Brownsville board scraps contract
BROWNSVILLE – The Brownsville Area School Board has terminated its contract with N. John Cunzolo and Associates, the Pittsburgh architectural firm that prepared a feasibility study for a renovation project, effective April 29. The board hired Cunzolo in October and settled on a contract under which the firm agreed to prepare a feasibility study at no cost – whether or not it was hired to design the project.
Cunzolo’s study outlined several project options and the board expressed interest in renovating and expanding the high school/middle school and building an elementary complex near the high school for all of the district’s youngest students.
The firm also prepared PlanCon documents, which must be submitted to the Department of Education, for the high school project, but the board did not cast a vote to accept or reject the documents. Department approval of PlanCon documents is required in order for districts to qualify for partial reimbursement of construction costs from the state.
If the board had accepted the PlanCon documents, the firm’s initial payment of $176,000 would have been due.
However, the district has a $925,000 budget deficit this year and the board decided to wait until it receives a preliminary 2002-03 budget from its business manager before selecting a project or projects.
Business manager William Boucher said he would submit a preliminary budget on April 29.
Board president Jim Brown and superintendent Dr. Gerry Grant said the board did not want to commit to a project before it had a clear picture of its financial state.
Board members Andy Dorsey and Stella Broadwater never supported Cunzolo. Dorsey obtained and distributed court records from Allegheny County that show the firm has been sued by the Elizabeth Forward, Moon Area and Quaker Valley school districts.
Dorsey and Broadwater have said Brownsville can not afford the types of problems that led the Allegheny County school districts to sue the firm.
The motion to terminate the contract with Cunzolo was listed under the buildings and grounds committee section of Thursday’s board meeting agenda, but director Roseanne Markovich, who chairs that committee, refused to read the motion.
Director Francine Pavone made a motion to table the motion, but it was voted down 6-3.
The motion to terminate the contract passed by a 6-3 vote, with directors Rocky Brashear, Ellen Rohrer and Pavone opposed.
Broadwater said terminating the contact was in the district’s best interest.
The board kept the project moving forward by hiring Herbert, Rowland and Grubic Inc. to take aerial photos for topographical, utility and boundary maps of the property for $9,500. Grant said the photos have to be taken soon or foliage would obstruct the camera’s view.
The district was recently awarded three grants totaling $1.47 million for a variety of technology and safety renovations at the high school/middle school.
In addition, the board agreed to a three-year, $8 million bond issue in 2000 to generate about $400,000 for high school renovations.
In other financial news, Boucher said he has learned that the Pennsylvania Senate has agreed to reduce school districts’ contributions to employee pensions funds from 5.64 percent to 1.15 percent for 2002-03, a reduction that reduction would save Brownsville more than $300,000.
In unrelated business, the board approved next year’s school calendar that sets Aug. 26 as the first day of classes and May 30 as the last day.
Grant also announced that Friday was the deadline for applications for the vacant elementary, middle school and assistant high school principal positions.
She said she hopes the board fills those jobs in May or June.