ENFIELD TOWN COUNCIL
MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING
SEPTEMBER 18, 2000
A Special Meeting of the Enfield Town Council was held in the Enfield Room of the Enfield Town Hall, 820 Enfield Street, Enfield, Connecticut on Monday, August 18, 2000. The meeting was called to order by Deputy Mayor Peter Falk at 6:09 p.m.
ROLL-CALL Present were Councilmen Dodd, Falk, Hall, Kaupin, Mangini, McGuire and Vayda. Councilman Egan entered at 6:31 p.m. and Chairwoman Strom entered at 6:34 p.m. Councilman Fiore was absent. Also present were Assistant Town Manger, Daniel Vindigni; Town Clerk, Suzanne F. Olechnicki; Director of Finance, Gregory Simmons; Assistant Director of Public Works, Carlo Bonavita.
WORK SESSION SCHOOL BUILDING COMMITTEE REPORT
Present from the School Building Projects Committee were Cindy Andersen, Randy Daigle, Kimberly Knapp, Charles Ladd, Douglas Maxellon, Kenneth Morgan, and Donna Szewczak. Also present were Alternate, Michael Littlejohn; Liaisons, Mary Heidi Tibbetts, Roger Jones; Director of School Facilities, Arthur Pongratz; Enfield Board of Education member Nicholas Sinsigalli.
Present from Jeter, Cook & Jepson were Steve Jager and Bruce Kellogg.
Chairman Randy Daigle distributed handouts to the Council and noted these handouts cover progress that the School Building Committee has made.
Mr. Daigle highlighted the following items:
· two construction managers were hired J.R. Russo and Richard Gonyea
· schematic designs for the elementary schools, middle school and Head Start have been finalized
· theyre moving into the design development stage
Mr. Daigle stated in the next couple weeks they will be able to come up with estimated construction costs.
· a geotech engineer has been hired test borings are complete awaiting results
· a surveyor has been hired surveys are complete awaiting final data
· a website has been established and its constantly being updated enfield.org
· an information booth regarding this project will be set up for the Family Day on the Town Green on September 24th
· to date they have kept to the design schedule that they established
· to date they expect the estimated construction cost to be within budget
Mr. Jager from Jeter, Cook & Jepson and Mr. Daigle reviewed the floor plans for all the projects as follows:
Eli Whitney
· added two kindergarten classrooms on the west side the two existing kindergarten classrooms are adjacent to them
· a firewall has been added between the two additions
· added storage and a boys and girls bathroom for each unit
· renovated the interior of the main corridor to add health, guidance, OT/PT, and psychology
· major addition off the east side a 2,900 sf library; a computer lab adjacent to the library; equipment storage for the gymnasium; physical education office and the boys and girls bathroom
· the gymnasium consists of approximately 5,000 sf
Mr. Daigle pointed out Henry Barnard and Parkman are configured similarly to Eli Whitney.
Prudence Crandall
· food service, health and music are provided for in the existing area
· the green room will contain guidance, electrical, and instrument storage
· accommodation for Resource, OT/PT, a mechanical/electrical room, a main library, art storage, computer lab, equipment storage
Hazardville Memorial
· limiting construction to the outside of the building with a dividing firewall and a main corridor, a new library, a computer room, boys and girls room, mechanical/electrical
· the design allows for public use of the library in the evenings without jeopardizing security
· existing library converted into OT/PT and a conference room
· existing cafeteria expanded about 15 feet
· additional kindergarten classrooms with boys and girls bathrooms and a corridor
Enfield Street School
· one classroom will become a computer lab
· a main corridor
· gymnasium, gymnasium storage, boys and girls bathrooms
· electrical/mechanical room
· all health functions in one area
· library
H.B. Stowe
· guidance, OT/PT, administration
· one classroom will become a computer lab
· a small conference room, a head end room
· a library and cafeteria with platform
· food service and mechanical room
· extension of existing corridor
· a kindergarten classroom adjacent to the existing kindergarten classrooms
· equipment storage
· PE office
· boys and girls bathrooms
· a gymnasium
Nathan Hale
Mr. Daigle noted theres currently an existing storage building which will be removed for fire code reasons.
· addition of a library, computer room, storage, and remedial reading
· another kindergarten classroom
· IEC room, conference room, resource room, psychology testing area and a speech room, as well as a boys and girls bathroom
· art room, storage room, OT/PT room
· cafeteria with a platform
· a gymnasium
JFK Middle School
· converted existing library into two computer labs
· renovated some of the existing administration into psychology and speech areas
· addition to front of building to include main library, administration area, storage room, computer lab, head end room, boys and girls room, teacher bathroom facilities, conference room
Head Start
Mr. Daigle stated after some study it was determined the best location for the new Head Start facility would be in the area of the existing tennis courts behind Enfield Street School. He noted it would be a colonial style design to include a main entrance, administration with family services and special education in the front part of the building. He noted there will be a kitchen, storage room, mechanical room, staff work room, nurses room, and conference room. He stated there will be six classrooms, each containing a boys and girls room and storage room adjacent to them with an exit off the back of the building.
Mr. Daigle invited questions from the Council.
Councilman Dodd questioned whether any parking spaces were lost in the JFK design and whether theres a sufficient snow shelf around the area. Mr. Jager noted there will be additional parking, and there will be a sufficient snow shelf.
Councilman Dodd questioned whether the proper formula is being used in figuring how many lavatories should be provided for men and women. Mr. Jager stated they follow the state law.
Councilman Dodd questioned whether provisions for electrical stage lighting and curtains is being considered in the design of the cafeteria platform. Mr. Jager responded yes. Mr. Maxellon pointed out these platforms are designed for small performances.
Councilman Vayda questioned whether the Committee is delivering on what was promised to the taxpayers in the referendum. Mr. Daigle stated the Committee feels they are meeting all of the criteria/programmatic needs and staying within the cost parameters.
Councilman Vayda questioned whether all the spaces previously identified are still in tact. Mr. Daigle stated his belief 95% of the spaces are still in tact. He pointed out a couple areas were not included due to construction and program costs.
Councilman Vayda stated his impression there was to be some work done on the JFK cafeteria. Mr. Daigle stated it would cost over $200,000 to come up with 850 sf for the JFK cafeteria because all of the main power (sewer, gas, electric) comes within six feet of the building. He went on to note its not a lack of space causing problems with the JFK cafeteria, but rather theyre physically unable to pass this many students through the kitchen and seat them on time. He noted its not believed an addition to the cafeteria will achieve what its intended to achieve.
Councilman Mangini referred to building security and the Town opening these schools for recreational activities. Mr. Daigle stated Jeter, Cook & Jepson has worked on numerous schools throughout the state, and to be secure, there should be an isolation from the main part of the school so that the public can use the school at night.
Councilman Hall stated she would like to see the JFK cafeteria space re-looked at and try to work with the square footage thats actually there and maybe they can come up with some extra square footage. She noted perhaps they could also look at the food service area to see if theres a more efficient way to serve the students and still stay within the scope of the referendum.
Councilman Dodd stated he also would like to see the JFK cafeteria issue revisited. He questioned if its possible in the reconfiguration of the serving area that they can pull the refrigeration to the outside wall. Mr. Daigle stated the Committee would really have to have this defined. He noted this was not part of the referendum. He raised the question of whether the Committee would have the authorization to go outside the referendum to solve the problem.
Ms. Szewczak stated her belief they should look at the existing space for the JFK cafeteria.
Mr. Littlejohn stated his belief part of the problem at the JFK cafeteria has to do with organization.
Ms. Knapp noted they have to stay on schedule and within the budget.
Mr. Jones stated his belief they really need to make JFK cafeteria more efficient.
Councilman Kaupin stated the Director of Finance, Gregory Simmons, has been in touch with the Bond Counsel, and they can find out whether the referendum dollars can be used for making the JFK cafeteria more efficient.
Ms. Szewczak stated her understanding an efficiency study was done on the JFK cafeteria. Mr. Jones stated they could get that information.
Mr. Maxellon stated his belief they need to keep the project moving at JFK, and perhaps they can just put aside the cafeteria section until the Board and Council has had an opportunity to analyze it.
Mr. Bonavita questioned whether they could separate JFK into two different phases. Mr. Kellogg stated they could ask the School Facilities Unit if they could phase this project. He noted they would have to set aside some dollars for each phase.
Councilman Falk questioned if they might realize some extra reimbursement monies if they go with renovations instead of building new. Mr. Daigle pointed out they get reimbursed at a higher rate for new construction.
Councilman Falk stated some schools are surrounded by wetlands, and he questioned if that could become an issue that drains their budget. Mr. Daigle stated test borings have been done. Mr. Bonavita stated to date no unsuitable soils have been found.
Councilman Falk questioned the purpose of a fire wall. Mr. Jager stated in the building code theyre allowed so many square feet, and once that is exceeded, theres the option of building separate structures through a fire wall. He noted a fire wall creates two independent structures.
Councilman Egan stated her belief the Committee has done a tremendous job. She went on to state the taxpayers would not want them to expand the JFK cafeteria if its an efficiency problem rather than a space problem.
Councilman Falk expressed his appreciation for all the hard work of the Committee.
Mr. Daigle thanked the Committee for their team effort.
MOTION #4822 by Councilman Egan, seconded by Councilman Mangini to recess the meeting for five minutes.
Upon a SHOW-OF-HANDS vote being taken, the Chair declared MOTION #4822 adopted 9-0-0, and the meeting stood recessed at 6:57 p.m.
The meeting was reconvened at 7:05 p.m.
MOTION #4823 by Councilman Dodd, seconded by Councilman Mangini to go into Executive Session to discuss Personnel Matters, Pending Litigation, and Real Estate Negotiations.
Upon a SHOW-OF-HANDS vote being taken, the Chair declared MOTION #4823 adopted 9-0-0, and the meeting stood recessed at 7:06 p.m.
ROLL-CALL Present were Councilmen Dodd, Egan, Falk, Hall, Kaupin, Mangini, McGuire, Strom and Vayda. Also present were Assistant Town Manger, Daniel Vindigni; Town Clerk, Suzanne F. Olechnicki.
Personnel Matters, Pending Litigation, and Real Estate Negotiations were discussed with no action or votes being taken
Chairwoman Strom adjourned the Executive Session at 7:28 p.m.
Chairwoman Strom reconvened the Special Meeting at 7:29 p.m. and stated that during Executive Session they discussed Personnel Matters, Pending Litigation and Real Estate Negotiations with no action or votes being taken.
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION #4824 by Councilman Falk, seconded by Councilman Kaupin to adjourn.
Upon a SHOW-OF-HANDS vote being taken, the Chair declared MOTION #4824 adopted 9-0-0, and the meeting stood adjourned at 7:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Jeannette Lamontagne
Secretary to the Council
By Suzanne F. Olechnicki
Suzanne F. Olechnicki
Town Clerk
Clerk of the Council