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Haverhill City Councilors agreed Tuesday to take what was called a “low risk” and spend $100,000 for plans and specifications required before replacing the boiler at the William H. Moody School.
The risk comes because the Massachusetts School Building Authority, which accepted the pre-school into its Accelerated Repair Program, has yet to approve the design. Its board will make the determination when it meets in late February. Officials say, however, a delay waiting for permission could cause the boilers not to be installed in time for the next heating season and inflation could add to costs. In the unlikely event the plan is rejected, Haverhill Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Michael J. Pfifferling told councilors the city would not be reimbursed.
“Typically, you wait until the MSBA has approved the design of the project,” Pfifferling said. “This particular designer and owner’s project manager have never faced a situation where the MSBA has gotten this far and denied this project. There are times when it doesn’t go through, but it’s not on the MSBA. It’s usually on the city or town that’s not funding the project or changed their minds.”
The designer and owner’s project manager, NV5 and Vertex Companies, respectively, say they must determine the specific type of boiler and length of piping needed, for example that contractors will eventually procure. The role of the owner’s project manager is to ensure the project meets state requirements.
With supply chains still recovering from pandemic disruptions, officials said, workers need as much time as they can to acquire the parts needed for repair.
Taking the riskier approach dramatically increases the likelihood the project can be completed by this fall, Pfifferling said Vertex and NV5 told him. If they do not receive the extra 10 weeks, construction must occur during summer 2025, increasing the project’s cost due to inflation, as well as forcing Facilities Director Stephen D. Dorrance to split time between two key projects—overseeing both the rebuilding of the Dr. Albert B. Consentino School and the boiler replacement at Moody.
While both Moody and the Silver Hill School were accepted into the state’s Accelerated Repair Program to replace their boilers in October 2022, Moody has lagged behind. With reimbursement from the state, the city is expected to pay $449,679 for Silver Hill’s improvement. Pfifferling told WHAV Moody’s $533,389 price tag exceeds 30% of its appraised value—around $2 million—so building regulations require it be brought up to current code.
“Typically that means, sprinkler systems for fire suppression. We already have sprinklers in there, so we’re okay on that. But handicapped accessibility—ramps, doors, handle heights, toilet levers. Toilet stalls have to be certain sizes and things like that. There was a punch list of items that we took care of. We took care of those over the past three months,” he said.
The school has two items left to complete before they expect the green light from the state at its late February meeting. Most pressingly, they said they are waiting on a letter from the Architectural Advisory Board to certify that an accessibility ramp in the school’s gymnasium cannot be replaced despite its incorrect grade. Pfifferling said the space simply doesn’t allow for it given the building’s age. It was built in 1902.
Despite Councilor Shaun P. Toohey probing Pfifferling on the extra $100,000, councilors generally agreed with his assessment that potential rewards outweighed the risks, voting unanimously in favor of his proposed approach.