NP OKs project developer, review committee

BAINBRIDGE -- In a special meeting Tuesday evening, North Putnam school officials took a few more steps in the developing stages of a recently-approved, comprehensive renovation project.

As the two original action items on the agenda, the North Putnam School Board approved a criteria developer and the creation of a technical review committee (TRC). Both will involve BTY Consulting, an international firm which has provided input on the scope of the renovations since before it was approved last month.

The board approved Jonathan Fleming from BTY as the criteria developer, through which he will work with school officials on various aspects of the project. The board also approved the committee which will include Fleming, Caleb Frey and George Bingham from BTY, as well as North Putnam Superintendent Nicole Singer and high school Principal Jason Chew. The TRC will be tasked with scoring the qualifications of candidates looking to take on the project, including their construction records and legal standing.

In items that were added to the agenda, the board also approved the appraising of a portion of North Putnam High School for lease to cover the renovations. School officials also approved the design criteria package which generally details needed repairs as determined by school administrators.

Singer emphasized that the package was not a commitment, but rather just an acknowledgment that the listed repairs fall under the project’s scope but still may not be addressed.

Bingham, whose professional expertise includes project management, presented the gist of this checklist in a visual form at the board’s December meeting, during which he talked about the design-build process and the timeline for when construction could start. The board approved the projected $18 million project at that same meeting.

During its January regular meeting, the board approved the actual need for the project, as well as the design-build procurement method which will guide the project’s cost.

The project will encompass all of the schools in the North Putnam school system, with North Putnam High School demanding the most attention. Those renovations span from carpeting and locker replacement to more extensive repairs to heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and roof replacement.

An actual start date has yet to be definitively determined, but the work would likely begin as soon as the spring semester ends in May. At this time, the project is estimated to cover an 18-month period, with the majority of the repairs projected for completion by December 2020.