MINUTES

Facilities Committee Meeting

Plainfield School District

March 24, 2005

The meeting was called to order at 7:10 PM.  Present were Chair Bill Taylor; members B. Knight, B. Fleming and S. Williams.

Minutes of February 24 were passed without corrections.

B. Knight provided an update on the energy audit project.  E. Knight is continuing to coordinate the project.  A CREL employee agreed to bring thermal imaging equipment to the school one evening next week.  (CREL requires that a trained technician operate the thermal imaging equipment.)  A rough spread sheet for data collection has been developed and various pieces of equipment are being collected.  KUA volunteers led by Bruce Gordon will be ready to begin work on the project on April 1 and plan to coordinate with Plainfield students.  M. Rosenbaum of energysmiths in Meriden, who is assisting on the project, recommended an overlay of mechanical drawings on the CAD program.

Discussion of road, traffic, parking and outdoor campus.  Committee reviewed proposed parking lot design by school board member Doug Cogan.  Discussed traffic flow, # of spaces that would be optimal and need for walkways from vehicles to the school.  S. Williams reported that Alan Saucier of the landscape architect firm Saucier & Flynn, which is working with the Town Committee on a War Memorial and designed the new Montshire Museum parking area, would be willing to work with the committee on a parking lot design.  For a $500 fee, Saucier would lead a 3-4 hour onsite workshop where he would either build on one or two proposals by the committee or offer an alternate plan.  The goal would be to have a working design by the end of the workshop.  Saucier would follow up with a summary memo as well.

John Taylor of the Plainfield Trail Blazers has applied for an initial wetlands permit for the proposed bridge that would link the school to French’s Ledges.  B. Knight reports that it would take minimal trail work to connect the school with an existing trail network.

B. Fleming reported there is an inspection report on the playground that will be added to the committee’s notebook.  The tire swing was added and renovations were last made to the playground in 1997.  The committee may approach the PTA about upgrading the playground. 

The next meetings are to include a walking tour of the facilities, an onsite review of the playground and a review of thermal imaging pictures.

Next meetings                        April 28th

                                                      May 26

Meeting adjourned at 8:05 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Susan Williams