Feb 23, 2005 By Steve Ostrosky 3 min read

JEFFERSON – A proposed feasibility study for the Jefferson-Morgan Junior-Senior High School was once again met with resistance by school board members Tuesday, who asked for more time to review whether such an assessment is necessary. Board members tabled a motion to hire Pittsburgh architects Valentour English Bodnar & Howell to conduct the yearlong review of the facility at a cost not to exceed $20,000, with the funds coming from the 2005-06 budget. The same motion was brought to the board in October, but did not receive a second.

Director Frank Burich said the committee should meet to discuss whether the district can afford a renovation project before deciding to spend money on a feasibility study.

“We’re talking about a renovation, but where’s the money?” he asked. “I don’t know of any money we have to renovate.”

Superintendent Dr. Charles Rembold said the completion of the feasibility study would be completed after the building had gone 20 years without a complete renovation. The Pennsylvania Department of Education will not reimburse districts for renovation projects if they occur more frequently than once every two decades, he noted.

“This is the first point, to do the study,” he said. “It would be foolish if we don’t do it soon. Whether you approve or don’t approve a project, we have no information to discuss until this step is done.”

Director Mark Pochron said several school districts have recently come under criticism for spending money for feasibility studies and not taking action based on the assessment’s findings.

“Referring this to committee gives us a better chance to discuss whether we even need it,” he said. “I don’t want to have to pay for this twice.”

Members voted to send the proposal to the buildings and grounds committee for further discussion before bringing the matter back to the board as early as next month. The buildings and grounds committee is scheduled to meet March 7, two weeks before the board’s next scheduled meeting.

Directors Charles Barno, Donna Brown and Bob Greenlee voted against tabling the motion, while Ellen Hildebrand and Mark Grimes were absent Tuesday.

Valentour English Bodnar & Howell was hired by the school board as the architect for the $5.5 million renovation to the elementary school, which was completed in 2002.

In another facilities matter, business manager Michael Conte updated the board about construction costs related to the new fieldhouse.

To date, the board has authorized transfers of $241,144 from the general fund and $183,401 from the capital reserve fund to cover construction materials and services for the fieldhouse. Conte said another $135,000 in grant money and fundraising has either been received or is expected to come in to offset some of the expenses.

Factoring in the outside revenue sources, the district will have spent $289,545, Conte said, but noted that the total did not include labor costs. He estimated that the labor costs will come in between $140,000 and $180,000 by the time work is complete.

Proceeds from timber sales and a contract with Pepsi have also been earmarked by the board for the fieldhouse, which Rembold said has a first phase “absolute deadline” for completion of Aug. 1.

“We’re extremely close,” he said. “We’re down to the doors and the hinges.”

Installation of the heating and electrical systems is ongoing, and lights will be installed once the electrical work is finished, Rembold said.