Facilities meeting liveblog

Facilities meeting...posting as we go
Foley: "we're all smiling tonight...we've had some good news"
acknowledges that both he and Councilor Economou were past presidents of Nelson Place PTO
"we know that the building is safe, but the building must be replaced"
"timetable and a process for building a new Nelson Place School"
Boone:"this is an exciting night"
"when we submitted a lot of projects...by submitting a lot, we got a lot...we took the right approach"
"continuing (the committee's work) in keeping it before the community"

Foley acknowledges Rep. Mahoney's work in getting the attention of the state
Mahoney on parents' concern: "I understand it...well-loved, well-tended school"
"if there's a place that does deserve it, Nelson Place does"
"we will get this done"
"we're not going anywhere soon; we'll continue the good fight"
Foley: "after Nelson Place, South, Doherty, Burncoat"
Councilor O'Brien turns it over to Councilor Economou
Economou remembers the meeting at which the scaffolding was announced
"it's the right learning environment for the kids"
"how does it project into our neighborhoods?"
"the education's been excellent; I'm proud to say that my kids have (today) graduated from here..."

Allen with presentation:
six accelerated repair projects at five schools
plus Nelson Place which is "major renovation or repair...not until we get into the process with MSBA does the decision get made on renovation or repair"
Review of the eligibility period (for Nelson Place) in total 270 days (NOTE: you can find all of this on the MSBA site here)
have 30 days to submit initial compliance certification; basic information gathering on city records
have 60 days for the city to form a school building committee: "suspect that the next item will be the building committee"
have 180 days for enrollment certification (for school and for city) plus maintenance documents
have 270 days for local authorization of funding: "on tonight's city council agenda..includes $750,000 towards the next phase...that will fund the feasibility study for this school"
(plus FY13 and fronting of FY14 capital money)

ICC due July 11
SCB due August 11
Maintenance and Enrollment due December 11
Funding due March 11
(could be done sooner)

next is forming the project team: Owner's Project Manager, Designer Selection Process, MCPPO certification (which both city and schools have already)

THEN we can go BACK to MSBA for an invitation for feasibility study
"you can't get ahead of them in the process; you have to work hand in hand with them"
They fund up to 80%
"will take a couple of years to get to construction, but the city is wasting no time"


Accelerated repair: 18 months to get it done
30 days for initial compliance, but then everything is that much faster
These projects will be done during next summer vacation
"the day the kids leave, hopefully, we'll be ready to go"
"we fully intend to get all of the document to MSBA by that July 11 deadline"

Foley: is it fair to say that a feasibility study could begin as early as next springtime?
Allen: could get approved a year from now
Foley: they take longer than they could always wish
on building committee: whose decision is that, who makes it
Economou asks that Assumption College be at the table
O'Brien: suggests communicating back those who might want to be part of it
perhaps a larger committee beyond the building committee
"getting a lot of parents involved..."
Foley: "really some issues to address here"
Colorio: "three, four years?"
Allen: "I can't pin down an exact date...I don't want to set expectations and not meet that process"
O'Brien: is there a way to use that funding to move faster?
Allen: "they are very clear...you can't move ahead of their process"
O'Brien: don't want to slow this process down
Allen: once you pass the funding tonight, you've met the 270 benchmark needed
Foley: "we want to accelerate this as quickly as we can"
Novick: "can we make it for the October 3 MSBA board meeting?"
Allen: hopeful, possible, before the March date
some discussion of partnering with Assumption
Monfredo: when do we know where we're putting the school?
Allen: during the feasibility phase, as early as next spring
request from parent that they know whom to contact if they aren't finding out what's up
Foley says those who are representing them on the school building committee
parent wants to know if there's a maximum time? Allen: no, as long as you're making progress towards completion

Allen coming forward with the next round--November, December--major repair as well as another round of accelerated repair
Foley: also looking at school funding
O'Brien suggests a fall meeting at South High