Uniontown school board balks at spending extra $15,000
Members of the Uniontown Area School Board have balked at a proposal to spend $15,000 to allow the district’s architects to conduct additional work to determine if renovations scheduled to begin next year at the high school could qualify for more reimbursement. Architect Mark Altman requested that his firm conduct additional studies and complete computer modeling to determine what needs to be done for the building to receive a silver certification by the United States Green Building Council of Leadership, Energy and Environmental Design rating system, known as LEED.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education will give money to school districts as reimbursement on environmentally friendly “green buildings,” he said.
Altman said if the high school qualifies, the district could receive another $760,000 in reimbursement. He noted if the district decides to go further and seek certification, another $200,000 in work will be necessary.
Director Ron Machesky reminded board members that because the district could receive that much in reimbursement, the district will have spent additional funds to qualify for the certification.
He suggested that Altman pay for the cost of the study rather than ask the district for more money.
“You could kick in the $15,000 by taking it from the fee for the total cost of the high school project,” Machesky said.
Directors Dorothy Grahek and Charles Castor joined Board President Harry “Dutch” Kaufman in casting the only votes in favor of the expenditure.
Kaufman asked Altman to explain the program to board members during the September work session.
“Get more information to the board and have your office available to explain this at the next meeting,” he said. “We can re-look at the issue. I don’t think everyone understands the dynamics of this.”
The board, at its meeting earlier this week, also hired the following new faculty members: Christopher B. Thomas, art teacher at A.J. McMullen/Marclay/Wharton; Lisa M. Kerr, high school aquatics teacher; K. Luke Molus, elementary physical education teacher; Julie Cuneo, special education teacher at Benjamin Franklin School; Michael Guappone, special education teacher to be assigned; and Michael A. Jones, elementary computer literacy/mid-level math teacher.
Directors also voted to hire Melissa Dillon, Valery Festa, Alice Matis, Cara Scott, Shelby Crouch, Cory Anne Dolan, Joy Karpiak, Neassa Lynn and Julie Valentic as elementary teachers, with placements to be assigned by the administration.
The board accepted the retirement of Patricia J. Gulino, elementary teacher at Benjamin Franklin School, and the resignation of Jocelyn A. Hill, high school learning support teacher.