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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

McDonough School Building Committee Special Meeting – April 30, 2026

Common Council & Commissions — Thursday, April 30, 2026

BodyMiddletown, Connecticut

SessionCommon Council & Commissions

DateThursday, April 30, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 34:34

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:00

Meeting.

0:05

Just about to ask that.

0:07

Thank you, Steph.

0:09

So calling the meeting to order at 6.02.

0:13

This is the 421 special meeting of the McDonough School Building Committee.

0:19

I appreciate everybody's willingness to come on to a virtual only meeting.

0:26

I'd like to use a virtual meeting for a special meeting.

0:29

I feel like it's a lot more flexible, especially timing like this with the budget hearings where everybody is scrambling to use 208.

0:38

So thanks everybody for your willingness to do a virtual only meeting.

0:43

And if anybody has any issues with that moving forward, please don't hesitate to reach out to me offline.

0:49

I'm happy to discuss.

0:51

We want to make sure that everybody's comfortable.

1:01

One of our members, Dan Penny has resigned from our commission.

1:15

So we do have a vacancy on our commission.

1:18

If anybody has any buddy in mind, please feel free to call that name forward and we can discuss offline if that's the right fit for the role.

1:28

And hopefully come back to a full compliment.

1:33

Also on our agenda this evening.

1:37

Oh, we got a hand raised.

1:39

Patrick, did you have uh something you want to chime in?

1:41

Just real quick, what are the qualifications for, you know, we'd have to be a middle town resident, they have to have XY or Z or what's the Yeah.

1:52

So the person has to be a middle town resident to serve on a commission in the city.

1:57

Um in this case, because they will serve as somebody with experience with um building development and reconstruction.

2:07

Uh they can be either party affiliation.

2:10

So as long as they're a resident and they have uh a background in building reconstruction and development.

2:18

Thanks.

2:18

You're welcome.

2:20

Um another item on the agenda tonight, and I want to call it out before we get there.

2:24

Um just in case we have any members of the public.

2:26

I'm not seeing any at a quick glance, but I know we're always joined by friends.

2:30

Um I have added um item number four under new business, uh, is a discussion uh item for us to talk about the vision for the school.

2:42

I know it's a be a little bit premature for our actual plans since we've yet to um go forward with our construction manager RFP, but I want a space for us to start to talk about things that are important to us in the design, just kind of getting it out there, and also because we have the the public session and members of the public are only able to speak of items that are on the agenda.

3:07

And so this kind of creates a um ability for us to collaborate with members of the public in addition to to things that are on the commission's mind.

3:16

So um start thinking about that.

3:18

And when we get to item number four, if you have something you you want to bring up for discussion, um absolutely do that.

3:24

Um all right, so item number two is our public session.

3:29

Do I have any members of the public wishing to speak?

3:35

Any members of the public wishing to speak.

3:40

All right, not seeing or hearing anybody.

3:43

Um I will close the public session.

3:46

Um item number three is approval of the minutes for uh February 24th meeting.

3:52

Do I have a motion to approve?

3:56

And make a motion.

3:58

All right.

3:58

Was that Andrea?

4:01

Yes.

4:01

All right, do I have a second?

4:04

Chine.

4:05

All right.

4:06

Um thank you.

4:08

All in favor.

4:10

All right.

4:12

All right, looks good.

4:13

Uh the minutes are approved.

4:15

So um item number four is our new business.

4:18

And so this is an opportunity for us to talk about our vision for the school.

4:24

I realize this is kind of a new thing.

4:26

Maybe everybody hasn't had a chance to to look at the agenda yet.

4:29

I know it's a little bit of a different idea than some of our other council commissions.

4:35

Um, there's not always a line item to just kind of get the conversation started.

4:39

We usually work off a like set business we have to do, but um, as this project is super important to the city and and you know it has a very unique community.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Education Funding█████████████████████████████████████37%

Procedural███████████████████████████27%

Public Safety████████████████16%

Procurement Policy████████8%

Public Engagement███████7%

Engineering And Infrastructure█████5%

Summary of Proceedings

McDonough School Building Committee Special Meeting – April 30, 2026

The McDonough School Building Committee held a virtual special meeting on April 30, 2026, at 6:02 PM. The committee discussed the vision for the new McDonough School, provided updates on the TSKP contract, and outlined the schedule for the construction manager RFP. A vacancy on the committee was noted due to the resignation of Dan Penny.

Public Comments & Testimony

No members of the public spoke during the public session.
Later, under new business, the committee voted to waive rules to allow Abby, a special education teacher at McDonough, to speak. She requested at least two separate special education rooms in the new school, highlighting benefits for testing and instruction.

Discussion Items

Vacancy: Chair noted the resignation of Dan Penny and invited suggestions for a replacement. Patrick asked about qualifications; response: must be a Middletown resident with a background in building reconstruction/development.
Vision for the School (New Business): Committee members shared desired features:
- Joe: Functional items like better ingress/egress and parking.
- Patrick: Preserve the sense of community, prioritize net-zero energy, natural light, ventilation, air conditioning; blend with the neighborhood and consider walkability.
- Kelly: Safety improvements – office at front door, easier recess access (avoid crossing driveway), flexible classrooms for larger grades.
- Sigrid: Maintain community feel with an easy parent entrance for events; preserve community amenities like basketball court; consider separate entrance for auditorium/gym.
- Councilwoman Chine Fulton: Support for separate gym and auditorium spaces, possibly two gyms.
- John Giuliano: Emphasized safety to prevent public from accessing the rest of the building; recommended cafeteria between gym and auditorium for events; need accessible restrooms, family bathroom with changing table; easy drop-off/pick-up.
- Abby (special ed teacher): Requested two separate special education rooms.
TSKP Contract Update (Old Business): Chief of Staff Steven reported that the bid waiver was approved by Council, and after review by DAS and legal, the process is confirmed reimbursable at approximately 81–82%. The contract has been signed by the mayor but is missing supporting documents; finalization is pending insurance review.
Construction Manager RFP Schedule: Steven presented the schedule: advertising starts April 22 (note: this creates a discrepancy with the given meeting date of April 30 – the transcript likely contains a date error), pre-bid meeting on May 12 at 10 AM in council chambers, question deadline May 22 at noon, addendums by May 29, and RFPs due June 5 at 3 PM. The committee will discuss the selection process in May, aiming to select a CM at the June meeting.
Commissioning Agent: Still a placeholder; no update.
Staff Position: Steven reported progress on hiring a support person for financial documents and secretary; a city employee is interested; the hiring process is being finalized.

Key Outcomes

Minutes Approved: Minutes from the February 24 meeting were approved unanimously.
TSKP Contract: Signed by mayor; pending final supporting documents and insurance review. State legal confirmed reimbursement.
CM RFP Schedule: Adopted as presented; committee members will receive a full copy.
Next Steps: Chair will share the full project schedule from TSKP; the selection process for the CM will be discussed at the May meeting; a staff hire will be brought forward soon.

Meeting Transcript

Meeting. Just about to ask that. Thank you, Steph. So calling the meeting to order at 6.02. This is the 421 special meeting of the McDonough School Building Committee. I appreciate everybody's willingness to come on to a virtual only meeting. I'd like to use a virtual meeting for a special meeting. I feel like it's a lot more flexible, especially timing like this with the budget hearings where everybody is scrambling to use 208. So thanks everybody for your willingness to do a virtual only meeting. And if anybody has any issues with that moving forward, please don't hesitate to reach out to me offline. I'm happy to discuss. We want to make sure that everybody's comfortable. One of our members, Dan Penny has resigned from our commission. So we do have a vacancy on our commission. If anybody has any buddy in mind, please feel free to call that name forward and we can discuss offline if that's the right fit for the role. And hopefully come back to a full compliment. Also on our agenda this evening. Oh, we got a hand raised. Patrick, did you have uh something you want to chime in? Just real quick, what are the qualifications for, you know, we'd have to be a middle town resident, they have to have XY or Z or what's the Yeah. So the person has to be a middle town resident to serve on a commission in the city. Um in this case, because they will serve as somebody with experience with um building development and reconstruction. Uh they can be either party affiliation. So as long as they're a resident and they have uh a background in building reconstruction and development. Thanks. You're welcome. Um another item on the agenda tonight, and I want to call it out before we get there. Um just in case we have any members of the public. I'm not seeing any at a quick glance, but I know we're always joined by friends. Um I have added um item number four under new business, uh, is a discussion uh item for us to talk about the vision for the school. I know it's a be a little bit premature for our actual plans since we've yet to um go forward with our construction manager RFP, but I want a space for us to start to talk about things that are important to us in the design, just kind of getting it out there, and also because we have the the public session and members of the public are only able to speak of items that are on the agenda. And so this kind of creates a um ability for us to collaborate with members of the public in addition to to things that are on the commission's mind. So um start thinking about that. And when we get to item number four, if you have something you you want to bring up for discussion, um absolutely do that. Um all right, so item number two is our public session. Do I have any members of the public wishing to speak? Any members of the public wishing to speak. All right, not seeing or hearing anybody. Um I will close the public session. Um item number three is approval of the minutes for uh February 24th meeting. Do I have a motion to approve? And make a motion. All right. Was that Andrea? Yes. All right, do I have a second? Chine. All right. Um thank you. All in favor.

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