Below is a summarized version of the Permanent Building Committee meeting, organized by timestamps and speakers, focusing on key points raised during the discussion in Reading, Massachusetts. This summary condenses the discussion into major themes, speaker contributions, and decisions, avoiding excessive detail while retaining the essence of the conversation. Timestamps correspond to the video linked at the bottom.
Contents
- 🏗️ Permanent Building Committee Meeting Summary
- 🔹 Public Comment (Non-Agenda Items)
- 🔹 Roll Call & Approval of Minutes
- 🔹 Invoice Approvals
- 🔹 RECAL Budget & Schedule Update
- 🔹 Discussion: Trail Design Adjustment
- 🔹 HVAC System Design Discussion
- 🔹 Design Process & Stakeholder Input
- 🔹 Design Review & Documentation Discussion
- 🔹 Design Votes
- 🔹 Working Groups Discussion
- 🔹 Future Meeting Dates
- 🔹 Adjournment
- ✅ Key Outcomes
🏗️ Permanent Building Committee Meeting Summary
📅 Date: July 2, 2025
🕖 Time: 6:00 PM
📍 Location: in-person at the Pleasant Street Center and Zoom
👥 Committee Members Present:
- Nancy Twomey
- John Coote
- Kirk McCormick
- Ari Greenberg (voting in place of Greg Steppler)
- Nancy Ziemlak
- Pat Tompkins (Chair)
🔹 Public Comment (Non-Agenda Items)
🕒 8:40–10:14
- A resident requested to speak during the vote on the fitness room relocation rather than during general public comment.
- No other public comments were made.
🔹 Roll Call & Approval of Minutes
🕒 10:14–12:16
- Roll call was conducted; several members were absent. (Mark Dockser, Mike Nazzaro, Greg Steppler)
- May 28, 2025 meeting minutes were approved with a correction to a Kirk McCormick’s misspelled name.
🔹 Invoice Approvals
🕒 12:16–19:52
- Turner & Townsend Heery: Final invoice for feasibility study approved – \$11,030.
- BH+A: Two invoices approved:
- Basic services – \$60,000
- Consultant services (geotechnical and survey) – \$11,400
🔹 RECAL Budget & Schedule Update
🕒 19:52–24:01
- Project remains on budget with less than 1% cost incurred.
- Budget tracking spreadsheet will be updated weekly.
- Design Development (DD) set is on track for completion by July 17.
- Upcoming submissions:
- CPDC drawings due July 7
- Conservation Commission guidelines due July 9
🔹 Discussion: Trail Design Adjustment
🕒 24:01–25:48
- Trail design revised to include a full loop of stone dust trail in the buffer zone.
- Wetlands boardwalk portion deferred until future funding is available.
🔹 HVAC System Design Discussion
🕒 25:48–41:15
- Debate over VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow) vs. geothermal and air-to-water systems.
- Facilities expressed concerns about VRF based on past issues with Daikin systems.
- Consensus to rule out geothermal due to cost and maintenance concerns.
- Proposal to form a mechanical/HVAC subcommittee under the sustainability working group to finalize system recommendation.
🔹 Design Process & Stakeholder Input
🕒 41:15–59:00
- Emphasis on avoiding backtracking on schematic design decisions.
- Concerns raised about unresolved design items from the Council on Aging (COA).
- Agreement to review COA’s spreadsheet of unresolved items and categorize them into “Yes,” “No,” and “Maybe” buckets.
- Commitment to transparency and documentation of decisions.
🔹 Design Review & Documentation Discussion
🕒 59:00–1:19:47
- Extended discussion on how design feedback is being tracked and addressed.
- Agreement to consolidate and review all comments from COA and other stakeholders.
- Spreadsheet will be updated with determinations and rationale for each item.
- Goal: finalize outstanding design issues before July 17 DD submission.
🔹 Design Votes
🕒 1:19:47–1:48:40
- Move Fitness Room to Second Floor – ✅ Approved
- Supported by staff and stakeholders for better aesthetics and supervision.
- Estimated structural cost: \$5,000
- Add Movable Partition to First Floor Room – ❌ Rejected
- Estimated cost: \$100,000–\$125,000
- Concerns over cost, storage impact, and necessity.
🔹 Working Groups Discussion
🕒 1:48:40–1:55:03
- Decision to:
- Continue the Sustainability Working Group
- Create a new Finance/Change Orders Working Group
- Sunset the Stakeholder Design Group
- Handle Communications as needed without a formal group
🔹 Future Meeting Dates
🕒 1:55:03–1:57:15
- October meeting moved from the 1st to October 8 due to conflicts.
- Next meeting scheduled for Wednesday, August 6.
🔹 Adjournment
🕒 1:57:15–1:57:51
- Meeting adjourned by unanimous vote.
✅ Key Outcomes
- Invoices Approved: Turner & Townsend Heery and BH+A invoices totaling \$82,430
- Fitness Room Relocation: Approved to move to second floor
- Movable Partition: Rejected due to high cost and limited benefit
- HVAC System: Geothermal ruled out; further review of VRF vs. air-to-water to be conducted
- Design Feedback: COA concerns to be reviewed and categorized for resolution
- Working Groups: Sustainability group continues; new finance group formed; design group sunset
- Next Steps: Finalize design development set by July 17, review COA spreadsheet, and prepare for next meeting on August 6
