Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Update on Facilities

joint meeting a year ago in the Doherty cafeteria
and we have a one sheet summary (which I will ask for electronically)
Allen: work completed; projects underway; FY14-18 capital plan; 10 year major renovation plan

$10.8 million spent in last two years on capital funds of schools
$9.5 million of investment of which 80% is funded by the state
next round of MSBA: window replacement projects
can accomplish entire list in a five year period
statements of interest over a 10 year period: Burncoat, Doherty, South
to begin shortly after the start of the new year
Rebuilding Worcester Schools Initiative
Foley: credit to O'Brien (as mayor)
$3 million a year, debt service 
O'Brien: streets and sidewalks, as well as schools
technology investments as well
go back to public and say "here's what you've gotten...and here's what you're getting next for this investment"
celebrate the work that's already been done
matching capital with an operational agreement as well
"when the public knows what they're getting"
that's their tax dollars at work; it makes sense to them
Foley: getting SoIs
Novick: do we need to be considering our elementary schools spaces?
Allen: multi year enrollment projections
NESDEC and MSBA doing projections as part of Nelson Place
Foley: when are we getting it?
Allen: sooner than later
Economou: is there a short term vision as well? Schools bursting at the seams
Allen: when we closed the eight schools, we kept half of them
intention was to have some properties available to us
"in early stages of having that discussion of what our needs would be next year"
Boone: most of our growth had been at elementary level in previous years
spread out across levels this year
where those increases are?
Talley: let people know what's going on
O'Brien: have a meeting at one of those schools
Rivera: communication needs to happen with parents: can we work with CPPAC
get information into newsletters
give people something simple to look at for budget
work being done in schools
Nelson Place committee being announced shortly
PCBs update
Allen: prework being concluded now with MSBA: believe we will then be eligible for feasibility study
City Manager has appointed a committee: large committee, very representative of stakeholders in Nelson Place; progress on Nelson Place in January/February
PCBs: 27 schools built or renovated during period of years in which PCBs were used
renovations and windows being addressed
over a million dollars spent on weatherization of windows, targeted service cleaning, removal of unlabeled ballast in fluorescent lights
entirely new lights at Worcester Arts Magnet and West Tatnuck
univent repairs and inspections to improve air flow
next steps coming from consultants
Economou: any plan for Burncoat High and Middle's windows that need replacement?
Allen: working on best practices...funding issue
intention is not to have boarded up windows for a long period of time in any of the schools
Foley: strategic plan developed
how do we move the city to at least the minimum level and beyond that?
mid to late January for next joint meeting




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