Repairs needed at Trinity South Elementary
Trinity Area School Board on Thursday appointed Janney Montgomery Scott and Clark Hill PLC to assist the district in exploring bond financing to pay for pyrite-related repairs at Trinity South Elementary School and other potential capital improvements.
The motion passed by a 6-3 vote.
The district is mulling a $5 million bond that will be used primarily to repair 18 classrooms at Trinity South that have shifted, and to repair the HVAC unit.
Trinity South, built in 1993, has been affected by cracks and heaving floors due to expanding pyrite in the soil beneath it.
Superintendent Michael Lucas said the school district spent about $1.8 million from 1999 to 2009 on repairs.
He said the school district recently considered nine options to address the pyrite issue and determined the most cost-effective strategy is to make repairs as necessary.
A safety inspection is conducted every year to make sure the building is structurally sound and safe for students and staff.
Morris Knowles and Associates Inc. completed the most recent inspection in November. The building passed.
The proposed bond will cover improvements that either did not qualify for the $5 million zero-interest Qualified Zone Academy Bond the district recently received through the Pennsylvania Department of Education, or were not completely covered.
Directors are considering using any remaining funds for repairs to or replacement of HVAC systems at the district’s three other elementary schools, improvements to Trinity South baseball field, where the high school baseball team will play its home games this year, and paving the Pit, a parking lot on the high school campus.
The board also voted 5-4 to permit Field Turf to conduct a baseball infield survey and create a base map at the Trinity South field at a cost not to exceed $6,000.
Director Gregory Rudman, who opposed the motion, said he believes the school board should wait until the district finds out how much repairs at Trinity South will cost before it proceeds with the survey. If the school district doesn’t have the funds to go ahead with improvements at the baseball field, the money spent on the survey will be wasted, he said.
Director Sean Dobich, who also voted against the motion, said he would prefer to wait for a financial update from new Director of Fiscal Services Matt Howard before the district spends money on a survey.
In other action, the board accepted the resignation of Trinity North principal Gloria Nalepka, who is retiring.