Thank you.

Hopefully, Derek can join us.

But I'm going to go ahead and call the meeting to order.

I will note that all board members are present with the exception of Derek Carr, who we expect may join us shortly.

Otherwise, as excused, and we will move to the first item on our agenda, which is the minutes from November twentieth, twenty twenty-five.

I'll entertain a motion to accept the minutes.

I think I have good news in general about the progress of phase three.

On the comprehensive plan, we received feedback from the New York State Education Department and JSCB staff and Turner are going to um work on re responses to their questions today.

Likewise, I believe we're expecting today comments back from the Office of State Comptroller.

Right.

So that's a good sign of progress, and we will respond to those as well.

Good.

The uh next thing up is we've made good progress with the RFP process for the architect engineers.

As you know, mayor, you approved uh the candidates selected by the RFP committee.

Right.

And uh we'll now move to the process of negotiating uh contracts with them as to the uh price of the services and the contract language, and then hopefully uh assuming our comprehensive comprehensive plan is approved because we need to have the financing secured, we will bring those contracts to the board for approval early next year.

So that's moving along.

And and finally, uh JSCB staff in Turner met with our project labor agreement attorney and consultant uh last week, I believe it was.

We have made good progress on finalizing the PLA feasibility study, and we hope to present that to the board in January.

Is the feasibility study a condition for the actual agreement?

It is, it's a state law requirement.

So it's uh the the board has to do a study uh showing that by using a PLA there will be cost savings for the project.

Gotcha, and that becomes the basis for the authorizing the PLA.

Okay.

Of course, we'll we'll have to negotiate with the trade unions on language.

We're hopeful because we had phase one and phase two PLAs that we can pretty much continue very similar documents, minimizing the the time to put it into place.

Good.

And uh that completes my report.

All good updates.

Thank you, Joe.

Any questions for Joe?

Thank you.

Okay, great.

Thanks.

Well, we will move on to our program manager report.

Good morning.

Morning.

Um as Joe mentioned, we we did receive comments back from state ed on the comprehensive plan.

We're in the process of working through response to those comments.

We've got a draft together and we're gonna review those after the meeting today and hopefully get something out before the end of the year to them.

Um OSC.

You'll and then uh get them out for the get it back from the end of the year.

I didn't hear the last one.

Uh sorry, we're gonna try and get the responses to their questions out by the end of December.

Which we anticipate probably either by the end of this week or very first part of next week.

Not sure if we'll get responses from them before the end of the year.

Was that hopeful?

Yeah, were there any surprises in the um no?

There were really just uh clarifications looking into um local share um estimated scopes within the comprehensive plan.

Uh a little bit more detail they were looking for.

Uh and then um it's uh uh we call it incidentals, but the legislation refers to it as um administrative fees, and just clarifying that where it is within the report or within the plan, sorry.

The turnaround should be for back from them because that's straightforward stuff.

Probably you anticipate it will be uh turnaround.

Yeah, we're gonna send them a draft of what we're going to send them, and then hopefully we get a quick response and then it'll satisfy their questions.

Uh architect RFP.

Um Joe mentioned um selections have been made, looking to um issue the letter of intent and then get uh architects hopefully awarded at the January meeting, depending dependent upon comprehensive plan approval from both SED and OSC.

Uh CM services.

Um we've drafted the RFP reviewing it with JCB staff and anticipate bringing that to the board in January and then uh starting the procurement process at the beginning of um February and then looking to take proposals early part of March with ultimately goal of awarding by the end of April.

Um then Joe mentioned a PLA study, and we continue to meet with SED on a monthly basis.

Any other questions or good?

Oh thank you.

All right, looks like we have two resolutions, so I'll turn it back over to Joe.

Yes, thank you, Mayor.

We have uh resolution number 15, which would be our monthly payment uh resolution for the contract expenses we've incurred in the past month.

Motion second any discussion?

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed, carried.

Next.

Yes, number uh 16 is a follow-up from the previous meeting when Guanadio presented the uh financial statements and the the board wanted more time to review them.

Yeah, so assuming the board is um comfortable, this resolution would it would accept them.

We have a motion any discussion.

All in favor, aye.

Post carried.

Any other business to come before the board?

Yes, we actually have a top secret resolution.

Oh that would uh honor your years of service.

Oh nice.

Uh if uh one one or two board members want to propose it, they're aware of it.

Uh leave a motion in the stuff.

Oh, that's very nice.

I propose motion second.

Any discussion?

Well, sure.

I think we'll we'll we'll vote and then read it.

Okay.

The board has a desire to read it, Mayor.

So should I abstain from this uh this resolution?

Um I guess technically, yes.

I think I will.

Uh okay.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed.

Abstentions.

Aye.

Uh okay.

Uh thanks everybody.

That's really nice.

And so I will proceed to read the motion.

Resolution number 17 of 2025, the resolution of the board of directors of the joint schools construction board, JSCB, congratulate Mayor Ben Walsh on eight years as the JSCB chair.

Whereas the Joint Schools Construction Board, hereinafter referred to as JSCB, was authorized by New York State through Chapter 58 A4 of the laws of 206 as amended by Chapter 459 of the laws of 2013, 2014, 2021, and 2023, the Act, and whereas pursuant to the act, the JSCB has completed school renovation reconstruction programs phase one and phase two, and has begun work on phase three program consisting of the planning, designing, construction, improvement, remodeling, repairing, refurnishing, and equipping equipping of the certain buildings and facilities of the city school district of the city of Syracuse collectively, the project.

And whereas Mayor Ben Walsh became chair of the JSCB in January of 2018, and has since worked tirelessly to complete phase two school right reconstruction program at a cost of 300 million dollars, and launching of phase three program with an estimated cost of 400 million dollars, and whereas under Mayor Ben Walsh's leadership, completion of all phase two renovation projects was accomplished at the following schools: Corcoran High School, Hennegar High School, Nottingham High School, Public Service Leadership Academy at Fowler, Grant Middle School, Brighton Academy Middle School, Clary Middle School, Expeditionary Learning Middle School, Bellevue Elementary School, Edward Smith Pre-KA School, Huntington Pre-KA school, Fraser Pre-K8 School, and STEM at Bullget Middle School.

And whereas the Syracuse City School District is now sending thousands of students per year through these buildings, giving them a better access to opportunities and proper education in these facilities, they deserve.

Whereas phase three of the joint school's uh rec reconstruction program has been underway since the authorization of phrase phase three diversity plan in October of 2023, followed by the retention of program manager, Turner Construction, and the adoption of comprehensive plan, and whereas phase three of this program will address major capital projects in up to 10 schools, uh ensuring even more children in the Syracuse will have access to high quality learning spaces that are safe and filled with updated technology and whereas the JSCB under Mayor Walsh's leadership has successfully met the goals of phase two diversity plan and project labor uh agreement that significantly improves the opportunities for minorities, women, city residents, and SCSD graduates.

Uh ensuring even more children in the circle in Syracuse will have access to high quality learning spaces that are safe and filled with updated technology and whereas the JSCB under Mayor Walsh's leadership has successfully met the goals of phase two diversity plan and project labor uh agreement that significantly improves the opportunities for minorities, women, city residents, and SCSD graduates.

And whereas the JSCB has echoed Mayor Walsh's vision of being a wholly inclusive vehicle for the opportunity for people of Syracuse, creating jobs for parents, neighbors, building schools for children, and ensuring a brighter future for everyone in our community.

Now, therefore, be it resolved.

The JSCB hereby congratulates and commends Mayor Ben Walsh on his leadership of the JSC bearing during the past eight years, as well as phase two successfully closing out, and phase three programs starting uh has been started with the wishes of him uh whoops and we wish him best of luck in this future in endeavors.

This resolution shall take effect immediately.

Congratulations.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

And thank you for the work you've done.

Yeah, um, thank you, everybody.

I uh very much surprised, and um you all know I like to run an efficient meeting, so that was that was a little long for my my taste, but um you know in all sincerity, thank you.

I think um I'm incredibly proud of this work.

Um I have long believed that our kids deserve the very best.

Um, that they deserve world class facilities, and you know, as the proud parent of two kids in the district, when I um when I go to different schools for different reasons, um I'm just so proud of the investments that we've made.

Um, and uh again, our kids deserve nothing less, and I know that that's uh why you all are here and I really appreciate it.

I I think that um you know JSCB does not get enough attention for the amount of work that's been done.

300 million dollars uh just in phase two alone, and I'm so excited about uh the next 400 million in phase three.

Um, and uh again, I'm just grateful, I'm proud, and um I wish you all the best of luck going forward.

So thank you all very much.

Okay, all right.

Let's let's get this wrapped up.

I'll provide you with a certified copy later.

Uh, that's very nice.

Thank you.

Thank you, Joe.

Um, and Joe, thank thank you.

I mean, I think about some of the folks that have been in it from the beginning.

Um, you have been um you know the um the stabilizing force throughout um throughout these phases, and um, you know, seeing how phase one went, how we've learned from it, uh, how uh phase two uh went, and uh I again I'm just uh really excited about what's to come.

But you know, between you and um other members, you know, Tom has been at this for a while and and others, we've got um uh a lot of uh Mary.

Hey Mary, uh Mary, I think right from the beginning, right?

Um it's just been a great team effort, and um and we get to come in here and just um lean on all of you to keep things moving, and you've done done a great job.

So okay, I'm done.

Thank you.

We thank you.

We have a great staff to make it happen and a good partner in Turner.

Sure do.

Yeah, thank you guys too.

All right, I'll entertain a motion to adjourn.

Uh any discussion.

Tom Superintendent Odom uh asked me to speak because I've been on the JSCB and the district the longest, but we really uh do want to thank you and your staff for their leadership in getting these projects done.

There was an article in the New York Times about Penn Station in 1999, President Clinton, Governor Pataki, Senator Moynahan announced that it was going to be renovated.

Well, it's 26 years later, and they face the issues that we face.

Now we face them on a little smaller scale, but we've been able to overcome different public opinion, different uh entities having different uh things.

We've been able to do all that through you.

So we've done over a billion dollars worth of work completed and planned under your leadership.

So we really want to thank you for that.

So thank you for that.

It's been an honor working with you personally, too.

Thank you.

Right back at you, Tom.

Thank you.

Okay.

Um, all in favor to adjourn.

Aye.

Aye.

Opposed, meeting is adjourned.

Thank you, everybody so much.

You're welcome.

Merry Christmas, happy holidays.

Same to you.

Thank you.

Good luck in the