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Q: Status report of the ed specs/design guidelines process and when a draft would be presented to the board.

A: Design Guidelines Status: They are in draft phase and will be reviewed with the stakeholders this coming week. We anticipate having a draft copy to the Construction Advisory Committee once the Facilities Staff has had a chance to review the draft document.

Education Specifications Guidelines Status: Eight days of workshops were conducted in March and April along with numerous meetings with various stakeholders. Our consultant is consolidating all of the data from the workshops/meetings and will present a final draft near the end of May for staff to review.

We anticipate that these documents will be complete in time for designers who will work on the 2008 Bond to have as a resource in developing school designs.

Q: What staff members are currently working in the facilities department and do you anticipate needing to expand? If so, how? How much would this cost and how would this be covered (I assume with bond funds)?

A: Currently we have the following staff members (employees & contracted staff) in the Facilities department:

Donna Bell, Director of Planning
Lisa Brinkley, Office Support III
Dennis Cole,* Bond Program Director
Joe Hill,* Facilities Consultant
Gary Hubler,* Standards and Design Manager
Andrew LaRowe, Executive Director Facilities and Construction Management
Lindy Leonard, Environmental Compliance Officer
Julius Monk, Director of Construction
Jeanie Shelton, Office Support III
Noah Tiluk, Program Administrator III-Demographer
Randy Wagoner, Program Administrator II- Facility
Vickie Woody, Assistant Project Manager-FFE
*Contracted Employees

The Bond projects do carry the cost necessary to manage the projects in the overall budget. We do expect that additional staff will be required to manage these projects as they enter different phases of implementation. We are looking at utilizing a combination of employees and contracted staff to manage these projects. Among other factors the scheduling of these projects and the delivery method used would likely have an impact on the staffing resources that GCS would need to provide to manage these projects. Staff will bring a recommendation to the Architectural Selection Committee shortly on the delivery method for each project. We are also finalizing a proposed schedule for implementation of projects on the 2008 Bond which we will share with Board members in the near future. We will be happy to also provide you with a copy when this is finalized.

Q: What is your department's rough timeline for getting started on other projects, such as the HVAC installations?

A: We are finalizing a proposed schedule for implementation of projects on the 2008 Bond which we will share with Board members in the near future. We will be happy to also provide you with a copy when this is finalized. Board members have also expressed a desire to proceed with certain HVAC and other smaller improvements early if at all possible. These are discussions that we will need to have with board members prior to finalizing the schedule.

Q:What can you do at this point that does not require board approval?

A: Many planning activities are currently underway. These include further definition of scope and budgets; review of site logistics; reviewing potential sites for new schools; working on project schedules, etc. We will soon begin the process of identifying project team members so these teams can get started as soon as designers are selected.

Q: How and when will the project teams for projects be put together? If there are existing project teams, who are the members (i.e. Jamestown, Special Ed West)?

A: We will soon begin the process of identifying project team members so these teams can get started as soon as designers are selected. Special Ed West Project Team to date has included the Principal from Gateway West, other Gateway school staff, GCS's Executive Coordinator for Exceptional Children, parents, Board members, designer and Facilities Staff. The Jamestown Project Team will be put together shortly.

Q: By the end of the summer, by the end of the year, what do you hope to have accomplished?

A: By end of summer Facilities would like to have passed on to the Board, recommendations for architects that have responded to the District’s Request for Qualifications. Our intent this year would be to have a majority of the projects assigned to an architectural/engineering firm to start the design phase. By year end we would also like to have project teams identified and in some cases the preliminary design either started or close to being finished in other cases. We would also like to have the type of construction delivery method for each project identified, a target schedule for each project being implemented and continued review of site logistics and review of potential sites for new schools. Jamestown MS should have a construction manager under contract this year and pending final permit approvals we hope to be able to begin construction this year.

Q: I need an updated description of what’s going on with outstanding construction projects.

A: The Facilities Staff has ongoing work at several projects- (see April 24th BOE update for list of projects). The following is an update to what was previously reported to the BOE on April 24th where a substantial change/milestone can be reported from the date of this report to today. (See report at the following link.)

Union Hill Elementary School: Demolition is nearing completion and Contractual Agreement with Samet Corporation for Construction Services at Union Hill Elementary School was approved by the Board May 8, 2008. This will allow the grading and building pad work to proceed.

Dean B. Pruette SCALE School: Contractual Agreement with New Atlantic Contracting, Inc. for Construction Services at Dean B. Pruette SCALE School was approved by the Board May 8, 2008.

Jamestown MS and Ragsdale HS/Autism Wing: At the May 8, 2008 BOE Mtg. staff's recommendation to proceed with an RFQ for CM at Risk services for Jamestown Middle School and Ragsdale High School/Autism Wing passed upon unanimous electronic vote. We are in the process of developing the RFQ to put out on the street in short order.

Bobadilla: On a separate note we also continue to make substantial progress in our M/WBE outreach efforts. The proof is in the M/WBE numbers we have received recently as follows:

Contractual Agreement with New Atlantic Contracting, Inc. for Construction Services at Dean B. Pruette SCALE School (as reported at the May 8, 2008 BOE meeting- CM @ Risk):

· MBE: 20.7%
· WBE: 6.6%

Total M/WBE: 27.3%

Contractual Agreement with Samet Corporation for Construction Services at Union Hill Elementary School (as reported at the May 8, 2008 BOE meeting-Phase II, CM @ Risk):

· MBE: 9.7%
· WBE: 29.9%

Total M/WBE: 39.6%

Eastern Guilford HS (Barnhill Contracting, based on projected contract values of $34,345,109 from April –July 2008, CM@Risk)

· MBE 8.61%
· WBE 19.49%

Total M/WBE: 28.1%

Washington Elementary- Montessori Magnet Project- Pfister Construction

· MBE: 40%
· WBE: 4%

Total M/WBE: 44%

I would be surprised if many or any other local government entity in Guilford County is doing as well as we have recently done. We plan to continue to build on the good work that has already been done as we move forward with implementing the 2008 Bond.