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.