School board to seek bids for construction of new high school

ThePetersTownshipschool board unanimously voted to advertise for construction bids for the new high school that will be built on the former Rolling Hills Country Club propertyoffEastMcMurrayRoad.

The board on March 19 also approved the issuance of general obligation bonds not to exceed $45 million to help pay for the$90 million project.

Taxpayers are expected to see a 0.25-mill increase each year over the next six years to help finance the new school, which will provide nearly 300,000squarefeetofspace.The school is scheduled to be open forthe 2020-21 school year.

Prior to the vote to to seek bids, board member Ronald Dunleavy made a motion that would require all bidders to sign a project labor agreement, which would mean that firms bidding on the project coulduse only union labor.

The motion ultimately failed by a vote of 7-2, with Mr. Dunleavy and board member MinnaAllison as the only supporters. Board members William Merrell, Rebecca Bowman, Lisa Anderson, Rolf Briegel, Jamison Hardy, Thomas McMurray and Daniel Taylorvoted no.

Mr.Dunleavy said he made the motion because of an expected shortage of skilled labor when construction is underway and that union shops would be able to provide that skilled labor more readily than non-union shops. He added that the quality of work from union workers tends to bebetter than non-union.

“They have access to more skilled tradesman,” Mr. Dunleavysaid.

Mr. Merrell said that union shops “tend to have better training,” but that the cost could be significantly more than non-union shops, and with such a large project, the costscould be significant.

Inother business, the board voted 7-2 to oppose a school choice bill in the state Senate, also known as Education Savings Accounts. The bill would allow some families who decide to not send their child to their neighborhood public school to receive the equivalent to what the state spends per pupil, which would be deducted from their home district’ssubsidy.

“None of a public school’s money should go to a private entity,” Ms. Anderson said. She added that the Pennsylvania School Boards Associationurged districts to pass resolutionsopposing the bill.

Mr. Merrell said that althoughhe thought the bill was “terrible,” he thought “parents should have the opportunity to have something different for their kids,” if they live ina poor-performing district.”

Mr. Hardy, who said he is the product of private schools, said he opposed the resolution because “there is value in private school education,” as private schools have different standardsand ethics.