The (NBHS) Auditorium Restoration Committee met on Thursday, November 14, 2013, at the New Bedford Public Schools Administration Building on County Street.

Meeting started at 6:30 p.m.

Mike Shea welcomed everyone.

Al Oliveira, Facilities Director for the NBPS passed out handouts and gave a roof assessment report on the current condition, the type of roof and the proposed cause of damage within the Auditorium. The Paul Rodrigues Administration Building (PRAB) consists of three stories, totaling 203,734 square feet and was constructed in 1912. The original roof was repaired on numerous occasions until a complete felt and tar overlay was performed in 1993. Al explained that there is a problem with one part of the roof – with a unit called a Scupper – that helps with the drainage. This will be looked at in the spring. Al did a great presentation and the committee thanks him for all of his time and effort.

The committee accepted the minutes from September 26, 2013.

Mission Statement: There were three samples that were submitted to Mike Shea.  The committee discussed them and had an opportunity to develop their own Mission Statement. The committee also wanted to have bullets as part of the Mission Statement to show some of the areas in the restoration process.  After much discussion, the Committee decided on the following:

          The mission of the Auditorium Restoration Committee is to restore the old New Bedford High School (ONBHS) Auditorium to the beauty and glory it once was so that it may serve as a non-profit center for performing arts and public events for the students and faculty of the New Bedford Public School and the Greater New Bedford Community.

          The restoration would include, but not (be) limited to some of the following areas:

                      Sealing of the roof

                       Interior plaster

                      Seating area

                      Light fixtures

                     Structure repair

                     Flooring

The committee will now present this to the School Committee, City Council, and the Mayor to have their approval. We hope to present this to them in the month of December.

The committee suggested that we contact the Standard Times and the radio stations to let the public know of this committee, the progress that is going on and reach out to others who want to be involved. Mike Shea will follow through with this suggestion.

The committee discussed having sub-committees formed to help with certain areas. The following committees were formed: CONSTRUCTION, FUND RAISING, GRANTS, PUBLIC RELATIONS AND NBHS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION (DATA KEEPING). Please look over these areas and if there is an area that you would like to participate on, please let me know and I will put you on that committee. No one will be put on a committee if they don’t want to. If you just want to come to the general meetings to listen and/or give input, that’s great. Once these committees have members, then they will select a chair, have individual meetings, and will present to the full committee at our general meetings.

The next meeting will be in January. The plan is to meet January 23rd, February 27th and March 20th to get the sub-committees going, and then we will see the need for (further) monthly meetings at that point.

The meeting ended at 7:30 p.m.

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