Board advances building project
The Uniontown Area School Board Wednesday gave the district architect the authorization to seek approval from the state Department of Education to go-ahead with a modified high school project. During a special meeting, the board voted 6-3 to direct Altman & Altman of Uniontown to submit an application for plans and specifications to the department for renovations and additions to the high school and to revise the project to reduce the cost.
The board also voted 6-3 for Altman & Altman to submit an application to the department to separate the 1910-11 section and 1954 gymnasium section from the high school renovation project.
Board members William Rittenhouse Jr., Lloyd Williams and Ken Meadows voted against the approvals. The remaining board members voted for the architect to proceed. Board member Nancy Herring cast her affirmative vote via speakerphone.
As part of directing Altman to proceed, the board agreed to a charge of 1.75 percent or $856,000 as a “standard fee” for items including bidding the project, revising the job and inspections and an additional $300,000 as an allowance for redesign, according to Mark Altman of Altman & Altman.
During the initial motion, Herbert Margolis, Uniontown attorney, who has filed two lawsuits against the school district seeking board member Charles Castor’s resignation from the board, interrupted the motion, rose and vehemently asked if citizens are allowed to comment during that portion of the meeting.
Michael Brungo, whose Pittsburgh law firm acts as solicitor for the district, clarified that the public is allowed to speak prior to the motion during the time allotted for public comment.
“The lawyer said when a motion is made by Mr. Kaufman, the great, we can’t talk,” responded Margolis.
Shortly after the votes were taken, the board entered into executive session for personnel reasons.
Margolis, who is working to convince citizens to oppose the school board’s actions and has called for the Citizens Advisory Committee to be turned into a committee to seek candidates for the next school board election, spearheaded a group meeting of about 21 citizens in the high school cafeteria while the board met in executive session in the band room across the hall.
During the meeting, he called for “a new architect” and input from educators to tell the board what the needs of the high school project should be. The Rev. Peter Malik called for citizens who may seek election in the next school board election to stand. Tim Sandstrom, Ron Machesky, Paul Bortz and Angela Yankulic stood.
During the public comment session at the end of the meeting, Margolis asked the board why they have “paid the architect additional money when you nothing in writing” authorizing the work and announced a group of citizens want to go to Harrisburg to insist that the state Department of Education “listen to us.”
The board heard plenty of other comments from the public that opposed the board’s actions.
Ron Machesky, chair of the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), questioned the architect’s square footage cost for the project. Malik said the parents haven’t been consulted about their wants for the project, nor has the public heard the renovation plans of the CAC. Both questioned where money to renovate other district schools will come from.
Malik called for the board to place a referendum on the ballot to see where the public stands in opposition or in favor of the building project.
Ron Metros alleged that public input wasn’t received at the Saturday buildings and grounds committee meeting, while Lana Fleming asked how the board can feel comfortable voting on a plan when a lot changes may still take place.
The board also addressed concern from a couple of residents about the Marclay School fire.
Board President Susan Clay said an auxiliary generator kicked on after power to the building was off for 14 hours. She said she spoke to the state police fire marshal, who told her a piece of pipe connected to the generator was not insulated properly. She said “there was no way of knowing the pipe was not inspected when the building was inspected.”
The board also accepted the resignation of Beth Dunn as a Lafayette School guidance counselor, and approved adding Nicole Lynn Mullen to the elementary or grades kindergarten – six substitute list at $70 per day.