Committee approves $123,613 in August payments

Other Committee · Meeting of September 17, 2026

NEWINGTON — The Newington John Wallace Middle School Project Building Committee approved $123,613.15 in August payments as the renovation project nears completion. Members Joe Harpy, Sean Holleran, Tim Newton, Kim Radda and Steve Woods unanimously approved a $7,082.67 invoice from owner's project manager CSG and a $116,530.48 payment to construction manager Newfield Construction, covering payment application No. 15. A Newfield representative said "we're starting to see some of the final retainages being released," with only two contractors still finishing items.

Harpy said he was "very pleased that we were able to get through the security portion that we were all concerned about," referring to added secured doors and windows in classrooms. The meeting, which included updates from architect Bob Roach and Newington Board of Education liaison Jason Plum, lasted eight minutes and adjourned at 5:23 p.m.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 1,438 words

Source: the Other Committee meeting of September 17, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.

The Full Article

Call to Order and Roll Call

The Newington John Wallace Middle School Project Building Committee met for roughly eight minutes on September 17, 2026, one of its shorter sessions as the renovation project approaches completion. Steve Woods called the meeting to order at 5:15 p.m. and conducted the roll call himself, confirming five members present: Joe Harpy, Sean Holleran, Tim Newton, Kim Radda and Woods. Also on the call were Henry Boers, the owner's project manager from a firm identified as CSG; Bob Roach, representing the project's architectural firm; a construction manager's representative identified only as Tom, from Newfield Construction; and Jason Plum, attending on behalf of the Newington Board of Education. The committee noted no members of the public were in attendance beyond what Woods described as "the AI meeting notes" recording system. There were no prior meeting minutes to act on.

Owner's Project Manager Update

Background and stakes: The committee routinely reviews and approves monthly payment requisitions from the firms working on the Wallace Middle School project as part of its fiduciary oversight of construction funds.

The question before the body: Whether to approve the August invoice submitted by CSG, the owner's project manager firm.

Substantive content: Henry Boers told the committee he had "not much of an update" and presented a single invoice for $7,082.67 covering CSG's services for the month of August. He noted he had missed the project's open house the previous week but had heard it went well.

The deliberation: There was no debate on the figure. Harpy moved approval; Radda seconded.

"I'll move it," Harpy said when Woods asked for a motion, prompting Woods to thank him by name before confirming the second from Radda.

Procedural steps and outcome: The committee voted by voice ("aye") and approved the $7,082.67 payment unanimously, with no discernible dissent.

Implications and what is next: The payment keeps the owner's project manager's billing current as the project winds down; Boers indicated he had no further business.

Architect's Update

Background and stakes: The architectural firm, represented by Bob Roach, reports routinely on design and construction-quality matters, though this item has grown shorter as the project nears substantial completion.

The question before the body: Whether the architect had any outstanding items or concerns following the recent open house.

Substantive content: Roach reported no new business. He and Woods both characterized the open house as well attended and successful. Woods used the item to publicly thank the Wallace Middle School custodial staff, directing his comments to Jason Plum of the Board of Education.

The deliberation: "And again, the school looked beautiful. The custodial staff does an incredible job. Jason, my hat is always off to those men and women that you have working for you," Woods said, adding that "the old part of the school was just as shiny as the new part." Plum thanked Woods in response but offered no additional report.

Procedural steps and outcome: No motion was required; the item was informational.

Implications and what is next: The exchange signals the project has reached a stage where architectural oversight items have largely concluded, with remaining business shifting to financial closeout.

Construction Manager's Update

Background and stakes: The construction manager, Newfield Construction, submits monthly payment applications tied to work completed on-site; the committee must approve each application before funds are released. This update is typically the most substantive item on the agenda given the dollar amounts involved.

The question before the body: Whether to approve payment application No. 15, covering $116,530.48 in construction work performed in August.

Substantive content: The representative identified in the meeting only as Tom shared a cover sheet showing the $116,530.48 figure and told the committee that "we're starting to see some of the final retainages being released," with only two contractors still carrying outstanding items. He said he expected most remaining contractors to be closed out "in the next month or so." Woods confirmed with Tom that this was payment application No. 15, following application No. 14 approved at the prior meeting.

The deliberation: After Tom's presentation, there was brief confusion about who had moved the motion. Sean Holleran was initially credited, but Woods corrected the record, confirming Joe Harpy made the motion and Holleran seconded it. "I don't know who that was, though," Woods said before sorting out the attribution. No member raised questions about the dollar figure or scope of work.

Procedural steps and outcome: The committee voted unanimously by voice to approve payment application No. 15 for $116,530.48 to Newfield Construction. Tom thanked the committee, calling the project "a good project" that "went very, very smooth," and said the firm was "glad that everybody's pleased with the project."

Implications and what is next: With only two contractors remaining on punch-list items, the project is close to full financial closeout. Woods noted the Wallace project, not yet two years old, has moved markedly faster than the committee's prior work overseeing renovations at the Anna Reynolds Elementary School project, which he said has had an active building committee for seven years as of this past May.

Other Business and Public Participation

No other business was raised. Public participation was again limited to automated meeting-notes software; no residents attended or commented.

Comments by Members

Background and stakes: The project included a security-focused scope addressing classroom door and window hardening, a priority the committee had flagged as a concern throughout the project's duration.

Substantive content and deliberation: Harpy opened the comments period by expressing relief that the committee had completed "the security portion that we were all concerned about." He said the improvements should be "a big relief to many parents." Another member, building on Harpy's comment, said teachers, students and parents were "ecstatic" that affected classrooms now have secured doors and windows in a building he described as roughly 54 years old, calling the improvements "a long time coming." A member added that the building's safety "is vastly more safer than it was two years ago" and said protecting students is "one of our primary jobs." One member, who said he has two children currently attending Wallace — a fifth grader and an eighth grader — described experiencing the renovated building firsthand, including quieter classrooms during a parent-teacher conference: "I literally can actually hear what I'm being told. It's fantastic."

Implications and what is next: The comments reflect the committee's view that the project's core safety objective, securing classroom entry points, has been achieved. No further action was taken on this item; it served as a closing assessment of the project's progress rather than a vote.

Adjournment

Holleran moved to adjourn; the motion passed unanimously on a voice vote. The committee adjourned at 5:23 p.m., with Woods noting the early finish "might be a record." Woods said the committee expects to hold "a couple more meetings" before the project fully closes out, but that scheduling will be sporadic and communicated by staff, referring to a person named Lauren, whose role was not specified in the meeting.

WHO WAS THERE

Joe Harpy — committee member, present Sean Holleran — committee member, present Tim Newton — committee member, present Kim Radda — committee member, present Steve Woods — committee member, presided over the meeting and conducted roll call; no formal chair title was stated in the meeting Henry Boers — Owner's Project Manager, representing CSG Bob Roach — architect, representing the project's architectural firm Tom (surname not given in available sources) — construction manager representative, Newfield Construction Jason Plum — attended representing the Newington Board of Education Lauren (surname and role not given in available sources) — mentioned as the person who records the meeting and will coordinate future meeting scheduling No members of the public attended; the only listed "attendee" was automated AI meeting-notes software.

ORGANIZATIONS AND DOCUMENTS REFERENCED

CSG — owner's project manager firm; submitted the August invoice for $7,082.67 approved at this meeting. Newfield Construction — general/construction manager for the Wallace Middle School project; submitted payment application No. 15 for $116,530.48. Newington Board of Education — represented at the meeting by Jason Plum; oversees school facilities including custodial staff praised during the architect's update. Anna Reynolds Elementary School project — referenced by Steve Woods as a comparison point; its building committee has been active for roughly seven years, versus the Wallace project's under-two-year timeline. Payment application No. 15 — the August construction payment request from Newfield Construction, approved unanimously; follows payment application No. 14 approved at a prior meeting. August payment requisition (CSG) — the owner's project manager's monthly invoice, approved unanimously at this meeting.