Elementary School Building Project on Budget and on Schedule

Report on the Meeting of the Elementary School Building Committee, May 15, 2026

The Elementary School Building Committee (ESBC) held its monthly meeting on May 15, 2026. Holly Young was welcomed onto the committee as the new town procurement officer, replacing Simone Cristofori.

Construction Update
Interior work this past month included gymnasium flooring, kitchen equipment installation, millwork in project areas, and wall and ceiling work in the media center. On the exterior, solar panel installation on both the roof and parking lot canopies is progressing. Materials for the playground surfacing have been delivered, and installation will occur soon.

Kseniya Slavsky of Anser Advisory, the owner’s project manager, reported that the building is on schedule for completion by the end of July. Upcoming work will include the elevator, mechanical systems, and commissioning.

Contingency Report
Chair Cathy Schoen (Town Councilor, District 1) had requested an update on the project contingency fund. Slavsky reported that the modest contingency expenses speak highly of the quality of the design documents and coordination among the various teams working on the project. The original $4.9 million budgeted for contingency was supplemented by $4.6 million in savings from the bidding results, for a total of $9.5 million available. To date, $1.9 million has been spent on the following:

• Construction — $670,000: Mostly for structural changes to accommodate photovoltaic systems, plus electrical equipment and engineering work.
  
• Winter conditions and acceleration — $690,000: Due to a bid protest that delayed the construction start by three months.
  
• Owner-directed improvements — $507,000: Primarily replacing a water main and a traffic light, and a net-zero consultation.
  
• Soft cost adjustment — $24,000: Increased furnishing costs.

Finance Director Sean Mangano asked whether any further expenses or savings were anticipated. Slavsky said that while both are possible, she did not expect them to be significant. Resident Bruce Coldham asked whether the enhanced commissioning support discussed previously — intended to assist with net-zero operations during the building’s first year — was included in the contingency. Slavsky indicated that it was not but that it would likely be added soon. She also reminded the committee that Phase 2 of the project would commence after the building and the southern half of the site are completed. Phase 2 will involve abatement and demolition of the existing building and restoration of the playing fields, all of which carry some possibility of contingency fund use, though that amount is not expected to be large.

Percent for Art Presentation
Tom Warger, chair of the Amherst Public Art Commission (APAC), described the process for creating public artwork at the school. This is the first town project subject to the Percent for Art Bylaw (see also here). The first phase, to be completed by June 2026, involves the formation of an advisory, or jury, committee comprised of two APAC members, one ESBC member, two art and museum professionals, one elementary school art teacher, and one Amherst Regional High School student. A professional project manager with experience overseeing large public art projects will then be selected to help orchestrate the rest of the process. During Phase 2, in fall 2026, the committee will determine site options and the type and theme of artwork sought. It will also establish the budget and timeline and issue a call for proposals from artists. Phase 3 will involve soliciting and reviewing proposals, presenting finalists to the public, and making a final selection by mid-2027. The advisory committee will make its recommendation to the APAC, which will, in turn, seek final approval from the town manager. Fabrication and installation will occur in Phase 4 and will conclude with a public dedication. Warger assured the committee that there will be close coordination with the school and town, and he expects a high degree of interest from artists.

Invoices
The following invoices were approved unanimously:

The next meeting is scheduled for June 12, and the next site tour will be on June 30.