Ex Officio Member:
Mr. Scott Folsom
Staff Present:
2Mr. James A. McConnell, Jr., Chief Facilities Executive
Dr. Paul Holmes, Director, Facilities Modernization
Dr. Julie Crum, Director, Facilities Support Services
Ms. Kathi Littmann, Director, School Building Planning, New Facilities
Mr. Fabian Nunez, Director, Office of Legislation/Implementation
Ms. Lynn Roberts, Director, Maintenance and Operations Branch
Mr. Mott Smith, Special Projects Director, Real Estate Branch
Mr. Joe Douglas Dunivan, Deputy Director, Maintenance and Operations
Mr. Tom Leslie, Chief Construction Inspector, Inspection Section
Mr. Secundino Garcia, Program Analyst, Independent Analysis Unit
Mr. McConnell stated he will report back to the Committee on progress being made. He expects to be able to provide an execution strategy for New Facilities in several days and Existing Facilities in a few weeks. Maintenance and Operations will take a little longer to make the cultural shift from art to science.
He also spoke about clearly identifying which responsibilities will go to the local districts and providing
them with procedures and policies to guide them. He spoke about packaging by campus all projects (BB,
deferred maintenance, etc.) which would be done by one contractor, and spoke about how the District can
become a better client thereby obtaining and keeping better contractors which would result in fewer
problems.
ACCOUNTS PAYABLE PROGRESS ON PAYING CONTRACTORS
Dr. Zeronian reported that in a check he and Mr. Woodfin did earlier this month, 68 percent of invoices are paid within 60 days and 10 percent are over 120 days. As a result of this check on invoice processing, invoices are now worked only in the Facilities Invoice Unit. Upon receipt by Accounts Payable, a check is cut. In the past, both Facilities Invoice Unit and Accounts Payable worked the invoices.
The Committee asked staff to set up a monitoring system which would easily and quickly show where
every invoice is in the payment process.
Mr. McConnell pledge to work with Dr. Zeronian to achieve a higher level of efficiency in paying
contractors.
DEFAULT OF CONTRACTOR, K & M CONSTRUCTION AND DECLARATION OF NONRESPONSIBILITY (BERENDO MIDDLE SCHOOL)
Dr. Holmes presented Facilities Services Division (Modernization - Existing Facilities) Communication No.1, default of contractor and declaration of nonresponsibility because K & M Construction abandoned the project on or about April 13, 2001.
Speaker
Kambiz Maleki, owner of K & M, opposed the recommendation by staff and asked to be allowed to complete the contract.
The Committee approved the transmittal of the report to the Board of Education on June 12, 2001 with action anticipated on June 26, 2001.
DEFAULT OF CONTRACTOR, VERDUGO FLORENCIO ROOFING COMPANY, AND DECLARATION OF NONRESPONSIBILITY (DORSEY SENIOR HIGH AND VG2787A)
Mr. Leslie presented Facilities Services Division (Maintenance and Operations Branch) Communication No. 2, default of contractor and declaration of nonresponsibility because Verdugo Florencio Roofing Company abandoned the projects.
The Committee approved the transmittal of the report to the Board of Education on June 12, 2001 with action anticipated on June 26, 2001.
The Committee asked Mr. McConnell to look into assembling a response team of contractors who can immediately complete projects for troublesome contractors.
DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PLAN
Dr. Crum presented the Deferred Maintenance Five-Year Plan for Lynn Roberts which must be submitted to the State by May 30, 2001. She gave an overview of the Deferred Maintenance Program and how the funds were allocated.
There was discussion on the effects of cutting $6 million from the Maintenance Budget for 2001-02.
Mr. Dunivan stated there are approximately 600,000 trouble calls per year and the cuts would mean many
school site needs will not be met.
The Committee agreed that the Maintenance Budget needs to be discussed in more detail before the budget is finalized.
Ms. Young requested the next Five-Year Plan be brought to the Board earlier and it should be more substantive. Dr. Crum said the 2001-02 plan will come to the Board in late August or early September.
Mr. Lansing asked for a memo on the reason for canceling the Banning paint projects. Mr. Dunivan will respond.
HIGH PERFORMANCE BUILDING DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Mr. Marv Taff, Design Consultant, stated that a High Performance Group was formed to develop criteria for sustainable design in response to Julie Korenstein's motion. He reviewed the components of sustainable design and described those things which can be done cost effectively. He then gave concrete examples of items that are high pay back and qualify for funding from federal, state, local, and private sources. Guideline specifications will be issued to architects for sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy, materials, and indoor environmental quality.
Speaker
Gene Krischer expressed his appreciation for going forward with the Implementation Plan and urged the Committee to also look at developing criteria for existing facilities especially when installing air conditioning.
Mr. Taft responded to the Committee's questions on the certification system matrix.
In response to a question from Mr. Lansing about recycling, Kathi Littmann stated that Mr. Bellomo is working on a plan to recycle construction and demolition waste. She expects the plan to be ready for presentation to the Committee in June.
The Committee asked Mr. Taff to post the plan on the District's Web site, to present it to the BB Oversight Committee, and to develop design criteria for existing facilities too.
There was no opposition to implementing the Plan as presented.
Mr. McConnell committed to developing a plan for existing facilities projects.
STATUS OF E-RATE PROGRAM
Dr. Holmes reported that the three-month extension has been received and that three vendors will complete their work during the extended period. The fourth vendor, who has 68 projects, still has no projects under construction. Dr. Holmes will be having two meetings tomorrow (May 25) to determine how to go ahead with that vendor's projects. He reported that 28 projects have pinged (have met the School and Library Division of the Federal Communications Commission's requirements) and are ready to be hooked up to computers and 73 have been pretested and are waiting for the ping test.
The Committee told Dr. Holmes that he has their support to tell the fourth vendor to do the work or bow out or the District will go after them legally.
Mr. Folsom requested Dr. Holmes E-mail or fax the resolution of the problem with the fourth vendor to the BB Oversight Committee. Dr. Holmes agreed.
STATUS OF BB EXISTING FACILITIES PROGRAM
Dr. Holmes reported that approximately 5,521 projects have been completed, 431 are under construction, 6,174 have status but are not under construction, and 3,000 have no activity.
Discussion followed on job order contracting, funding risks, and adequacy of funds to complete all existing facilities projects.
Mr. Buxbaum told the Committee that he is finalizing the budgets for existing facilities projects and it
appears that at least $100 million needs to be set aside to cover shortfalls.
Mr. Lansing asked staff to survey the schools which have not been air conditioned to verify whether they
still want air conditioning or would they have other priorities. Mr. Lansing made it clear that the money is
to stay at the school should the school choose not to air condition.
Mr. Lansing would like the results of the survey brought to the Facilities Committee.
Ms. Hayes asked Mr. McConnell to look into ways to reduce an extremely noisy air conditioning system at a school she visited last Wednesday.
Mr. McConnell will look into the problem at this particular school and will work on resolving the noise problem at all schools.
STATUS OF NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
Ms. Littmann gave a broad overview on major milestone activities taking place in Real Estate, Community Outreach, Project Management, Design, the payment process, and staffing. She also stated that policies and procedures are being developed and will be integrated throughout the Division, that a relocation and implementation plan should be in place in June, and an execution strategy for New Facilities should be in place in a few days.
Ms. Littmann announced that Bell Primary Center will be ready for occupancy on June 1, 2001 and a grand opening is being planned. She also distributed to the Committee the Community Outreach calendar of meetings for the month of June. This calendar is posted on the District's Web site and is published monthly in the Los Angeles Times Education Section.
STATUS OF STATE AGENCIES STAFFING
Ms. Littmann reported that staffing requirements have reached a critical stage; that these staffing requirements need to be addressed within the next 30 days if the building program is to succeed. She cited the number of projects which will be submitted for review and approval this year into June 2002 and staffing requirements to meet deadlines. Because of the time it takes to hire and train employees, the preferred solution is to contract with outside consultants and firms. Ms. Littmann noted that funding is not an issue because the District pays for these reviews.
Mr. McConnell informed the Committee that he, the Superintendent, Fabian Nunez, and Angelo Bellomo will be meeting with the Governor to bring to his attention the seriousness of increasing the staffing levels of these State agencies. The Committee requested Mr. McConnell to meet with the Governor as soon as possible and to inform them for he outcome of the meeting.
Staff was also asked to track how long it takes each project to go through all of the required checks for new construction.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE ON FACILITIES ISSUES
Mr. Nunez gave the status of several District-sponsored bills then focused on the next bond election in either March or November 2002. He stated a strategy needs to be developed which will work for all districts statewide. Los Angeles Unified School District needs to find a way that will help all districts to provide seats for students. Also the District needs to determine how much it needs from the State to complete its new facilities program and needs to help get the message out that providing seats for students statewide is more serious than the current energy crisis.
Ms. Littmann stated an assessment of needs will be completed by this summer. The Committee agreed that it is important to schedule, as soon as possible, a full discussion with all Board Members on strategies for the next bond election. It is important to get the message out to the public what has been accomplished by this District and to involve the new Mayor and City Council in the next bond election.
Speaker
Mike Saulenas spoke about risks at Belmont and asbestos.
Mr. Lansing asked if the $4 million in the Deferred Maintenance is adequate for an asbestos crew and abatement.
Mr. McConnell will provide a written response.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 11:48 a.m.
1. Accounts Payable Progress 15 minutes Joe Zeronian
on Paying Contractors
(No Material)
2. Default of Contractor, 15 minutes Paul Holmes
K & M Construction, and
Declaration of Nonresponsibility
(Berendo Middle School)
3. Default of Contractor, Verdugo 15 minutes Tom Leslie
Florencio Roofing Company, and
Declaration of Nonresponsibility
(Dorsey Senior High and VG2787A)
4. Deferred Maintenance Plan 15 minutes Lynn Roberts
5. High Performance Building 15 minutes Marv Taff
Design and Implementation Plan
6. Legislative Update on Facilities Issues 15 minutes Fabian Nunez
7. Status of E-Rate Program 10 minutes Paul Holmes
8. Status of BB Existing Facilities 10 minutes Paul Holmes
Program
9. Status of New Construction Projects 10 minutes Kathi Littmann
Augmented Facilities Committee
Thursday, May 24, 2001
Page 2
PRESENTATION
AND DISCUSSION
PRESENTATION TIME PRESENTER
10. Status of State Agencies Staffing 10 minutes Kathi Littmann
11. Items Referred to the Facilities Committee by the Board of Education or Committee of the
Whole
The Facilities Committee may consider and act upon motions, Board Reports, or other business
referred to it by the Board of Education or Committee of the Whole, with respect to any properly
posted matter at a meeting immediately preceding this committee meeting, where the time between that
meeting and this committee meeting is less than 72 hours. Members of the public are encouraged to
review the order of business or agenda for the meetings of the Board of Education or Committee of
the Whole.
12. Closed Session
Persons who wish to address the committee may sign up at the committee meeting.