School board approves pre-K expansion, awards retaining wall project bid
ST. MARYS - A muchneeded expansion of a second section to the St. Marys Area School District’s pre-kindergarten (pre-K) program will be implemented for the 2024-25 school year.
Following the SMASD’s Board of School Directors approval during their Monday evening, the district will advertise for appropriate staffing. The district-operated program started during the 2022-23 school year and is in high demand with a waiting list of interested students.
Strong data shows Elk County lacks 14 publicly-funded pre-K programs according to 2022 data. There are 377 pre-school age students, typically 3-and4-year-olds, within SMASD. Of that 36% are eligible to be included in a publicly-funded pre-K program.
The high school retaining wall replacement project is moving forward as the board unanimously approved the awarding of the lowest qualifying bid to contractor Dave Roman Excavating, Inc. of Reynoldsville for a cost of $585,555. The project entails reconstructing the handicap parking and ADA sidewalk/ ramp in front of the high school. It will be funded using a General Obligation Bond.
Additional bidders included Fred L. Burns of Shippenville at $773,500 and Bucktail Excavators of St. Marys at $616,755. While John Nastase Construction, Inc. of Snowshoe submitted the lowest cost bid of $580,200, the bid was not considered a qualifying bid.
Superintendent Harley Ramsey stated when the project initially went out to bid last year the lowest bid was in the $900,000 range. He credits KTH Architects with working with the district to complete a re-design of the project. Ramsey also recognized school board member Tim Frey for presenting a more straight forward design which impacted the cost of the project by decreasing it. This work resulted in an over $300,000 savings from the original design.
The board unanimously approved a Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance Act (LERTA) application from Housler Family Eye Care in St. Marys. LERTA provides for tax abatements on improvements of commercial and industrial properties. The application was approved by all three local taxing authorities including the school district, the City of Marys and the County of Elk.
According to the LERTA application, Housler
Family Eye Care plans to construct a new eye care business at 949 S. St. Marys Street. The new wood-frame building will measure 50 ft. by 50 ft. and 23 ft. high, encompassing 2,500 square feet and consist of a concrete basement with a vinyl and stone veneer.
The projected cost of the project is $598,570 and will commence in March 2024.
The total amount of the tax exemption is $37,864. The exemptions are broken down to 100% exemption in the first and second years, totaling $11,645 each year, 75% exemption in the third year
equal to $8,734, 50% exemption in the fourth year equal to $5,822 and no exemptions in the fifth year.
Also approved during the meeting was the school calendar for the 2024-2025 school year including five dates as local holidays including: November 29 and December 2, the Friday and Monday after Thanksgiving; December 24 and December 26, the Tuesday and Thursday, the day before and the day after Christmas; and April 18, the Friday of spring break.
Members of Boy Scout Troop 94, based in Kersey, was in attendance during Monday’s
meeting to observe local government in action. The troop is under the direction of Scoutmaster Jamie Wolfe along with James Duran, Nick Brown and Renea Wolfe as assistant scoutmasters.
An executive session was conducted following the meeting.