The school building committee on Tuesday approved final plans, specifications and reconciled cost estimates for two phase‑2 elementary school projects and reviewed but did not award bids for a separate electrical equipment purchase.

Committee members voted to approve state project 104‑0120N (listed in the motion as Umkas Elementary School, phase 2) after a motion by Sheila Hayes and a second from Peter Procko. The committee then approved state project 104‑0121N, John Moriarty Elementary School, phase 2, following a separate motion and roll‑call votes; both motions passed with all voting members present recorded as yes.

The committee heard a presentation from the design and estimating teams that the reconciled estimate for the first school project (identified in the estimate materials as Yonkers Elementary School) showed a grant application amount of about $76.0 million and a reconciled total project cost of about $75.1 million, a savings of roughly $1.36 million. For the Moriarty project the reconciled estimate was reported at about $73.8 million versus a grant application amount near $74.1 million. Presenters said the estimates include soft costs, design and estimating contingencies, and allowances for escalation (the presentation mentioned carrying roughly 1–1.5 percent escalation). The teams also said some owner‑contingency adjustments would be made in future updates to the overall program to account for variances.

Committee members discussed site and geotechnical issues at the Moriarty site. Presenters said earlier geotechnical recommendations were conservative and would have required large surcharge or import in limited areas; through sequencing and design coordination the team reduced the area and depth of surcharge needed and maintained standard footing designs used across the program.

The committee also reviewed procurement for the ATS and generator purchase. Presenters reported seven bids were received; the low bid amounts communicated during the meeting ranged roughly from $755,000 to $1,056,000, but several low bidders omitted a $40,000 allowance specified on the bid form. ONG staff said they will coordinate with the city purchasing agent (Bob Castronova was named) to resolve the omitted allowance and expect to bring a full guaranteed maximum price (GMP) update to the next building committee meeting. No letters of intent or awards were issued at tonight’s meeting.

The committee heard brief administrative items: the design set cover sheet shows approvals from the health department and the ADA/504 coordinator, and hard copies of drawings were delivered to the fire marshal (whose review timing was delayed by scheduled vacation). Chair announced that Chris Rose will retire as NPU general manager in December and that Jeff Breining will take over as general manager; presenters and a city representative said the developer agreement signed by the city manager contains the anticipated NPU costs for the projects.

Sheila Hayes moved the first approval “so moved,” and Bill Hall seconded the adjournment motion later in the meeting. The committee adjourned at 7:19 p.m.; the chair said the next regular meeting will be on December 16.