Excavation continues on a new running track at the Powder Mill Middle School in Southwick, foreground, after philanthropist Steven Nielsen made a donation of approximately $500,000 for the replacement of the 30-plus-year-old track, which is already named for Dick Atkinson, a retired Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional High School teacher. Town residents also approved a $150,000 transfer from Community Preservation Act funds to complete the project. Nielsen, who lives in Florida, approached School Superintendent John Barry about building a new track last fall. Barry expects the track will be complete by mid-September. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
SOUTHWICK – A meeting of the Southwick-Tolland Regional School Building Committee yesterday served as an opportunity for project heads to share status reports on the building projects currently in progress at Woodland and Powder Mill Schools and Southwick-Tolland Middle/High School.
Project Manager Michael McGarry of Strategic Building Solutions stated that the projects are running into a few small snags, but that contractors and laborers will be working extra hours and weekends to ensure the building projects are completed on time.
“Up at the high school/middle school in the middle school addition, they’re actually painting walls and getting ready for interior finishes,” he said. “In the high school addition, the drywall is going up, mechanical/electrical roughings are going in.”
RUSSELL FOX
McGarry added that in the existing building, the demolition abatement of the work that began in June has been completed, and that mechanical/electrical installations have begun there. He has set August 20 as a substantial completion date.
“At Powder Mill School, we’re proceeding on schedule. The demolition and abatement is essentially complete and we’re working on mechanical, electrical plumbing routes, new windows are being installed,” he said, listing that project’s substantial completion date as “around August 20.”
August 20 is also the magic number for Woodland, which is in the final phase of it’s renovation, and it’s demo abatement is near completion with mechanical systems are going in, according to McGarry.
“It’s new roof has been completed over there, new windows are going in, and if all goes according to plan, we’ll be taking down the temporary classrooms in the fall,” he said.
A change order was also approved by the committee for items at each of the three schools, ranging from the replacement of showers and ventilation systems at the high school, to replacing blackboards with modern whiteboards at Powder Mill.
“Change order 7 is additional costs and credits to the building project based on the work thats taking place in the field,” said Steve Presnal, school business manager for the town of Southwick. “Based on the conditions they’re finding, things that have to be addressed.”
When asked of his take on the progession of the three projects, Presnal said that the contractors are “in high gear.”
“Everybody is doing the best they can to get it done so that we can start school on time. Right now we’re cautiously optimistic we’re going to meet those deadlines,” he said.
Regarding methods of payment for the projects, of which the district’s estimated share is over $27 million, several bond payment options were brought up and tabled for further discussion.
“We’ve got to sit down and listen to our finance advisors, we’re going to sit down with our finance committee, and then we’re going to make the best decision for the town of Southwick,” he said. “We knew this going forward, that we were biting off a lot, but it was an opportunity to fix all three buildings at the same time.”
Southwick Selectman Russell Fox said that the town will be collecting 64 cents on every dollar spent on the project from the state, a deal that the townspeople decided was too good to pass up.
“We had to fix the buildings – we had no choice. You either fix them now, later, or piece meal,” he added. “These buildings are all going to be brought up to code and have sprinklers added, better heating systems, fresh air. It’s going to be a better environment for our kids and our staff.”
