By Sarah Opdahl

At the Tuesday, May 27 meeting of New Fairfield’s Permanent Building Committee (PBC) there was a brief discussion about the expected AmTech report on the propane failure that plagued this group and the high school for over a year. Colliers International’s Mr. Mark Schweitzer said, “they provided a draft letter, I sent back comments, I got further clarification from them, and they are revising the report.”

It was later revealed that in the first draft letter AmTech recommended abandoning and replacing all piping. Colliers International’s Mr. Scott Pellman emphasized, “I think we should clarify that all of the remaining existing piping that hasn’t been replaced, the service, the main service, the feeds to the kitchen and culinary, are functioning properly…when those were installed, it was deemed that those could remain as a permanent installation.” PBC member Mr. David Zeh asked, if piping  needs replacing , “who would the costs fall under?” Pellman replied, “We don’t have a definitive smoking gun yet from the report, which we’re still looking for…my gut tells me that it may be a process of going after responsible parties. So, I’m anticipating, in the short term, that the district would have to pay to replace the piping, and then there would have to potentially be actions taken to recover the money.”

Pellman also gave a report on potential bus lot funding. He said, “we’ve reached out to the state to confirm that the same funding remains in place, which is our understanding if it goes on the Consolidated lot. We have also inquired, we would like to close out the Cela project [the elementary addition]…the state holds back 5% and we’re trying to find out if we could split off the remaining work,” which he identified as a “broad ask.” Pellman  went on, “I’ve reported to this committee that we don’t believe there is sufficient funds [for the lot].” If additional funding had to come from another funding source, he has asked whether it would also qualify for the 39% reimbursement.

The former Consolidated School site is continuing to progress, with Schweitzer explaining, “It is final graded, it is top soiled, it is hydro seeded.” He said that preparations are underway to replace the sidewalks that were in front of the 90s edition and tie those into the rest of the sidewalks. There will be “some asphalt replacement” in the parking lot. He noted, “The plan is to do the strip that encompasses basically the three existing catch basins right next to the field.”

Following up on recent tests involving water being found in two of the high school’s science classroom propane lines, Schweitzer explained that work is being planned to complete an investigation by checking the flex hoses.  With trust in the fixtures dwindling, there was a conversation about whether to replace all of them, rather than focusing on the two currently impacted classrooms.

Wire management is progressing in the high school’s Mac and engineering labs, following three rounds of trials involving a variety of solutions. “This is what the third time back we did the mock up,” Schweitzer said, the final solution for which involves wire loam and wire baskets.

In an update on the elementary playground surface replacement, it was noted that additional drainage will be added in the landscape area between the basketball courts and the play surface. Schweitzer shared, “I did check with Zoning, and they will need to sign off and approve any changes to it, not only drainage, but the landscape.” Currently, “there’s been a washout of mulch from the planted berm onto the play surface,” so there is a plan to correct the berm as well.

Work will commence on a new crosswalk on Gillotti Road, at the exit of the high/middle school campus just after the school year is finished.

The next regular Permanent Building Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 10, 7:30 p.m.