The Hopkinton School Committee voted Thursday to accept an accelerated turnover plan for the new Hopkins High School addition and to pursue adding capital work while the contractor remains mobilized.

Chris Eberle, project executive for the Vertex Companies, told the committee the project is running ahead of schedule and that taking possession earlier would allow more disruptive activities to occur during off-hours. "We're actually a significant amount ahead of schedule," Eberle said, adding the earlier turnover creates "the opportunity to add additional scope" and reduce daytime disruption for students.

Commodore Builders' representatives said the plan would let crews remain on site, avoid demobilization and remobilization, and schedule jackhammering, concrete removal and other noisy work during second shifts, evenings or weekends. Commodore senior project manager Ricky Shagru said extra time reduces reliance on overtime and helps keep the same crews on the job.

Matt, a school administrator who participated in planning discussions, told the committee he initially had concerns but supported the revised schedule after hearing how work could be shifted: "Knowing that we could shift the loudest, most disruptive things ... to that second shift, I think is worth everything."

The trade-off is a longer term of reliance on a temporary kitchen trailer to feed students: construction staff said moving the turnover earlier adds roughly six weeks of additional trailer rental and related costs. Project materials show roughly $430,000 in total kitchen-related costs as currently estimated, with about $188,000 already committed; the contractor and OPM proposed reallocating previously approved funds and bringing some of that kitchen cost into the construction GMP so remaining money could be used for other capital items.

The project team presented a range of potential uses for uncommitted construction dollars, including replacing existing flooring throughout older sections, updating restroom partitions, replacing worn furniture, and addressing a near-term water heater replacement. Eberle said the packages under discussion would reduce future capital requests because the work would be done while crews are mobilized.

Committee members asked for timing and sequencing details; Eberle said decisions about which additional scopes to fund would return to the committee for approval. The motion before the committee asked members to support the revised schedule, to authorize the project team to prepare for December occupancy, and to allow staff and the contractor to refine additional scope items for future cost approval. The motion passed by voice vote.

What the committee approved tonight was procedural: moving occupancy earlier and directing staff to continue evaluating additional scope and financing options. Specific extra work would be brought back for separate cost approvals.

Provenance: Topic discussion began during the construction update by Vertex and Commodore and continued through committee deliberations (presentation start ~00:32:10; committee motion and vote ~01:22:57).