Dec 20, 2006 By Angie Oravec 5 min read

A proposal to renovate the Fayette County Area Vocational-Technical School or to construct a new building was placed on the table at a recent operating committee meeting. The committee heard from New Kensington architectural firm Canzian/Johnston & Associates on the results of a feasibility study, which began at the school earlier this year.

Three building scenarios were presented, with one addressing the building’s immediate needs and another introducing the option of constructing a new “comprehensive, technological center.”

The first scenario estimated to cost $14 million for construction addresses building code issues and includes minimal renovations, including replacing the current roof, according to designer Heather Werkeiser.

The second scenario addresses code issues along with academic issues “to make the building better for the education of its students,” said Werkeiser. This $15 million construction plan calls for “gutting” the interior of the school, she said.

The third $30 million scenario calls for constructing the “comprehensive, technological center” that would be designed to hold additional students, according to Werkeiser. Students would graduate from the center, coming there for all subjects in addition to their vo-tech education, she said.

More reimbursement from state Department of Education would be available under this option since the state would look at the building as an independent school, she added.

Prices were based on the architect’s estimate of $140 per square foot, said Harold S. Johnston, president of the firm. A straight 18 percent would be charged for soft costs, he said.

At the current school, expansion possibilities are minimal, but could be accomplished by adding another “T” onto the building, which is mostly “landlocked,” said Werkeiser.

Space for administration, she said, is “grossly undersized and inadequate.” The goal, she added, is to put administrative offices in one space.

While school faculty reported a need for more storage space and floor area, Werkeiser saw a need for more shop organization and recommended putting lockable shelves along shop walls. She also said outside signs are needed to guide visitors and truck drivers to the facility.

The building’s mechanical and electrical systems are 40 years old, while the school’s roof is leaking and needs to be addressed, Werkeiser added.

Within the last two years, three fires have occurred at the school because of old equipment, said Director Dr. Edward Jeffreys, adding that an electrical fire in the kitchen caused thousands of dollars in damage to equipment, which had to be replaced.

Committee member John Evans said the recent rash of fires and an explosion that occurred in the boiler room and injured no one shows the situation is “only going to get worse with time.”

But committee members seemed to back away from too costly an undertaking with member Edward Andria suggesting keeping the price down.

Jeffreys said he is pursuing other financial support for a possible building project and noted he would like to have other school districts, such as the Connellsville Area, participate in a “singular vo-tech school. Vo-tech students in that district now attend the Connellsville Area Career & Technical Center.

The committee also approved Cypher & Cypher of Canonsburg to recalculate member school districts’ annual refunds or money owed as a result of a past funding formula dispute. The public accountants services is not to exceed $9,500.

School officials want to determine how much each district is owed from a $2.5 million fund balance that a Fayette County judge said be created for excess revenue from school districts until the funding dispute was settled.

District superintendents recommended the recalculation.

Albert Gallatin Area School District Superintendent Walter Vicinelly said a question arose in his district regarding the fund balance that has accumulated since the dispute and he noted the importance of ensuring that each board understands the amount belonging to their district.

“We don’t want to create another issue while we are trying to solve one.” Vicinelly said.

And, Dr. Ronald Sheba, Laurel Highlands School District superintendent, said the audit will provide “concrete numbers” that will clarify each school district’s position.

Uniontown Area was the only school district previously said to owe the vo-tech school money as a result of the dispute, while the three other sending school districts were to receive refunds.

Superintendent Dr. Charles Machesky said the Uniontown Area School District agreed to settle on the agreement without knowing how much money in the fund balance belongs to each district.

Committee member Evans suggested the audit report be presented to each of the home districts.

During its annual reorganization meeting, the committee unanimously elected Laurel Highlands School Board member Angelo Giachetti to a one-year term as president, replacing Francine Pavone, and elected Uniontown Area School Board member Dorothy Grahek as vice president.

The committee welcomed new members John Kopas and Cathy Rice, who replaces committee member Palmer Sabatine.

The board also voted to retain Gary Frankhouser of the Uniontown law firm Davis & Davis as solicitor and set his compensation at a $3,500 retainer fee and $75 per hour legal fees.