SHS Site Turned Over To Construction Manager, Remediation Commencing
Following an opportunity that was provided to Sandy Hook School staff and 12/14 victims’ families to visit the school site one final time, the site has been turned over to Consigli Construction, the company chosen to handle project management as remediation, demolition, and the eventual new school installation occurs.
Speaking to The Bee on October 7, First Selectman Pat Llodra said the property is now in the hands of the construction teams.
“There will be no further public access to the site as of today,” Mrs Llodra said. “It is now the responsibility of the construction firm to secure and control.”
A sturdy composite metal gate has been erected where previously only Jersey barriers and a 24-hour security guard or police officer had been stationed to keep onlookers and curiosity seekers from getting close to the building.
“There will be no further opportunity to see the building or enter the property,” Mrs Llodra said.
Keeping with a commitment to protect the site from anyone, including remediation and demolition crew members or other approved contractors, Mrs Llodra also released a copy of the nondisclosure document that will be signed by every single person accessing the site.
“This is the most rigorous nondisclosure document we have ever asked our attorneys to write,” Mrs Llodra said. “It binds every crew member and everyone entering the site. And it binds all the contractors to be responsible for any [subcontractors] accessing the site.”
During a recent Public Building and Site Commission meeting, Chairman Robert Mitchell said the legally binding, zero-tolerance agreement will restrict all crew members from taking any photos or removing anything from the site under penalty of release from their contract.
“We don’t want to see anything showing up on eBay,” Mr Mitchell asserted. If deemed necessary, background checks might be required on the vendor’s workforce, and every person on site will be required to have specific identification cards to ensure complete security.
The site perimeter will be fully fenced and masked with screening, and a 24-hour guard will be stationed on site, according to a representative from Consigli. The goal is to have entire building razed by about December 6, although there may still be existing debris to process after that date.
The strict contractual guidelines will ensure that no byproducts of that process leave the site in any recognizable form. All of the masonry, glass, even the structural steel will be crushed and processed down to miniscule pieces before leaving the site.
The nondisclosure agreement includes the following points:
*The agreement is intended to allow the person signing it to engage in work at the site while protecting the town from unauthorized disclosure of confidential information and/or the removal of anything from the school without authorization.
*Confidential information means any oral, written, graphic or machine-readable information, technical data or know-how, including, but not limited to, photographs, plans, specifications, security protocols, agreements with third parties, services, software (including source and object code), hardware configuration, computer programs, algorithms, regulatory information, or any other information designated orally or in writing to be confidential or proprietary.
*Confidential information also includes any such information disclosed to the designee by any partner, subsidiary or affiliate of the town (including information relating to such partner, subsidiary or affiliate), whether or not such partner, subsidiary or affiliate has been made a party to this agreement.
*The recipient agrees not to use any confidential information disclosed to it by the town for its own use or for any purpose other than to perform work. The recipient shall not disclose or permit disclosure of any confidential information of the town to anyone other than directors, officers, partners, managers, employees, consultants and agents of their employer who are required to have the information in order to carry out the work.
*The recipient agrees that it shall take all necessary measures to protect the secrecy of and avoid disclosure or use of confidential information in order to prevent it from falling into the public domain or the possession of persons other than those persons authorized under the agreement.
*The recipient agrees to notify the town of any misuse, misappropriation or unauthorized disclosure of confidential information which may come to their attention.
*The recipient agrees not to take, publish, disclose, distribute, post, or otherwise disseminate any photographs, drawings or other images of the school. Recipient further agrees not to take any item from the school, including without limitation any dirt, bricks, tiles, hardware, windows, glass, doorknobs, doors. Any exception must be in writing from the town in advance.
*Recipient agrees, except as otherwise expressly authorized by the town, not to make any copies or duplicates of any confidential information. Any proprietary materials or documents that have been furnished by the town to the recipient shall be promptly returned by recipient, accompanied by all copies of such documentation, within 10 days after either the business or employment relationship has concluded or upon written request of the town.
*The foregoing commitments of each party shall survive any termination of the business or employment relationship.
*Due to the unique nature of the town’s confidential information and the school, monetary damages would be inadequate to compensate the town for any breach by recipient of the covenants and agreements set forth in the nondisclosure agreement. Accordingly, the parties each agree and acknowledge that any such violation or threatened violation may cause irreparable injury to the town and, in addition to any other remedies that may be available, in law, in equity or otherwise, the town shall be entitled to obtain injunctive relief against the threatened breach of the agreement or the continuation of any such breach by the recipient.