Committee approves $1.8 million in high school invoices

School Building Committee · Meeting of September 16, 2026

Watertown's School Building Committee approved $1.8 million in high school invoices and a drainage and safety change order. The panel voted 9-0 to approve $1,767,292.48 in August invoices to contractors including Vertex Companies, NEXT AI3 and general contractor Brate Builders, which is 99 percent complete with $4.27 million remaining in retainage. Members also approved, 9-0, a $48,710.70 change order for west-side trench drainage and 22 additional parking-garage bollards.

A project representative reported Eversource approved a $247,926 first MassSave incentive payment and said cell service is now active inside the building. Member Paul Anastasi said he was "amazed at the calm in the building" during recent visits. Chairman Mark Sideris said he anticipates the city council could vote soon on continuing the project.

In the full story:

• Call to Order and Roll Call
• Approval of Minutes
• High School Invoices for August
• Progress Update: Site, Systems, Commissioning and Optimization
• Budget Update and Eversource Incentive
• Change Order 35: Drainage and Accessibility
• Schedule and Regulatory Update: Access Board Variances and PV Completion
• Member Comments on School Opening
• Middle School Invoice
• City Council Update and Chair's Remarks
• Adjournment
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 1,837 words

Source: the School Building Committee meeting of September 16, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

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