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On a cool night when a bad accident on Readington Road may have prevented some from finding their way to the special board meeting, the board met to discuss delaying the opening of the 2005-2006 school year due to slowed construction.

Interim superintendent Jim Sheerin noted that the district is "at the mercy of a mediocre contractor." He made the statement with a taut smile that indicated he was being polite.  Board president Mark Berry said that the district is in a "precarious position" and that construction is "too slow for our liking...the contractor is not putting his best foot forward."

The board voted unanimously to change the start date for the new school year to September 12.  Teachers will still report to school on September 6, now with a total of four "in-service" days that will be used to bring new and existing teachers up to speed on the new curriculum.  The teacher professional days formerly scheduled for February 17 and June 20, or the day after last day of school, will be moved to the September dates instead.  In addition, the opening ceremony formerly scheduled for September 9 will be postponed.

Jim and Mark both took pains to stress their concern for the safety and well being of the students, even as construction will continue during the school year.  Jim Sheerin apologized for the inconvenience, laughing that the students are probably the only stakeholder group happy about the change.  He said feelers are going out to organizations like the YMCA to see if child care can be offered to parents who need the help for September 8 and 9.  He also mentioned efforts to engage off-duty Readington police officers as security for students who will share the building with construction workers even after school starts.

Mark Berry indicated that efforts are continuing on legal fronts to hold the contractor, Controlled Construction Inc., to their agreed targets and to force them to pay for added costs resulting from their own dragging feet.  Clearly frustrated, Mark told of building code violations remaining, items promised five weeks ago still not completed, a ventilation system far from complete, and even subcontractors who have alerted him personally to serious issues not addressed by Controlled Construction.

Controlled Construction, Inc. is apparently the same contractor that gave Glen Ridge school district and Hillsborough Township school district similar problems with delayed work.  The contractor has their offices at 116 Fairfield Road in Fairfield, NJ according to the NJ Schools Construction Corporation website, which tracks school vendors. In an article written by Christine Rhee in the May 2001 Hillsborough High School Voice, she wrote:

"The Hillsborough Board of Education is in a legal dispute with Controlled Construction Inc. of Fairfield. The disagreement is in regards to the first phase of construction that was to be completed on September 13, 1999, but was significantly delayed because of contracting problems. According to the Superintendent, the main issue with the pending lawsuit is that the first phase was completed nearly a year and a half late."

Similarly, in the March 8, 2004 board meeting agenda from Glen Ridge school district, a notation is made regarding extra time given to Controlled Construction, Inc. to complete work:

"Glen Ridge Board of Education believes that better management planning by Controlled Construction Inc. (CCI) and not only weather conditions would have prevented an additional request for a schedule amendment by CCI."

Asked if the two extra days given by our Readington board of education to Controlled Construction would be enough, the reply was that there could be further actions.  The next trip wire will be in ten more days, when another decision will have to be made. It was also mentioned that there was a conscious decision not to give the contractor any more time than is absolutely necessary. In response to questioning, the board made clear that further legal action will be certain.