Nov 18, 2004 By Christine Haines 3 min read

CALIFORNIA – Security cameras will be installed at California Area High School, providing views both inside and outside the facility. The school board voted Wednesday of purchase the cameras and related surveillance equipment through Alarmax Distributors at a cost of $6,444.60.

“The surveillance cameras will be placed in the high school and they will observe the entrances to the high school, the parking lot areas and other areas of the high school,” said Dr. Tim Marks, the district superintendent.

Marks said the cameras would also provide a view of the hallways to provide more accountability in the event of an incident in the hallways.

Marks explained that the system will have a digital recall so the administration can review an incident based on the time of its occurrence.

“We intend to install a similar program at the elementary/middle school and to install security locks at all the schools,” Marks said.

Director George Safin said additions to the security system could help prevent situations, such as the loss of the scoreboard consol this year. The board voted to purchase a new consol for $700.

Director Tom Russell noted that the old consol was handed out during one of the youth programs at the field and the district has lost track of it.

The board tables action on a new student accounting computer system until December, saying more research needs to be done to determine if the proposed system, Power School Student Management System, will meet the needs of the district in the most cost-efficient manner.

Power School would initially cost the district $33,213. District officials said it would cost more than $77,000 to upgrade the current system to make it usable for the district’s student accounting needs required by the state.

Safin expressed concerns about the district’s transportation program since Elco Hill on Route 88 is still limited to one lane of alternating traffic.

“We need to get in touch with PennDOT (the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation) again.

In August we were told the repairs would be done in November and I haven’t seen any activity there in two months.

Anyone who travels Elco Hill knows how treacherous it can be in the winder and how difficult it would be for someone traveling down the hill to stop for the red light,” Safin said.

Safin said there is also a possibility that the contractor on the job will close the hill entirely while repairs are made to prevent rockslides on the hill. If the road is closed, school buses would be forced to detour onto country roads in Long Branch Borough, Safin said.