West Greene expecting report on retaining wall
ROGERSVILLE – West Greene School Board expects to receive a report by the end of the month from the consultant hired to investigate the cause of the collapse of a retaining wall at the new elementary school.
The board plans to discuss the consultant’s findings at its next building and grounds committee meeting Feb. 5.
The board approved several motions Thursday regarding the elementary project and recessed the meeting until 7:30 p.m. Jan. 29.
The retaining wall, which runs about 760 feet behind the new school and at its highest reaches 31 feet, collapsed Nov. 13. Nothing changed regarding the condition of the wall since then, Superintendent Thelma Szarell said Thursday.
The board in November accepted Michael Baker International LLC as an independent consultant to the district and architect. The company was asked to investigate the cause of the collapse and develop a plan to reconstruct the wall.
To review Baker’s work, the board also hired its own “peer review” consultants, Pennsylvania Soil and Rock Inc.
The elementary school is nearly completed. “Basically, everything is done, but there are a lot of very small things that still have to be addressed,” Szarell said. The repair of a scratch on a finished surface, she said, is an example.
The district plans to begin using the building at the start of the next school year in August.
The board voted Thursday to pay Pennsylvania Soil and Rock Inc. $14,228.10 for work it completed between Nov. 18 and Jan. 3.
It approved a motion directing URS, the district’s construction manager, to issue a “construction change directive” deleting certain work from the scope of work included in the agreement with Liokareas Construction Co. Inc., the general contractor.
The deleted work includes work related to the reconstruction of the failed wall, ancillary site work, paving, exterior concrete work and any exterior work not yet completed or not yet complete in a satisfactory manner.
The board also approved a master service agreement with URS to continue as construction manager on the project.
Apparently, expecting the motion to face opposition, board member Chad Scott noted if URS were not retained, the district would face the task of finding a new construction manager, which could postpone completion of the project.
Board members Joe Coss and Tom Coss voted against the motion.
Scott also announced the academic improvement committee is again discussing a proposal to increase academic eligibility requirements for students participating in athletics and extracurricular activities.
The matter was discussed several months ago but put aside for further study.
The group is discussing establishing more stringent standards to improve academic achievement but also including a tutoring program for students who need the extra help, Scott said.
The group’s next meeting will be at 6 p.m. Feb. 10 in the high school cafeteria.
The board approved a new five-year contract with Bob Ward, director of information technology at a base salary of $70,029.16.
It accepted the resignation of Frank Hunter from the position of head varsity track coach, and voted to post and advertise the position. Board member Tom Coss noted Hunter has served as coach more than 30 years. He commended Hunter for his commitment.
The board accepted the retirement of Patti Lesnett, a third-grade teacher at Graysville Elementary.
The board approved a motion directing Petermann Bus Services, the student transportation provider, to replace the current transportation manager for the district, Bill Parnham, with another manager.
Board member Kelly Loughman reported the board continues to discuss reconfiguring the district’s voting districts, possibly going from three voting districts to two. In the past, some districts have had problems fielding candidates.
Any changes to the voting districts, however, could not be implemented for this year’s election because of the process that would have to be followed in approving the plan.