Belmonte board fields health, safety questions

SAUGUS – The Belmonte Middle School Building Committee heard from a group of parents with children going into the middle school next year who had concerns about health and safety issues with the repair project.?I have family members that have asbestos poisoning from 30 years ago,” said Michelle Ricci, who has a daughter finishing fifth grade at Veterans Elementary School. “I know you guys are all about building a better building, but we?re concerned about the kids going into the building.”Superintendent Richard Langlois said all workers onsite are CORI checked, which he noted can be done in one day, while Mike Murphy, of construction management firm Consigli, assured them that any areas undergoing asbestos abatement are under “negative pressure” with strict safety procedures in place.?There?s a high level of safety and laws required for third party testing,” said Murphy.Murphy said he wasn?t sure of the exact number, but estimated that air quality tests are done “several times a day.”The committee voted to approve early bid costs for several aspects of the project.The total costs of the early bids came in at $3,139,188, which is $82,682 less than what was budgeted.The costs include $202,000 for abatement, $285,000 for demolition, $227,000 for elevator work, $655,000 for fire protection, $211,169 for fire alarm work, $1.05 million for general conditions and $505,850 for general requirements.According to Murphy general condition costs are for the entire staff of the project while general requirement costs are for support work such as cleaning, safety and protection like fencing and barricades.?We?re happy that the numbers are coming in lower,” said School Committee Chairman Wendy Reed. “It?s a good sign for future bids.”Some committee members had concerns about an increase in overtime work, which Murphy said is needed in order to complete fire alarm work before school starts up again after summer.Murphy said there will be “a lot of Saturday work” and said the building would be “turned over” to Consigli for the summer.Langlois said he would have to keep a custodian on staff for those hours, which he did not anticipate until the issue was raised Wednesday.Langlois said it was a cost he would have to incur, but he still has to discuss the issue further with Consigli.Jim Dowd, project manager for Skanska Builders, said he expects to have bids in for movers on Friday.?We?re anticipating that the budget will not exceed $25,000 for movers,” said Dowd. “We will hire professional movers for every phase of the project.”The committee will meet again on June 20 at 4 p.m. in the School Committee room.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].