WESTPORT — The effort to either renovate or completely rebuild Long Lots Elementary School has entered a new phase.

The Board of Selectwomen on Wednesday morning OK’d contracts, waiving low bids, for an architectural feasibility study by Svigals+Partners of New Haven for $99,300, and to Newfield Construction Management Services of Hartford for a construction management study at $29,500.

The studies will look at several scenarios, whether to renovate the existing structure, add sustainability and energy saving options, renovate with additions and demolitions, or just build a whole new school, and maybe include sustainability/energy saving options.

“We have three options,” Long Lots School Building Committee Chairman Jay Keenan told the selectwomen Wednesday.

“Each one of those options, whether it’s renovate as new … then there’s a combination of renovate as new and additions, and then there’s a brand new school,” Keenan said.

“If the numbers keep going up for the student enrollment, it’s going to be very difficult to just do the renovation,” he said. “They just won’t fit.”

Long Lots, which has the largest enrollment among the town’s elementary schools, is projected to have nearly 700 students by 2028.

Keenan said the reason for not awarding contracts to the lowest bidder was because of timeline issues.

“Does the three-month timer start today?” First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker asked.

“The timeclock should start when the contract is actually executed,” said John Broadbin, deputy public works director.

The Long Lots School Building Committee had a special meeting scheduled Wednesday to discuss the contracts. But an agenda and meeting place were not listed within 24 hours of the meeting, as required under the state’s Freedom of Information Act.

The Westport Journal pointed that out to several town officials.

The meeting was rescheduled for Thursday. Asked if it was because of FOI issues or something else, Keenan responded, “The meeting was rescheduled solely due to a scheduling conflict on my part.”

Thane Grauel, executive editor, grew up in Westport and has been a journalist in Fairfield County and beyond for 35 years. Reach him at editor@westportjournal.com. Learn more about us here.