School Building Facilities and Maintenance Committee

• Meeting Date: March 23, 2026
• Governing Body: Joint meeting of the City Council School Building Facilities and Maintenance Committee and the School Committee Subcommittee on School Building Facilities and Maintenance.
• Meeting Type: Remote Participation (Pursuant to Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2025).
• Attendees:
  • City Council: Councilor Jon Link (Chair), Councilor Naima Sait, Councilor J.T. Scott.
  • School Committee: Leiran Biton (Chair), Elizabeth Eldridge, Laura Pitone.
  • Staff: Najm Williams (Director of Intergovernmental Affairs), Richard Raish (Director of Infrastructure and Asset Management), Eric Wiseman (Commissioner of Public Works), Matthew Bennett (Building Superintendent), Danielle Barry (SPS Facility Safety and Transportation Coordinator).

The committees reviewed the minutes from the special committee meeting held on December 8, 2025.

• City Council Action: Approved.
  • Roll Call Vote: Councilor Scott (Yes), Councilor Sait (Yes), Chair Link (Yes).
• School Committee Action: Approved.
  • Roll Call Vote: Member Eldridge (Yes), Member Pitone (Yes), Chair Biton (Yes).

Director Najm Williams provided an update on the renovation project for the Kennedy Schoolyard.

• Key Points:
  • The project is moving toward the bidding phase, with construction scheduled to begin over the summer.
  • The design focuses on inclusivity, specifically accommodating students and community members requiring mobility assistance.
  • Councilor Sait and Chair Biton commended the Public Space and Urban Forestry team for robust community engagement, noting the project reflects the principle of "nothing about us without us."
• Outcome: Work marked complete.

Director Richard Raish presented the Strategic Asset Management Plan (SAMP) report, a 45-page document outlining the city's transition toward proactive asset management.

• Key Points:
  • The city has selected OpenGov as its enterprise management software vendor and is currently in the implementation phase.
  • DPW, water, and sewer workers will eventually use iPads in the field to access databases and manage work orders.
  • The goal is to move from an "immature" or reactive maintenance status to an industry-leader status.
  • A public-facing dashboard is planned for the future (likely 2027).
  • Mechanical equipment and HVAC systems in schools have been largely inventoried in an access database to be consumed by OpenGov.
• Outcome: Item kept in committee to allow members further time to review the full report.

Director Richard Raish provided an update on the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) feasibility phase.

• Key Points:
  • The next submission is the Preliminary Design Program (PDP), which includes the educational program and space plan.
  • The School Committee previously voted (7-2-0) to authorize Chair Emily Ackman to sign off on these components.
  • Action Update: Chair Biton reported that the School Building Committee recently voted 10 to 2 to submit only the 925-seat proposals as the preferred alternative to the MSBA.
  • The next major milestone is the Preferred Schematic Report (PSR) due in August, which will narrow the project to one option and one enrollment number.
• Outcome: Item kept in committee for regular updates.

The committee reviewed a report on measures taken to monitor and improve the physical environment in schools, consistent with the SEU agreement.

• Key Points:
  • Discussion touched on the need for climate control in the Edgerly School gym. Director Raish noted that while the Healy 208 project is the current priority, the Edgerly HVAC upgrade is planned for next year, pending a transformer upgrade by Eversource.
  • Councilor Sait emphasized the need for a clear tracking mechanism for school decarbonization goals, distinguishing between short-term and long-term objectives.
• Outcome: Work marked complete.

Commissioner Eric Wiseman and Superintendent Matthew Bennett reported on the successful restoration of hot water at the Capuano Center.

• Key Points:
  • The issue was identified as a "whack-a-mole" problem stemming from a 1999 renovation where 15 hot and cold water lines were crossed, causing thermal mixing.
  • Actions Taken: Replaced 12 mixing valves, one balancing valve, and one tempering valve.
  • Staff confirmed that hot water is now fully restored to all wings of the building.
• Outcome: Work marked complete.

Commissioner Wiseman provided a mini-memo on maintenance work performed over the past fiscal year.

• Key Points:
  • Danielle Barry (SPS) announced upcoming spring school building walkthroughs with the Inspectional Services Department (ISD) and DPW.
  • These walkthroughs will specifically address rodent issues previously raised regarding East Somerville schools.
• Outcome: Work marked complete.

Commissioner Wiseman presented a full-time equivalent (FTE) analysis of custodial staffing across the district.

• Key Points:
  • The analysis compared square footage and student enrollment per custodian.
  • East Somerville Community School was identified as an outlier with high student-to-custodian ratios (one day custodian for 738 students).
  • Councilor Sait and Councilor Scott expressed concerns regarding the workload at East Somerville, particularly during the post-lunch cleanup period.
  • Commissioner Wiseman noted the city uses four "floaters" to cover shortages but is not currently requesting additional FTEs, preferring to wait until the department is fully staffed to evaluate performance.
  • The high school custodial services are currently subcontracted to insulate the city from vacancy coverage responsibilities.
• Outcome: Work marked complete.