Essex School Building Committee, Oct. 13, 2026

736 p.m. and I will call to order the October 13, 2026 meeting of the Essence Elementary School Building Committee. We have to do attendance by roll call vote because we have some online and I can't get my thing right now. So can you pull up just the participants panel? Yeah, let them in.

All right. So if you can unmute when I say your name, say here. Here, Charlie. Hey, here, Emily Dwyer, here, Mike Gerhart. Here, Michelle Russo. Here. And then in person, Teresa Whitman here. Pam here. Kim Fields here. Lisa Donald here. Sarah Stone here. Gordon Brewster here. Annie Oldman here. Thank you. That's our voting membership and our advisory members. I'm going to go straight to the votes because I think are we exactly at quorum right now? One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine.

I did. We're exactly at quorum right now. Okay. Meeting minutes. Minutes from September 22nd, 2026 and September 29th, 2026. Anyone have clarifying questions? All right. Hearing none. I'll take a motion to approve the minutes as presented. Gordon moves. Is there a second? Pam seconds. Any discussion? All in favor by roll call vote starting online. Charlie. Yes. Emily. Yes. Mike. Yes. Oh, Tyler. Yes. And in the room, Pam.

Yes. Scam. Yes. Sarah. Yes. Gordon. Yes. Andy. Yes. And I'm a yes. All right. That is the minutes approved and we're going to go right into the vote on the MSBA schematic design submittal package that was provided to us on the seventh. Thank you for giving us some time with that 2,607 something pages of it. It's a big one. Do you want to share anything before we take the vote on this? I mean, there's just a couple of things that were just draft forms in there as we were finalizing the numbers and getting to the point of where we are today. We are finalizing all that information today and tomorrow with JCG and clicking submit to MSBA. So this is very exciting. And, you know, like, we got our project budget locked in and, you know,

we're very excited about town meeting and exclusion votes coming up. Anyone have clarifying questions on the schematic designs of middle online? Nope. Okay. In that case, I will take a motion to approve the MSBA schematic design submittal package as presented. Well, can you read that? I will move that the Essex School Building Committee approve the schematic design report and its submittal package for the Essex Elementary School Project with a total project cost of $95,351,985 and authorize the owner's project manager, OPM, and architect to submit said documentation to the Massachusetts School Building Authority, MSBA, for review and approval.

Is there a second? So moved. No, I removed it. Oh, you're too late, Emily. Gordon seconds. Any discussion? Thank you. Any further discussion? Okay. Then by roll call vote, again, starting online, please. Charlie. Yes. Emily. Yes. Mike. Yes. Tyler. Yes. And in person. Pam. Yes. Kim. Yes. Sarah. Yes. Gordon. Yes. Andy. Yes. And I'm a yes. That passes unanimously. And we thank you for all the work that's gone into that so far. And what continues? Thank you.

And JCJ team, Dustin, John, everyone, like really a lot of work goes into it. A ton of work. And between two. Thank you. Great job. Excellent. That concludes the votes. So if you have another meeting you need to go to, please feel free to do that. And thank you for, for staying with us this long. So backing up, then do we want to go to the schedule update? Yeah, just reminding people we just got them with the community meetings. Oh, sorry. And then we have our next community, our next meeting on ten point seven. And we have our final community meeting on eleven four. Another SBC meeting on eleven ten. Then they're coming dates. Eleven twenty four SBC, and then we have twelve eight SBC and exclusion on twelve ten.

So I'm going to comment. We noticed that on the eleven four, there is a overlap with the planning board meeting, which will impact Lisa and Ariel. I'll be here, not there, obviously. There may be some, some ways to work through that, but if anyone is curious, you will be receiving probably multiple emails from me. It would be really great if our SBCA members could attend that meeting and attend it in person. It's our last community meeting. It's the opportunity for anyone with their leftover comments and questions, not just to hear from, from the professional teams, but to hear from their community peers about this project.

You look like you're going to say something. I'm going to ask a question that came up earlier. Should we add a second meeting? No. Okay. That's just my personal opinion. I think we've. I'm good with the number that we've done and the engagement that we have. But if anyone else has other opinions about adding another community meeting, I'm open to them. I think you've made a fair offer to the community. I like that phrase. Do we have another communications working group meeting scheduled for this week? Like this Friday? I know we had talked about doing one. We can touch on finalizing FAQs, the handhelds that are going to be going out within the towns. Like we can be doing a lot of that work still without having to have another meeting.

I think on top of it to address everyone's questions that they might have. Yeah. I'm good. I just thought I'd put it out there because somebody was wondering. We're making fun of. You know, we'll find out for times for the time being. Essex is 645. Time for town meetings Essex is 645 for 645. Manchester 6. Manchester putting the school vote on their warrant early. And we're putting it on after. 6 6 planning board zoning articles. Yeah, so we're how many do we have? We have 6 we have 6. Yeah, so we have 6 planning board articles. So it's on after that. So it was structures that Manchester would be going before.

With the timing and the placement of the article on the warrant. That's not to say that at either town meeting. There is always the opportunity for someone to come up and move a question. So someone could see that the plane where it's going to get out there. And yeah, 6 articles worth of time. Someone could come up and ask to move article or whatever it is for the school. And then it's a town meeting vote about whether they want to move the article up. So the selection set the order of the articles on the warrant. That doesn't mean that town meeting can't completely blow that out of the water. Whatever that's worth. In our upcoming sessions, I thought we would divvy up. Like who's going to be the go to.

Yeah. And then how we're handling. So we're covered no matter what happens. But then if it was as intended. One can get over, get over to do group. I think we should talk about strategy for that because there's a very real possibility that if there's a strong parent turnout in Essex, there will be a motion to move that up because parents sitting really quick. But still, I think we can make. I think it's not that difficult because if we send some people over here who can speak to the whole thing. Essex people speaking Essex people probably. I think we'll be okay. But yeah, we should. We will do that in an upcoming meeting. Any other questions about the schedule update?

Yeah. One other subtlety of town meeting, just so people know, and if it's not done, it should be done is because a vote like this people come out. To vote for one thing sometimes, and this could be it. Um, if it does pass, then someone needs to get up and immediately to reconsider the article. So that it can be voted on for the motion to reconsider the article can be voted down so that it doesn't get reconsidered before all the people who came to vote for that. I don't know if y'all do that in Manchester, but we have that sneaky, sneaky stuff going in Essex. It's not even it's just how the game is played. So it's, it's we know it happens. And if there's a one issue, an issue that people just come to vote for that one thing,

and you don't want to have it brought up at the end of the meeting and voted down, then you go to you make a motion to reconsider. They vote down the motion to reconsider and then it's a final. It's something to know. So somebody just gets up and doesn't follow. Yes. And then they make the comment saying, I don't want you to pass this. I want you to vote this down so that we don't have to do it. You get one opportunity in a meeting to reconsider an article after it's been voted on. And once that one opportunity to reconsider the past has been voted on, then it's finalized. We'll start to get organized to have childcare and things like that available. I can speak authoritatively to say that the National Honor Society has decided and

approved that they would like to take on the coordination of childcare for Essex so that there's an official group doing that from here on out as the youth who has been doing it will be graduating this year. So she's transitioning that out. And so there will be coverage there. Yeah. Which is usually part of the appeal for them. Any other scheduling questions? All right, then, so phasing and logistics, we're just saying briefly, we really have covered that quite a lot in recent meetings. I mean, we're getting really good at it. I know. We want to do it. Like, I could do it. I mean, we're there. Well, make sure it's posted, obviously, with all the other presentations and within there.

So if you have any questions, just let us know. Like Jody and Mari have said, this is like the first ad at it is going to change. And it's going to evolve into a better phasing and logistics plan. So this is just our first time being able to fully talk there with you guys. So are we good if we don't go through the whole thing again? Hearing no objections, we will move on to other topics, not reasonably anticipated. I would just anyone have any thoughts or comments on the two community meetings that we've now had kind of back to back tonight went really well. Oh, Charlie, go ahead. So can we is there a forum for us to comment on a couple of things without taking everybody's

time this evening prior to the next community meeting in generally? I mean, I just have a couple of things that came out of it. I thought the community meeting went well. I think as with the last community meeting in is my humble opinion, there should be less focus on the project design, the project and very little on logistics and much more on, I mean, people's questions around cost and people's questions are continue to be around. How come it's way more than Manchester? And, you know, we don't understand. And is it bigger than Manchester? And I really think that has to be kind of where people's focus and attention is. That's just my personal opinion. And I mean, one thing I wondered, would it be worth considering?

And you don't I don't know if this is a good idea or bad idea, but you could put the Manchester even without square footage if you wanted. But the Manchester building program summarized in the Essex building program summarized next to each other, because it's going to say Jim, Jim, cafeteria, cafeteria, library, library. So people need to understand that so they can wrap their head around why Essex is the size it is. And really, as you said, I think very accurately, Pam, really, the difference is two classrooms versus three. But beyond that per grade, but beyond that, they're really very similar. The other thing I was going to say is, Christina, the MSBA used to have a cost data page in their website that showed a graph showing escalating costs.

So it wasn't the bar chart you guys are presenting. It was an actual graphic chart showing rising costs over time. Is that still there? Yeah, and it's actually one of my backup slides that I've had just in case, like we want to look at comparison costs differently. But yes, I have that. And we can use that for the FAQ that we put together of comparison of similar projects. I mean, just any any kind of a graph, a kind of graphically simplified one if you need. But I mean, it's so clear what's going on when you see something like that. And because the bar chart is all sort of current projects, right? But this thing is an actual, you know, it just shows rising costs over 10 years or whatever.

I think it's something around that would be very effective. And and so I would suggest that in my other comment was, I don't think it was mentioned when people says what said what happens if we vote this down. The other thing, by the way, is that the money that the towns have spent for what we're doing now, feasibility and schematic design is right out the window. So they should also understand that, you know, you're lighting fire to one point, however many million dollars in community costs that would be unrecoverable. So that would be my other point. So those were my thoughts. There's no recovery for MSBA on reimbursements given, is there? No. Thank you, Charlie. And to the very first question you asked, I think it's important.

So like Pam said, I'm actually working on that. What, the side by side? No, before that, you're you're working on all the things. The what is the vehicle for getting your input in? Because we do have another communications meeting this Friday. We had a small group today with some of the community outreach help. And so please, if you have comments like this that you really want us to consider in the messaging and that sort of thing, send an email, send it to Pam, Christina, feel free to include me and Sarah, if you like, and then we'll make sure that it gets out to the rest in ways that don't violate open meeting law, but in particular, build it into that conversation for the communications moving forward.

Yes. I started playing with the alignment of the spaces. Yeah. Mike, go ahead. Yeah, maybe this. Thank you. I appreciate everybody's hard work. Really, really nicely done. Similar to what Charlie was just asking about, I've been getting questions about the state reimbursement and the percentages about how there's a perception that a third or 33 percent of the cost should be reimbursable. And this may have come up in the community meetings. But when we talk about 20 some odd percent reimbursement, there's a perception that there's more in the project than there's extras that aren't being reimbursed.

And so just making sure we have a communication strategy. And personally, I'd like to be able to answer the question more accurately. So if there's a kind of a detail about how that reimbursement is done and what's in or out from our side, it would be helpful to have that information. Yeah. So tomorrow I need to focus on finalizing the schematic design submission. But it'd be helpful if Pam and I, whoever gets together and goes through our FAQs, because we have some, you have some, and I have a bunch of backup slides, and I'm sure you do too, to where we can just finalize the information and put it in a packet or whatever it is to send out to the billing community and everyone so that they're all armed with the information

that they need. In addition, oh, go ahead, Andy. Sorry, I was going to say, Pam, I thought you did an excellent job. Yes. Making that point. Running through the spaces that were included and not included and why when we put in there. I thought that was good. Yeah. That's what I was going to say. I thought tonight that that was just a model of how to handle that question was really all done and maybe something worth taking the recording and time stamping that for people to know where to find that information. I'm working on the FAQ and the alignment, so that's why it was kind of because it's been bothering like how to say it. So I've been trying a narrative and trying charts. So let me see if I can pull the rest of that together tomorrow.

We pulled all the FAQs and merged them onto ours. So I think we're tight. If you guys want to go on and take a look at it, we just need feedback as to whether or not they're getting the mark and whether or not they are. We talked a little bit about today. Some of them are very lengthy, but maybe they need to be. Yeah. Because if you truncate them, then you're not really giving them much more than like a single philosophy answer. And after the board of selecting meeting slash community meeting last week in Essex, we did get some feedback where they wanted specific information like the total project budget sheet, additional slides that show the reimbursement rate, as well as the effect of what the caps are, what's the cost involved with the caps and et cetera.

So I'm happy to shoot that out to this group and so that everyone has the exact same thing that they're even sharing with board of selection as well. You're pretty tied up tomorrow, kind of a thing. So I have it all and I can just, I'll package together something for everybody to say, here's what we've got. Here are some documents that might help you answer the question and let us know what else you need. I think the point that you made about how the state defines the average cost that they're willing to support and the types of the project that they're willing to support up to as, you know, the dynamic of them trying to make their money go further. It's not because we think they think that our project should cost $605 a square foot.

It's because that's what they're willing to support. Yeah, the money they have. And is it, the other thing I was going to ask is, is it fair to say that things like the PT and the RISE program, those are programs that the school has adopted in order to avoid costs of having to send those pupils out to some other more expensive program. You're entitled to be here if we can accommodate them. And then if we choose not to accommodate them, we have to pay for them to go someplace else. And that's a lot more expensive. Exactly. I've just been very quiet because I am new to this group. And this is the first time I've come in person. I appreciate all your work.

I also was just thinking the whole time I was sitting here, just taking in everyone's comments and thinking about all these specifics and how people are just getting lost in so many details. I really hope that as we message in both our communities, we don't lose sight of the vision. And like, I think what really struck me tonight was in Teresa was talking about like the three pillars and the three schools. I just think that's so essential to why we're doing this and why it's such an investment. We really just have to use that word over and over again. Like the school to me, it's just an investment for both of our communities, for our children. Like I joke all the time as a teacher, like these are the kids in front of me that are

going to take care of me one day when I'm in the old home. So I want them to be equipped to be able to do that well. So we owe them to craft a school that's really special for them in the community. So I just don't want to lose sight of that vision because we do get lost in details and find people were asking questions I never would have thought to ask. And just as a side note, I don't know, I just keep hearing the extras. I'm really curious what people think the extras would be in a building, a school building. Like I can't, like that's just a really puzzling worry that I just like keep hearing extras like what I think if we were puzzling through this today and to me like educational plan, it's important, it's what we do, but it doesn't resonate with people.

Unless your clue tuning into currency and educational pedagogy, you're thinking about your experience. So why do they need a special place to do music? Why can't the music teacher just come into the classroom? You know, I'm sure it's just people aren't able to envision what it would be like. But just even to the point of the special programming aside of saving the district money, I think it's also important for us to think about that we want to have an inclusive community where we have a space for all kids. Yeah, and that all kids belong in our school. So I just think all of those pieces will help sell the message to people. And that's the part of the conversation we were having today too is how to,

where do we keep the focus of the bell curve? The vast majority are going to respond to the message of we've been doing this for a long time. This is responsible as far as cost goes. Yes, it's terrible that the costs have gone up so crazy. But here's why we're in support of what of this package that we're bringing forth. And there are the outliers that are going to want to get into the nitty-gritty on different things. We have to be prepared to answer those things for sure. But keeping that message, and I didn't come up with the pillars thing. I'm just repeating it, but it's working on practicing and it's working out. But that's also the beauty of having a building committee with so many different backgrounds,

is that some of us can speak really, for me, I can speak confidently to the decisions we've made in the process we've done. And here's why this is good for our community. Some people can speak really eloquently to the mechanicals, or some people can speak really eloquently to the educational program, you know, that sort of thing. And it's nice to have that rounded effect. I think it's also preparing for the future, as I'm thinking of what you're saying, because there is going to be a turn in the economy, and there is going to be a turnover in homes. And that's really from, oh, go back to Linda Crosby's explanation. When we saw our biggest surges was really empty nesters and people coming into the community.

It wasn't necessarily a demographic spike. It was more of just a transfer. So I think it will come around again and you'll be prepared for it in terms of having the space. So looking at the time and being respectful of what was posted on the agenda, I will bring it back. Are there any other topics not reasonably anticipated or reflections that you need to get out verbally rather than by email in that way? No. Public comment. I don't see anyone online as a fail artist. They all commented. I see nobody in here giving public. All right. Hearing that, I will close public comment. Reflections and action items. We sort of built that in. But if anyone else has anything.