The Connellsville Area School District Board of Directors is a step closer to renovating the Connellsville Area Career and Technical Center.
At Wednesday's meeting, directors voted 6-3 to authorize school architects Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates to begin preliminary design on a $12.83 million center. The net cost will be $11.4 million, taking into account $2.57 million in soft costs, such as design, not included in the $12.83 million construction, and subtracting an anticipated $4 million in state reimbursement.
Directors Loretta Lint, Karen Blocker, Richard Galand, Jeffrey Harvey and Francis Mongell voted for the project. Directors Ed Zadylak, Thomas Dolde and Kevin Lape voted against the project.
Zadylak had concerns of entering into a renovation project when the district has not yet settled its teachers contract, which expired June 30. He also favored a project that would cost the district $6 million.
The design includes $300,000 to remediate a back hallway that was damaged by pyrite in the soil. A previous $14.91 million proposal did not include the remediation. The approved plan saves $2.08 million by removing a second story.
Jeff Straub, of Crabtree, Rohrbaugh, said geotechnical engineers have taken soil core samples, but a final report of its mineral content has not been completed. He called the $300,000 estimate for remediation of the pyrite "extreme," and said the work may cost $250,000 to tear up the hallway, excavate the soil several feed, add new fill and repoint all joints. He said abandoning the corridor and adding a new wing would cost $3.5 million.
Straub also called the $4 million estimated reimbursement "a worst case scenario. It may well be higher."
Beginning in the fall, juniors and seniors at the CACTC will take English, math, science and social studies at the center.
Directors approved adding commercial truck driver training at CACTC. Transport Tech Inc. will provide the services to adult learners.
In other business:
= All meal prices, except elementary and secondary breakfast remain the same. Breakfast will cost $1.25, a .25 increase. The other prices are: elementary lunch, $1.85, secondary lunch, $2.15 and adult lunch, $3.25.
= Directors approved hiring Jeff McWilliams as senior high boys golf co-head coach, Timothy Martin as senior high band activities director and marching band director and Amber Ross as senior high second assistant marching band director. Their salaries will be determined.
= Directors hired Albert Younkin, John Hamman, Ronald Parfitt and Thomas Miller as school police officers.
CAHS hires
The Connellsville Area School District Board of Directors hired several teachers and administrators Wednesday. All salaries will be determined once the new teachers' contract has been approved. The old contract expired June 30.
= Tiffany Saylor, math
= Justin Metzger, math
= Julie Bohna, special education
= Kahla Daniels, special education
= Nicole Eicher, special education
= Melissa Stoots, special education
= Brianna Strickler, elementary
= Adrienne Pilato, elementary
= Elaine White, family and consumer science
= Keri Cook, part-time school nurse
= Melinda Orczeck, science
= Lauren Relovsky, science
= William Bryson, health and physical education
= Susan Mizikar, health and physical education
= Katherine Mason, art
= Ronald Keefer, director of federal programs/technology services. Directors rescinded a June motion to hire Bruce Jaynes for the position and voted to hire Jaynes as an elementary principal.
= Traci Kuhns, assistant principal
= Nicholas Bosnic, high school assistant principal
