SOUTHWICK – The Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional District School Committee discussed change order processes last night in preparation of construction at the school campus.
Project Manager Kurt Lavaway of Strategic Building Solutions explained that there are two ways to handle change orders during the project.
“The first way is a contractor gives us a PCO – a Proposed Change Order – and the design team reviews it and makes sure pricing is correct and the scope is correct,” said Lavaway. The contractor for the project is PDS Engineering and Construction of Bloomfield, Conn.
The change is then reviewed by a finance subcommitee and, if approved, a change order is signed.
Superintendent John Barry said the subcommittee, which includes a member of the school committee and building committee, meets monthly.
“The other way we do this is when things come up that need to happen right away,” Lavaway said.
A designated person or people would be authorized to make a spot decision up to a certain amount of cost in order to keep the project moving forward.
“They would give the go ahead so the work doesn’t hold the project up,” said Lavaway.
Barry suggested he and School Business Manager Steve Presnal be authorized to approve changes up to $25,000.
Construction on Woodland Elementary School and Powder Mill Middle School is set to begin this summer, with work at the high school to follow soon after.
Barry said fencing would be erected next week.
Committee member Ted Locke asked if students were being prepped for construction.
“When students come back to this campus in a few months it will be a different campus,” he said.
High School Principal Pamela Hunter said the current newsletter gives a heads-up about parking changes this fall. She said Families will be given more information in August.
“We will be using our student ambassadors, student council, ConnectEd and student athletes to inform everyone,” said Hunter.
One wing of Woodland School will be under construction at the beginning of the school year. Once complete, classrooms will shift to accommodate renovations in another wing. For the summer, Woodland administrators will work out of offices at Powder Mill.
