Renovations Update
As you may recall in a newsletter from last year, I had outlined the plan for the first phase of improvements to our district. At that time we had just completed our feasibility study and started the process in seeking school board approval for the non-reimbursable portion of the project. This would include upgrades to the high school with a proposed exercise facility added to north end of that building off the boys’ and girls’ locker rooms along with a new press box and restroom facility at the stadium. Stonework restoration and the installation of new locker room doors at the stadium are nearly complete. Handrails were installed on both the home and visitor’s side prior to the start of last year’s football season.
The original gym bleachers, as well as the auditorium seating, have been removed from the high school. Those two items have been approved and ordered. We are now waiting for the manufacturing/shipping and installation of both and should be completed by early to late September. The site surveys and test boring for new construction are now finalized and will allow us to prepare bid specs for those additions. These are tentatively scheduled to go out to the public by the end of August. Completion of these projects will be determined by manufacturing and construction timelines and could happen over the next three to four months.
Renovations to the elementary school, the more extensive and state-reimbursable phase of the project, is slated to start as early as next summer and will continue through the 2010-11 school year. The plan calls for a complete upgrade to the entire infrastructure, interior spaces and the exterior of the building with the addition of a new, coal-fired boiler system housed in its own facility.
Currently, we are finalizing all the specification of all remaining projects with the hope to advertise and award bids in the near future. At this time, it is our desire to obtain the best market value on a bond issue and benefit from a great competitive environment in getting the best prices and economy of scale.
The total cost for all projects should fall in the range of nine to eleven million dollars. Approximately two and a-half million dollars will come from capital reserve funds with the remainder being paid through the bond issue.
The board members, administration and staff have been diligent in keeping these projects to that which is necessary and within the parameters of a limited budget. It is the opinion of many involved that we are now in some favorable times to do such capital improvements and believe that hesitating will end up costing the district more money in the long term.
Please do not hesitate to contact me at my office at (814) – 736 – 9636 - Ext 1560 if you have further questions or concerns regarding this or any other matter whatsoever.
Yours in education,
Richard J. Bernazzoli
Superintendent
