School leaders get update on capital project in progress
by Dan McClelland
The Tupper Lake Board of Education last week received an update on the ongoing building improvement program in the district by a representative of the district’s architect, CS Arch and members of School House Construction, which is the district’s clerk of the work on the $20 million capital improvement project.
Kyle Smith, the district’s lead architect with CS Arch, was first to speak that evening and told the elected officials he was happy to be back before them with this latest update on the project.. He reminded them there were actually three projects in play.
“So I'll start with the smaller ones. We have last year’s capital outlay which is essentially completed with the state” after a recent inspection. On that project there are some what he called “odds and ends” being finished up including some cafeteria flooring and some pipe work in the kitchen and cafeteria areas.
“The goal is testing afterwards and hopefully we will get some good news on that”
He said the second “outlay” or project in 2026 that was included in the previous budget vote is for the sign at the middle school high school, along with some flooring still to be down around the buildings.
“We did get quotes before we even went out (for bid). We're confident we can replace that sign with the electronic one! Our goal in this project is to get it to SED (state education department). We have found that all of the products and installation can be done through state contract.
“Our recommendation is to skip the bidding process on this one, and that way we can save a month. We’ll know exactly what the cost is for material and install before you even go out to bid. So we are working on pricing right now with a company called Landmark Flooring, which does a lot of flooring work across the state.”
He said through that big firm they should be able to get some good flooring options for the flooring still to be laid.
He asked the board if there were any questions on those two smaller projects and there were none.
The architect turned the capital project presentation over to Paul Lamoy, with School House Construction, noting that they are “deep into construction into the second summer.”
Mr. Lamoy told the board his company had provided the board with their latest monthly update. “The capital project is ongoing. If you drive by the building, you've seen an awful lot of construction both inside and outside.
“The track has been milled. They're working over there, getting ready to do work at the track.
“Inside, the office renovation is going really, really well. I will say, we've had a lot of difficulty with the general contractor along the way. We've rejected work a few times on different items and we continue to struggle to get work sometimes that’s acceptable” to both our firm and CSArch.
“I will say, the contractor gave us a new schedule today...just a couple hours before this meeting. So we're reviewing that and taking a good look at it. He does say in his new schedule that he still plans on finishing on time. I'm going to quantify that by saying that we believe the project will be substantially complete by the time kids are back in school. There will be some punch list items and some things that are going to have to be wrapped up as there are still punch list items over at L.P. Quinn that have been dragging on for almost a year now,” Mr. Lamoy concluded, and then opened it up for board questions.
He told the board members they have all been around the buildings and reviewed his firm’s photos of the various work underway.
Mr. Lamoy said the monthly reports to the board are done by Tupper Lake’s Kris Brunette, who’s on the scene everyday.
He also re-introduced to the board the owner of School House Construction, former Tupper Laker Eric Robert, the son of Barry and Nancy Robert, former owners of the Tupper Lake Motel on Park Street.
Superintendent of Schools asked Mr. Brunette if he could arrange a tour of the two buildings before the start of the board’s next meeting on August 3.
“ I know it won't be 100% done,” she told them, but she thought it would be a good chance for the board to see some of the interior work that has been completed in recent months.
Mr. Brunette said he would arrange that tour to precede next month’s board meeting.
“I did see the restrooms next to main offices during the tile work phase of work,” Board President Jane Whitmore told the four men.
“ It's absolutely gorgeous. I saw it on the night of graduation, it was beautiful. Keep it up!”
“So (the project) won't be completed by the time school starts? Vice President Jason Rolley asked them. “-And you said there's going to be a few things left on the punch list.”
“Just a little list of punch list items... I think it'll be able to be occupied,” Mr. Lamoy assured them.
Mr. Rolley wondered about any disruptions to the children again and was told they “don’t anticipate that.”
Board Member Josh Tremblay asked them if the project will be close to budget or even under budget.
Mr. Lamoy told the school officials that “we are under budget right now. I'd say we have a pretty healthy construction contingency fund going, and we're making some changes, and we’ve run into some things, but we're operating under that contingency allowance budget, and I think we're actually going to have a pretty healthy construction fund at the end of the project.”
Mr. Tremblay asked the architect if he agreed with that financial conclusion and Mr. Smith said he did.
The architect said: “Working together we've been reviewing cost change orders, making sure there's proper back up, and making sure that the costs that are presented to the district are imbedded well. We've gone through a lot of demolition work already and found a lot of issues that we have, were found already. But we are tracking in a good direction going forward.”
Board President Whitmore asked them the major hurdles they have encountered so far.
The architect said one of the hurdles were the mechanical units and coordinating their installation with steel reinforcements. “I think just steel work in itself has been difficult to push and get completed. But we are constantly in communication of when each contractor can get that done. So that is your air conditioning unit in the main office. That's your air conditioning in the auditorium and stage locations.
He said too window installations have been another hurdle in the project.
Mr. Lamoy said one of the struggles has been “managing the general contractor, and more importantly, his subcontractors, and trying to get their people here and get them to work every day. So that has been a struggle and it continues to be a struggle to get people here every day. Today was a really nice day and the site contractor was nowhere to be found. So you kind of struggle when you miss a day like that!”
Board Member Mary Ellen Chamberlain asked them what parts of the three projects are on time and which aren’t.
Mr. Brunette said the high school main office part of the project is on schedule. “And I'd say the site work restoration at the bus loop in the front of the middle/high school, we were able to start that a little bit early. I mean it's ongoing right now, but because we were able to get in there early, I would consider it on time right now.”
He said the introduction of steel reinforcements to the high school gymnasium ceiling is on schedule too. “We did get some of that done in the gymnasium at the high school over February break. So that I would consider we’re ahead there. We had it in our original schedules happening in the summer when school was out, but we did get a jump on it. There is still some work to do on it. We have duct work in there for the new unit. So that will be happening this summer, but with the jump in February, I'd say that was on time as well.”
Another question from Josh Tremblay: “So you're talking about the punch list items still to do when the building is occupied. How long will those punch out list items take to be completed if everything goes smoothly with the general contractor and subcontractors?”
Mr. Brunette estimated 30 to 45 days. “Generally and usually it's minor touch ups of paint and those kind of things.”
Eric Robert explained that exact time frames are sometimes hard to predict. “We have to be a little bit cautious in the sense that Paul and Kris are giving updates based on the work of the general contractor. We're meeting with them every day. We're pushing as hard as we can, but they're a separate entity. They're not contracted with us. So we're sharing with you what we're envisioning and what we're pushing them to do, but, you know, looking at the punch list items here, it could drag on a little bit. I will mention that state education department allows projects to be closed out twice a year. So in December and June, they allow for a close-out period, and right now, we're essentially shooting for December this year. So hopefully, we get them through the fall...get them all punched out in the fall.
Mr. Tremblay asked the men what were the unforeseen conditions that were uncovered during the track asphalt removal?
Explained Mr. Brunette, “last week, before we got going on the track, scheduled was a full mill of all the asphalt. When we dug into it, we noticed there was thicker asphalt than originally planned. So they did a full swipe of that, in front of where your home bleachers are. It was eight inches of asphalt, on top of a sand sub-base.
“So it differed a little bit from design. At that point, we made the call that day to only mill the rest of the track to a two-inch depth until we could get Kyle's civil team to evaluate what they were seeing and make that call. We didn't want to get rid of all the asphalt. It's harder to put back. So we just went with the two inches. They are working on a fix for that!”
Mr. Smith confirmed that the CS Arch civil team came to the track site days later. “They talked to the contractor, took photos, made observations. I received a draft report from them this morning. So the goal is to keep pushing forward. We'll provide updated documents for pricing, but it is an unperceived condition.”
He noted the sand sub-base isn’t ideal for a track. “So, working with a contractor and working with our design consultants, we’re coming up with a solution, and we'll be able to provide you an update on that, moving forward.”
Asked Ms. Chamberlain: “Do you guys feel pretty confident that it won't hinder football once that starts?
“It will add to their schedule, answered Kris Brunette. “It was a tight schedule from the get go. The biggest item in there is when they get the new asphalt down, there's a 21- day period where it has to lay idle before you can put the rubber down. So that was kind of making the schedule tight. With this little bit of downtime, I think we're losing about a week. It will be tight, but as we get closer, that'll be something we’ll work with Jaycee on.”
“But I guess the question is,” added Architect Smith, “does the track material have to be down for football? The answer is no!”
They're still using the middle/ high school as practice field, noted Jane Whitmore. “So that'll buy us some time before our first game?”
Superintendent Welsh noted the opening game is September 4.
The architect said their immediate goal would be to fashion a place where people could get across the freshly laid track without injuring it and until the rubber component can be applied. “We don’t want to create a barrier!”
“We’re working with the contractor and our design consultants to come up with a solution,” he told the board.
Mr. Smith told the board: “We are also relying on the contractor to provide us quick pricing and then a quick turnaround. So, that's not always in our control in this time of the year with contractors, but I know that School House, will continue to do what it’s been doing this whole project and will push for that to get information in front of my team so that we can provide recommendations to the district moving forward and how to alleviate these issues.
Ms. Chamberlain wondered about any past resurfacing of the track, and was told it has been resurfaced at least once.
It has been a while, however, someone noted.
“ It is pretty sturdy, Mr. Brunette told the board. “We've had dump trucks and heavy equipment all over it, and we haven't seen it moving or cracking.” He guessed it has never been replaced entirely.
The board president asked about the new air conditioners and new air handling equipm ent at the high school. “Remind me where they are going or the new air handling, and was told: the auditorium, the gym and the main office area. One nearby classroom to those places will also benefit from the new systems, it was noted.
The new superintendent of schools, Jaycee Welsh, admitted this project has been “an experience” for her.
She said every day her and Sean Auclair (buildings superintendent) are on meetings with Kyle, Kris, Paul and others like the general contractor. “Everyone’s goal is that we finish on time!”
“CS Arch and School House Construction have been absolutely amazing in problem-solving and trying to get solutions to some pretty trying barriers. And so I am very appreciative of them. They are so patient with me when I ask 1,000 questions. And it's been great.”
She said Mr. Auclair attends all of those 8:30a.m. meetings with her - listening to everything and advising where he can. She also applauded Kris Brunette, “who has done an amazing job at looking after us. We so appreciate his diligence, the amount of hours that man works.” She noted that with improvements going on in both buildings, it’s hard for him to be everywhere, but he does a good job at it.
She said that the work that Sean and Kris have done together has not only helped with this capital project, but about learning about the district’s buildings overall “which will also help us the next time around and in the upcoming building survey that must be done.
She said he and the rest of the team have been incredibly helpful throughout the entire process to date.
She said too with all the building knowledge fresh in everyone’s mind, it’s perhaps a good time to start thinking about what’s next for the district and its buildings. “That work starts tomorrow!”
The superintendent thanked the four men that evening, explaining this wasn’t a typical building project and she thanked them for helping them navigate the entire process to address the much needed work in the school buildings.