City of Springfield, MA School Building Commission

[Amended 3-3-2014]

The City School Building Commission shall consist of nine voting members, of which three are appointed by the Mayor, who shall serve at the pleasure of the Mayor, and will continue to serve until a successor is appointed. One voting member shall be the City Council President or designee, and one voting member shall be the Vice Chairperson of the School Committee or designee. All members so appointed shall be residents of the City. The Mayor shall designate the Chairperson of the School Building Commission.

The Director of Facilities Management, the Code Enforcement Commissioner, the Chief Administrative and Financial Officer or designee, and the Superintendent of Schools or designee shall each be voting members of the City School Building Commission.

All members of the City School Building Commission shall serve without receiving compensation.

After the School Committee has approved a site for a school building, the City School Building Commission, after the land has been acquired by the City for such a site, or after being so authorized by a vote of the City Council with the approval of the Mayor, shall cause to be prepared plans, specifications and information for bidders and contract forms for the erection and reconstruction of all school buildings, and for the preparation of plans and specifications for site work connected therewith.

No plans for the construction of a school building shall be accepted and no work shall be begun on the construction of a school building unless the approval of the Mayor is first obtained.

Ordinary repairs and alterations of school buildings are the responsibility of the Department of Facilities Management under Chapter 27, Departments, Article IX, of the Code of the City of Springfield. Notwithstanding any ordinance to the contrary, the City School Building Commission shall have primary jurisdiction and responsibility regarding the building and/or the remodeling of school buildings whose estimated projected costs are in excess of $3,000,000.

Notwithstanding Chapter 27, Article IX, § 27-69B(5)(b), of the Code of the City of Springfield or any other ordinance to the contrary, the City School Building Commission, with the approval of the Mayor, is specifically authorized to hire under a contract a construction management company or a project management company reporting to the City School Building Commission and responsible for overall project management of a given project or project(s). The company, if retained, shall see that duplicative efforts are minimized so that state reimbursement will be available to pay all or the major part of its fee.

Notwithstanding Chapter 27, Article IX, § 27-69B(5)(b), of the Code of the City of Springfield or any other ordinance to the contrary, the City School Building Commission, with the approval of the Mayor and the Superintendent of Schools, is specifically authorized to hire a project management individual or individuals. Said individual or individuals shall have the education, training, and experience to perform the project management functions, and may be hired for a given project or projects. The School Department budget shall support the salary and fringe benefits of said individual or individuals. The individual or individuals so hired shall see that duplicative efforts are minimized so that the cost of said individual or individuals will be reimbursable out of bond monies and the use of School Department funds will be minimized.

Should the City School Building Commission choose to contract or hire a project management company or individual(s) to oversee a project for school construction or major renovations, the Director of Facilities Management shall work cooperatively with said company or individual(s) to see that efforts are not duplicated and that concerns of the City are addressed in all phases of the project.