Lincoln School Committee receives L-shaped pathway report from building advisory committee

LINCOLN -- November 21, 2013, Lincoln receives L-shaped pathway report; repair-only school plan rejected as MSBA decision looms. The School Building Advisory Committee, chaired by Steven Perlmutter, delivered its final report Nov. 21 after 17 meetings since June, recommending an L-shaped configuration preserving the central field and reusing the 1994 Smith additions, Brooks School and Reed gymnasium. Recommended components include new cafeteria/magnet-classroom spaces at Smith and Brooks, a Brooks-to-Reed connector for student supervision, possible demolition of the 1955 second-grade wing, and resolving flooding in the Smith boiler room, which Perlmutter called "Dickensian." The committee declined to publish cost estimates, citing no budget for estimators. Member Vincent Canestraro warned that repair-only work would trigger $12 million to $15 million in code-driven spending "and you didn't get anything else." The committee also approved payroll of $724,744.85, accounts payable of $136,227.19, a new non-bargaining-unit administrator salary policy (GCBB), and a settlement in C. Horner v. Lincoln Public Schools and Michael Brandmeyer. The MSBA's next board meeting is in January.