School Board OKs Owner/Operator Contract, Hears NHS Expansion Update

By Eliza Hallabeck

Topics covered during the Board of Education’s meeting on Tuesday, October 6, included asbestos abatement underway at Newtown High School, awarding an owner/operator contract, and an update on the NHS expansion and renovation project.

Work on the Newtown High School expansion and renovation continues to run on schedule, according to Superintendent of Schools Janet Robinson during an update on the project.

“The amount of communication that is going on, on a regular basis, is clearly apparent,” said Dr Robinson, regarding communication between NHS Principal Charles Dumais, Newtown Public Schools Director of Facilities Gino Faiella, and the Morganti Group, the company overseeing construction on the project.

Dr Robinson said Mr Dumais and Mr Faiella are consulted on every level of the project, from timing to the arrival of materials. Steel for the project arrived on Monday, September 28, and a crane was placed on the site to facilitate the work. Mr Dumais, Dr Robinson said, has been updating his blog, www.dumais.us/newtown/blog, on the continuing work.

“He is living and breathing this project,” Dr Robinson said, “and he loves it.”

In response to reaction to asbestos abatement currently happening at NHS, Dr Robinson said the procedure has no risk to students, faculty, and staff at the school.

“We followed all the guidelines, letters from the state have authorized it,” she said. “Asbestos is not friable. It is not friable. It is outside, it is contained, and they are following all the guidelines. There is an inspector on site. There is no risk. I mean no risk.”

In a letter to parents, guardians, faculty, and staff members on September 30, Dr Robinson wrote, “This asbestos abatement work has been authorized by the Connecticut Department of Public Health after careful planning and thorough review. To ensure that the work will present no risk to faculty, staff and students, physical barriers will be constructed to isolate the work area from occupied areas of the school.”

Board Vice Chair Lillian Bittman added, as a parent of a high school student, regular updates have been sent to parents from the school. Work on the removal of asbestos is expected to continue through October 14.

“It’s just not appropriate that someone would think the school district would be reckless in the protection of the students,” said Dr Robinson. “That’s just so inappropriate.”

During a financial update by Interim Director of Business Diane Raymo, she said the district has met with principals across the district to launch the budget for next year.

“I believe last year the request was over ten percent from the principals when this exercise was finished,” Ms Raymo said. “This year we know the economic condition of Newtown. We heard it, and we understand it. We have been listening to people of authority saying, ‘Do not expect any budget increase this year.’”

Ms Raymo said the concept the principals will use to approach the budget for next year involves taking what they have this year, and cutting it.

Also during the meeting, the school board voted unanimously to award an owner/operator contract to Fran McCutchan, who is already an owner/operator in the district. The contract was awarded to Ms McCutchan at the daily rate MTM Transportation’s drivers contract with the school district. MTM drivers are contracted with a rate of $280 a day for their routes, while owner/operators, the individually contracted drivers in the district, have previously been contracted roughly at a daily rate of $360. MTM Transportation drivers also provide their own insurance, and this same practice was also transferred to Ms McCutchan’s awarded contract.

Ms McCutchan will hire another driver to oversee this second route awarded to her.

Typically when an owner/operator contract comes up in the district, that contract is awarded to the next person waiting for an owner/operator contact. Board member Anna Wiedemann asked why this did not happen.

Dr Robinson said in this instance awarding the contract to Ms McCutchan was beneficial to her, because Ms McCutchan already owned an extra bus.

Also at the meeting, Hawley Elementary School Principal JoAnne Peters introduced the first school presentation to the school board focusing on the implementation of strategic planning in the district. Further information on Ms Peter’s presentation will be in next week’s print edition of The Newtown Bee.