Bethel Park considers William Penn renovation
William Penn Elementary School could see some upgrades this summer, if Bethel Park School Board approves the project at its Feb. 25 meeting.
Some parts of the building’s heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system are more than 30 years old and it is now difficult to obtain parts for any repairs. John Cramer, the district’s maintenance supervisor, told the board the building’s boiler is still in good shape, but some of the supporting equipment such as pumps, Univents and other HVAC infrastructure, needs to be replaced.
“I’ve had to machine parts because you can’t buy them anymore,” he said at the board’s committee meeting Feb. 18.
District maintenance workers could replace the equipment and that would save money by not hiring outside contractors. The work could be completed this summer and it will also include upgrades to the building’s kitchen, Cramer said.
Cramer gave a rough estimate of $300,000 to $500,000 for the repairs, but district officials will have a better idea of the actual cost as the district moves through the purchasing process.
The board also hired Pittsburgh law firm Weiss Burkardt Kramer as the new district solicitor, replacing Andrews and Price, which had been the solicitor since 2016. The new law firm will be paid a $750 monthly retainer and $135 an hour.
At the regular meeting, the board will likely approve the purchase of new computer networking equipment at an approximate cost of $245,000.
The board also discussed replacing Chromebooks for students in grades seven through 12. Ron Reyer, technology director, questioned whether the district should replace the high school students’ Chromebooks with more expensive PC laptops.
Reyer said it might be more effective to issue more powerful laptops to students and in turn, some computer labs at the high school could be eliminated.