Published in the September 7, 2018 edition.
By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD – It’s official.
Walton students will be able to start their school year on Monday, Sept. 10. Yesterday, Building Inspector Jack Roberto awarded a certificate of occupancy for the building after he and Fire Chief Michael Sullivan walked through the building and found it to be safe.
The Permanent Building Committee (PBC) made the announcement at their meeting last night at the Public Safety Building.
The Walton Elementary School has been undergoing approximately $6 million worth of improvements designed to create more space, including interior renovations to the old school building and a new pre-engineered steel building to house a gym/cafeteria and warming kitchen. The work has been going on since last year, but the pace was greatly accelerated over this past summer in hopes of being ready to open yesterday, when other schools in the district resumed classes. They didn’t quite make it, but Walton students will get to see their newly renovated school on Monday.
School officials have said that Walton Students will attend school for two extra days next June to make up the days.
PBC member Chip Tarbell said last night that taking a couple of extra days to ready the school for students and teachers “was a great decision.” Even though it took a little longer, he added, it will be worth it for the Walton School community.
“They got a great product,” he said.
The scope of the work at the school was expanded by 30 percent over what was originally planned. Tarbell explained after last night’s meeting that this was possible because the PBC budgeted for the “worst case scenario.” Contractor BC Construction was able to do some of the work for significantly less money, he said, allowing the extra work to be done within the original budget.
Any remaining work that needs to be done will take place on weekends or after school hours.
Mike Cresta, principle of BC Construction, provided the PBC with an update on some of the work that remains. He said that tomorrow the lawn areas will be hydroseeded and caution tape will be put up to keep kids off those areas.
He said that 30 days from now, the asphalt in the front of the school will be striped. He said that basketball hoops will be put up in the gym by Saturday, along with lights and fans. Cresta said that some additional fire equipment will be installed next week on the outside of the new steel building that houses the gym/cafeteria at the request of Fire Chief Michael Sullivan. Sullivan, who was at last night’s meeting, stressed that the building’s fire alarm and sprinkler systems passed their final testing and the additional equipment is “extra.”
Cresta said that some vinyl baseboard is being installed in the gym now. Some additional electrical work is also being done in the gym/cafeteria/kitchen areas.
The air conditioning is up and running, Cresta said. Shades for the art room windows will be installed next week.
Asked about the chiller unit that sits outside the building, Cresta said that with the trees in front of it, you really can’t hear it. Neighbors have been concerned about noise from the chiller and PBC members said that an eight-foot fence will still be installed to screen the unit after which acoustical readings will be taken to see if any more mitigation is needed.
Cresta said that the post construction deep-cleaning of the school was done this week. He added that he is working with school administrators to schedule after hours work. He said that workers will be in the building this Saturday, even as teachers are setting up their classrooms.
The Permanent Building Committee also paid some bills last night.
The PBC approved $819,903 to be paid to BC Construction.
They approved payment of $25,000 to construction management company Leftfield, LLC for construction administration and closeout services for the month of August, 2018.
They paid $324.50 to design firm Tappe Associates for an acoustical consultant.
The PBC approved payment to Doyle Relocation of $7,250 for moving services.
A sum of $3,932.25 was approved for Mayer Tree Service for tree removal services.
The PBC approved payment of $22,285.68 to Creative Office pavilion for school furnishings.
They also approved $78,591.62 worth of change order work.
Lynn Stapleton of Leftfield, the project management company retained by the town, told the PBC that 70 percent of the project budget has been expended to date and 93 percent of the budget has been committed. A total of $326,721 remains uncommitted, she said.