Permanent Building Commission updates Facilities Master Plan, Middle School planning delayed

Kevin Goff, chairman of the Permanent Building Commission, and Vice Chairman Glenn Neilson updated the Board of Selectmen on the Facilities Master Plan and school projects. At the High School the HVAC rooftop project has exterior work completed and controls are being installed prior to commissioning; the High School roofing project has a recommended contractor and materials are expected to require a roughly 60-day lead time followed by about 120 working days of construction.

The PBC said Middle School planning was delayed after soil conditions, wetlands, setbacks and vernal pools limited the previously considered expansion site. The commission is working with architects and consultants on an alternative campus configuration to avoid land acquisition and improve circulation; planning is now expected to extend into the spring, with a Dec. 1 deadline remaining important for establishing the overall project budget and preparing bond information. The PBC also recommended constructing a new Firehouse 1 at the annex and reviewed about 670 survey responses that generally favored new construction over renovation.