School officials concerned over renovation delays
BROWNSVILLE – Architects involved in the renovation project in the Brownsville Area School District told board members that they have gone beyond the scope of work in the contract in an effort to expedite completion of projects while contractors and construction managers have failed to meet their contractual obligations. Frustrated with delays in the project, which involves extensive renovations for the district’s middle and high schools, John Evans, chairman of the building and grounds committee of the Brownsville Area School Board, convened a meeting Thursday as a way to find out what is holding up completion of projects such as the new 1,500-seat gymnasium.
Board member Stella Broadwater said there are classrooms that should be open that are not and asked why the gym is still unused. Broadwater said she doesn’t see how the entire project can be ahead of schedule when parts of it are behind.
Superintendent Larry Golembiewski said it appears to him that the contractors “start 19 different projects and then don’t finish one.” He said, for example, a project, which made 600 students use one door to go in and out of the cafeteria, should have been very temporary and it has been ongoing. Jay Paroda of Maccabee Industrial Inc., the district’s construction manager, said they are trying to push ahead and look for the future in starting projects. The entire project is slated for completion in February 2007.
High school principal Richard Gates said he has accommodated the contractors more than anyone could have expected him to.
“I’ve moved files and people and now I can’t move anybody anywhere. I’m being held hostage and the kids are being held hostage,” Gates said.
The gym, originally set for completion last year, is still not finished. Also, middle school offices and classrooms sit vacant and unused, awaiting completion.
Board member Francine Pavone pointed out that the district needs to get students in the classrooms to stop paying rent on the portable classrooms.
Michael S. Molnar and Jeanine Russell of Molnar and Associates, the architect for the $23 million project, were among a group of contractors and construction managers who attended the meeting to take turns on the hot seat.
Russell passed out a copy of the contract as a way to show the board members which entity is responsible for what, and contractors explained that there are hold ups with things such as paperwork, change orders and punch lists. She suggested that the board members read the contract to determine who is not doing their job and said she has worked beyond the scope of the contract for the architect.
After nearly an hour of talk by the parties involved, Superintendent Larry Golembiewski put Molnar on the spot. “Where is the problem?” he asked.
Molnar said the construction manager has total control of construction, and needs to handle items such as making sure bleachers are placed in the gym and finishing touches are put on the rooms. He said questions such as why the junior high offices have been sitting for three months need to be answered by the construction manager and not the architect.
He said the projects should be completed. “It should be done and it is the responsibility of every contractor to clean their mess. There is never enough cleaning of this project,” Molnar said. He said a lack of cleanup was responsible for painting problems.
George Kusevich of Kusevich Contracting Inc., general contractor, said as the owner, the school board needs to “understand their obligations” relating to the project. He said he has paid subcontractors as he has received payment from the board, disputing a rumor that subcontractors are not being paid.
Kusevich said all the subcontractors, with the exception of Piccolomini, have had their retainers reduced from 15 percent to 5 percent, and Piccolomini’s has not been reduced because they have not turned in the paperwork to do so. However, Mario Piccolomini said he did work beyond the scope of his contract for Kusevich and is still owed $17,000.
In response to questions regarding why classrooms are not complete, Kusevich said he has one painter and one laborer working, but denied that he doesn’t want to complete the work. He gave dates of when projects, including the gym, were listed for substantial completion, but failed to answer why the projects are not done.
Evans said the board could listen for hours and not resolve anything. On the advice of solicitor James T. Davis, at the conclusion of the committee meeting, the six directors voted to enter into an executive session to discuss possible litigation relating to the project.
Before adjourning for the executive session, Russell urged the board to read the contract.