm sure you'll have the opportunity to join as well. So, um, they're probably going to have the company there along with the mayor perhaps. I don't know who other city officials or state officials, but nonetheless, they want to use that as a kind of a measure to uh alert the city that while this is not our first project, we're continuing with this uh project to uh uh install roof solar and there are more to come. And we will be sure to to keep you informed, Karen, Ashley, and the rest of the committee members, and you can forward it on to the rest of the board when we hear the details. >> Great. >> Okay. >> So, when I
032look to my uh schedule for next summer, I want to share some of the projects which we are planning. >> Bill, I did not provide the the update on Wolf Pit, though. I know that you're moving on to summer, but just wanted to let you know that. Okay. Right. I want to start with Wolf Pit if if if that's okay. >> So, uh, Wolf Pit, um, we know has not received any updates since, um, 1965. Uh, that was the year it was built. Um, nonetheless, there is issues there with ADA and it's well publicized. Um, we do know that it desperately needs air conditioning and it should have an asbestous abatement. Uh unfortunately like other schools the asbestous is in the flooring and in the ceiling which is different from other schools. So in in
033in order for you to start a project you would have to do both and you would have to split that over three to four summers. When we take a closer look at that and you file for an application to the state for a reimburseable project, they ask about your ADA status. And in this case, we would not get a high grade. Let's just put it that way. So, what we're looking at doing for next summer is to postpone the abatement while it's there. And we know it's there. It's nonfryable. It could wait a couple of years but we are looking forward to uh move forward with the air conditioning. So we want to do that next summer. Now in to in order to do the air conditioning we may compromise some of the asbestous in
034localized areas of which we would address that separately not in an overall abatement. Uh we did something like that at Rowan this past summer to uh prepare for next summer's air conditioning um installation. So that's the route we're going to take. While at the other time Allan is asking the city uh for a certain amount of allocations so we can do an ADA study at Wolfpit. What does that mean? Bring in the subject matter experts, architects, whatnot. study the building, address the ADA issues, come up with a plan and seek funding to administer that. At that time, we would then include the asbesus abatement. So that might not happen right away. The plan of studying the building might take six months or so before we come up with a plan and then schedule some of
035that work. We do not expect that that will be a small undertaking. It would include perhaps an elevator, perhaps more than one elevator, perhaps uh reorganizing or redesigning the classrooms on the upper and lower sections. So, if you're not familiar with Wolf Pit, it um was designed way before ADA requirements and it's kind of a split level. So um when you're on the um ground level and come through staircase it you cannot go upstairs or downstairs without walking through a staircase. So that study we hope to have um value add value and come up with a plan. Um, in addition to that project, we are looking at instead of doing an abatement at, uh, Wolf Pit, as I mentioned, uh, Nathan Hail is in dire need of an abatement. So, we're switching our focus and
036going to have the abatement taken care of next summer at Nathan Hale. In addition to that, at Nathan Hale, uh, we have money for middle school lockers. We are going to replace the lockers at Nathan Hale and we're also going to replace the lockers at Ponis all next summer. The uh two remaining projects, the capital projects we're planning for next summer uh will be the underground oil storage tank at uh Columbus School, 46 Concord. That should be the last US I'm removing. And um well I'm sorry I did mention uh the last project and that was the air conditioning for Wolfpit. So that's the four projects we are planning for next summer while Allan and his team will also be studying the ADA requirements at Wolfpit. So currently I'm working with the city's purchasing and
037internal uh NPS finance to get applications together to apply for a state reimbursement for two of those projects. Um and the that's the abatement and the US and the other two projects will not be reimburseable since they don't uh fit into that category. So that's the plan for next summer. Wow, thank you. >> Yeah, busy. >> Seriously jotting down notes. It's a lot. And thank you. >> I think by June comes, there's probably like four more project will come up, right? [laughter] >> I know. And this was a light meeting. So, >> right. >> But but that is it. That's all that we have. >> Got it. Thank you. >> Wow. All right. So, that's it. >> That's it. Unless you have any questions for us. That's it. I mean we we will meet again
038in November and we will touch base on all the various projects and um at that point we will have our capital requests uh well defined and so then we'll be able to give you additional information with what Allan had said and what Bill had said will be u more clearly outlined and then we'll give you all the general updates that we typically do. >> Right. I think we have November 20th. >> Correct. Right. Yes. >> The Thursday next month. >> Yes. Yeah. Yeah. I don't want to prolong this too much longer, but I just want to let you know that I have communication with Sandra and as well as Lunda regarding that I I requested that I provide the write up for the capital budget request for no high school as well as West Rock
039School. Uh and at SWAT school we have two components that we are looking to one's for the school building one is looking at the drainage uh discussion u uh to evaluate it with working with DPW. So anyway so I I I and I'm looking to get that information to Lunda probably early to middle of uh November. So in a couple of weeks and I I anticipate that uh we would have a good write up for for for West Rock School. Only thing is that we may still be working but we will have a a placeholder in term of dollar amount but the the estimated estimate may not be to us till middle to end of December. So we at that point we'll update it. So we will give you initial number again similar to the
040number we presented at the town hall meeting. Uh but again I just want to be very clear that that's the number that we just came up based on number of square feet and and multiply a dollar amount kind of thing. But it really is not a a good estimate by any means. So but by having a a profession estimator actually break down the building the different component type of room it is. Science room is more expensive to build and on and on kind of thing and all site conditions and stuff some of site condition that we know about. So I think the the better number will come out better in terms of more more accurate to the extent that we can uh would be middle to late December and we'll update those that cap capital
041request at that time for the dollar amount and also I think it's the uh the spec is coming in right Sandra >> she's wrapping it up she um forwarded some additional questions around some of the science labs actually to us this week and something about the art room and um we I anticipate that she's going to have it in the next week or couple of weeks, but we would share with that with you guys um the the written document and then we would bring it up during the next meeting. Hopefully, I think that it'll be a good time for us to discuss it. >> All right. Well, if there's nothing else, do we have a motion to adjurnn? >> So moved. >> Great. Thanks, Ashley. Thanks everybody for joining. Have a good night. >> Thank
042you so much. Have a good night. >> Okay. Take care. Okay. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye.