7100

New Construction

Planning

Building Committees

Whenever it is deemed necessary by the Board of Education to provide for additional and/or major facility alterations for the educational system, the Board of Education shall request the town/city to form a School Building Committee.  In support of the Board of Education's request, that Board shall, through its Superintendent and administrative staff, provide the necessary educational specification which should be a part of an encompassing long-range educational plan and which should fit the organizational pattern for the school system.  Other particulars in prescribing the action should include enrollment data, an outline of the general nature of the program for the particular facility which would include support facilities such as health, food, custodial, as well as communal uses and the basic equipment and site placement and requirements thought necessary.

Approval of the request by the Town's legislative body/town meeting shall signify acceptance of the need by that body and the First Selectman/Mayor shall, within 30 days thereafter, order the formation of a School Building Committee.

Appointments and Terms

The School Building Committee shall contain representatives from the Boards of Selectmen, Finance and Education.  Additional community representatives may be chosen.  At least one member of the School Building Committee shall be an individual with experience in the construction industry. These members shall serve through the completion of the project.

Community representatives may include:

Citizen taxpayers from the school area to be served; and a

Citizen taxpayer from the school district community as a whole; outside the school area to be served.

In addition, a Representative from the certified educational staff;

One person from the commercial and/or professional community of the town; and/or

One person from the industrial community of the town may be chosen.

A School Building Committee shall be appointed for the express purpose of one particular project.  Each School Building Committee shall be designated by project name.

The duly authorized School Building Committee will continue as a complete committee regardless of changes in town government, the Board of Education, or the Board of Finance during the course of the project, except where such board representative is not reelected or reappointed the Board the person represents, in which case replacement will be made according to provisions pertaining to vacancies.

The School Building Committee shall cease and desist once the assigned project has been turned over to the Board of Education.

Removal, Resignation and Vacancies

No one shall serve on this committee who has a conflict of interest because of relationship to or employment by the architect, contractor, subcontractor, owner or owners of the proposed site for the project.  It is possible that a conflict of interest may arise on the part of an original member of the committee because of subsequent or future actions of the School Building Committee.  If the committee finds that there is a definite conflict of interest, such member shall be removed from the committee.

In the event that a voting member is absent from three consecutive regular meetings, that member's term at the third meeting's absence shall expire and that member shall be replaced.

Officers

The School Building Committee shall elect its own Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson who will preside at the meetings. The Chairperson shall be empowered to establish any necessary subcommittees.

The Superintendent of Schools, or designee, shall be the secretary to the School Building Committee and shall maintain minutes of all meetings.

Meetings

The committee will hold at least one regular monthly meeting and may schedule other meetings as deemed necessary and called by the Chairperson of the School Building Committee.  Upon the request of at least three members of the committee, a special meeting shall be held within five days of their request.

Powers and Duties

The School Building Committee shall have the following duties and powers:

1.  Investigate sites and select an architect.

2.  Request the Board of Finance to appropriate necessary funds for preliminary planning and site studies.

3.  Upon appropriation of such funds, hire an architect to draft plans for construction of such new school building project as shall be ordered.

4.  Appoint a site committee of the School Building Committee whose duties shall be to recommend sites to the School Building Committee for approval and upon approval by the required city boards, negotiate for land and submit its findings to the real estate committee of the city council for final acquisition. (modify process to conform to local charter provisions)

5.  Approve preliminary plans and specifications for the project; obtain approval of preliminary plans and specifications by the Board of Education; initiate filing application with the State Department of Education for review of preliminary plans and specifications; and request the Board of Finance to appropriate and/or bond necessary funds for the total project cost.

6.  To analyze and approve final plans and specifications of such project; obtain approval of such final plans and specifications by the Board of Education; initiate filing application with the State Department of Education for review of final plans and specifications; and advertise for and receive bids for the construction of such project or any portion thereof.

7.  Award construction contract bid to the lowest responsible bidder and, upon a majority vote of the Board of Selectmen authorizing the entering into of the necessary contract for construction of such project.

8.  To be responsible for construction of such project through its agents and the Town's inspectors.

9.  To examine and approve all payments in connection with the construction of such project with the advice of its agents, the project architect, and the resident inspector.

10.  Analyze and approve any change orders in the approved plans for said project within the limits of the total project appropriations.

11.  Have province over and final approval of all expenditures of the project, including furnishings, equipment, or other appurtenances to the buildings or grounds.

12.  Select a name for the school building project thus constructed. (Optional. The Board of Education may want to reserve this responsibility to itself)

13.  To approve and accept the completed project subject to the advice of its agents, the project architect, and the Town's inspectors.

14.  Turn the building and grounds over to the Board of Education as soon as possible after final completion and acceptance.

15.  Obtain the necessary clearance and approval of any local or state board or agency as may be required for any of the duties and powers so enumerated.

Nothing in this policy shall preclude state statutes or local charter.  If, at any time, any part of this policy shall become contrary to the state statutes or the charter, such findings shall have no effect on the remaining sections of this policy.

Legal Reference:  Connecticut General Statutes

10-283 Application for grants for school building projects. (as amended by P.A. 19-1, July Special Session)

P.A. 19-1, July Special Session, An Act Concerning Authorization of State Grant Commitments for School Building Projects

Policy adopted: