Cost estimates rise for air conditioning at district middle, elementary schools

At least $1.5 million more needed

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Mt. Lebanon school directors learned Monday night that a potential project to air condition the district’s elementary and middle schools would cost at least $1.5 million more than originally thought.

Most of the board members, though, didn’t seem fazed by the price, which increased from an estimate of about $4.1 million to somewhere between $5.6 million and $6.1 million.

“The $4.1 million was based on the original look,” said district director of facilities Richard Marciniak. “It was the best estimate we had at the time.”

But a closer examination by Coraopolis-based CJL Engineering has provided more specific costs for air conditioning the district’s seven elementary and two middle schools.

“Can we anticipate the operating costs to increase as well?” asked Director Hugh Beal about the $135,000 estimate to maintain and operate the systems each year.

“I think the operating and maintenance costs will stay the same,” Mr. Marciniak told the board.

Last month, the board heard pleas from teachers and parents who said temperatures on upper floors of the schools rise as high as 87 degrees on some days.

Even with the increase in price, the district has enough in its capital projects fund to pay for the project.

There should be a cushion of several million dollars, director of business Jan Klein told the board, with money expected from the state Department of Education to reimburse the district for recent construction projects and a possible influx of as much as $9 million by refinancing bonds.

“We do have money coming in,” Ms. Klein told the board.

The board was also put on notice that it would cost about $285,000 for engineering work necessary to prepare bid documents. If the district does not go forward with the project, it would still owe the engineer for the work, but if the project is completed, the engineering expense would be included in the final cost.

The board asked solicitor Thomas Peterson to review an engineering contract and members are expected to discuss — and possibly award — a contract for the engineering work to CJL Engineers at the next meeting, on Monday.

The engineering work is expected to take about 2 to 3 months, after which the board would decide whether to move forward with the project.

Also on Monday, directors interviewed five candidates to temporarily fill a vacant board position.

Katie Caste, Al Frioni, Aviva Diamond, Grant Hackley and Stephen Strotmeyer were interviewed in an open forum by the board, which is seeking to replace board member Elaine Cappucci, who resigned last month.

Ms. Cappucci, who had been on the board since 2008, said she was resigning to allow a family member to apply for a job with the district, which has a policy prohibiting board members from being related to employees.

Board member Daniel Remely said Monday that Ms. Cappucci’s son was hired by the district, but information on what position he will fill was not made available. Ms. Cappucci declined to provide details.

The board is scheduled to vote on her replacement on Monday.

That person will serve through the end of 2017. A permanent replacement will be elected in November 2017 to serve the remainder of Ms. Cappucci’s term, which ends in 2019.