Oct 3, 2002 3 min read

There comes a time when trust must be extended. That time is now for the Brownsville Area School Board. Brownsville students are entering the second year of studies in substandard and overcrowded buildings while the board continues haggling over a renovation project. The latest hitch is a requirement that a construction manager – hired to look out for the district’s best interest – sign a contract that stipulates the board can fire the firm without any justification.

Maccabee Industrial Inc. is justified at balking at such a condition. Certainly the contract should spell out what the board expects the company to perform and it should stipulate penalties for failing to live up to the bargain. But to give at-will, for no-cause, power to such a politically-motivated and mind flip-flopping board makes little business sense. Already the project has been delayed because of a similar termination of the first architect.

Brownsville must now trust that it hired the right architectural firm of Molnar and Associates to establish the scope and design of the high school renovations. (Secondary projects to follow include renovations for Redstone Middle School so that the gym can still be use and to the administrative offices.)

Maccabee’s role is to act as the board’s agent in overseeing the project. First by ensuring that the project isn’t over designed, with bells and whistles students don’t need and taxpayers can’t afford. And to ensure that it isn’t under designed, with needed items neglected that will unexpectedly inflate the project on the back end. Maccabee will also be expected to ensure that all the contractors hired keep to schedules and to determine if change orders are necessary.

These are valuable professional services that the board recognized it needed in undertaking what could eventually turn out to be $34 million in construction. But the board has yet to negotiate a contract with Maccabee, and some have speculated that the district could do without a construction manger. That would be foolish.

School board members are volunteers, who must learn a little about so much involved in running public schools. Most hold regular full-time jobs. Although the desire and willingness might be there, overseeing this project calls for someone well versed in these kinds of projects and who knows the in and outs of the job and the regulations.

Director Roseanne Markovich suggested the board form an oversight committee that would basically oversee the overseer.

There is nothing wrong with this concept as long as the committee stays focused on the mission to complete the renovations in a cost-effective, timely manner. But if the committee drifts beyond that role into political nitpicking, the project is sure to hit delays that will cost time, money and further disruption of students’ education.