Board OKs change orders for high school project
CONNELLSVILLE — The Connellsville Area School Board authorized several change orders that will ultimately add to the overall cost of the renovations being undertaken at the Connellsville Area Senior High School.
On Wednesday, the board approved two changes requested by the general construction contractor, Walter Mucci Construction Co. Inc. of Smock, to replace certain walls within the high school.
John Pappas, Eckles Construction Services Inc. vice-president and construction project manager, said the walls, located on the exterior side of the building, would not facilitate new construction because the plaster did not adhere to the block surfaces.
Costs to replace the surfaces total about $30,000.
Pappas estimated the district will spend an additional $14,700 to install a panel above student lockers.
The drawings completed by Crabtree, Rohrbaugh and Associates of Mechanicsburg did not include the panel to be placed above the new lockers, resulting in the additional charge.
The cost also includes the replacement of wood blocking behind the 1,200 lineal feet of panel.
The directors also authorized two construction change directives that are tied to structural steel work in a floor area of the building and in a second-story ceiling.
Pappas explained that there is some disagreement about the charges being levied for the installation of the steel.
“I believe the (set) cost (for the installation) to be twice of what it should be,” he said.
Contractors have met, said Pappas, and agreed to initiate the work with man hours and materials used to be documented.
In a related issue, the board approved a $70,000 contract to implement a high-level testing and balancing program for the new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems (HVAC) at the high school.
During the Monday work session, Richard Castner Jr., Crabtree, Rohrbaugh and Associates representative, advised the board that the program is to ensure against leaking in duct systems and verify air quantities and allows the project to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) criteria.
Director Kevin Lape said that he would have preferred to have known in advance of the added cost.
“I’m not saying that it is not needed or not warranted,” he said. “It just would have been nice to have seen it up front.”
Pappas, meanwhile, said that the renovation work is progressing, with the focus of the contractors now on the boiler room, kitchen and cafeteria and the east half of the two-story classroom building.
“We have three more weeks of school and working very hard to prepare for the extensive amount of work that will be done over the summer,” he said.
Turning to other matters, the board also conducted the following business:
n Approved an incentive program for 27 teachers who have advised the district of their retirement at the end of the school year. Each new retiree who has met the criteria will receive a $10,000 cash payment to their retirement fund and a two-year extension of their health benefits.
n Accepted the resignation of high school math teacher Kevin Bell, who was charged by state police in March of sending lewd photographs of himself to a student. In a related memorandum of understanding, the board agreed to maintain his medical benefits until Aug. 31.
n Hired Andrew Snyder as Junior High East head wrestling coach at a salary of $2,587; Shawna Little, senior high girls’ head basketball coach at a salary of $6,224; Rachel Means, senior high girls’ assistant basketball coach at a salary of $3,318; and Paige Puskar, senior high girls’ soccer assistant coach at a salary of $1,654.
n Approved Beth Swink as a volunteer coach for the girls’ basketball program.
n Re-elected Eugene Cunningham as school district treasurer and Cherie Routzahn as school district assistant treasurer.
n Amended the 2011-2012 school calendar to include May 29 as a school make-up day.