BETHLEHEM AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT

BOARD FACILITIES COMMITTEE

MEETING MINUTES

MONDAY, MARCH 7, 2005

Members of the Board Facilities Committee met on Monday, March 7, 2005, at 6:35 p.m. in the Auditorium at the East Hills Middle School. Present were School Board Members Loretta Leeson, Charlene Koch, Diane Rowe, Julie Venanzi, Dr. Craig Haytmanek, Margaret Williams, Rosario Amato, and William Heske. Also present were Dr. Joseph A. Lewis, superintendent of schools, Michele Kostem, associate superintendent, Stanley Majewski, director of business affairs, Frederick Harris and Samuel Senneca, high school athletic directors, Jack Wittenberger, acting director of operations, planning and special programs, Arif Fazil, district engineer (D’Huy Engineering, Inc.), Gerry Yasso, and representatives from the press.

 

The meeting of the Board Facilities Committee was called to order at 6:35 p.m. by Mr. Heske, chairman. The following items were discussed:

 

COURTESY OF THE FLOOR TO VISITORS (15 minutes allowed) – No discussion

 

OPEN FORUM – No discussion     

AGENDA ITEMS FOR MARCH 30, 2005, REGULAR BOARD MEETING – After discussion the board committee unanimously agreed to bring the following agenda items to the March 30, 2005, Regular Board Meeting:

1.     Freedom High School Additions – PlanCon Part F Submittal

2.     Liberty High School Additions and Renovations – PlanCon F Submittal

3.     New Northeast Middle School – PlanCon I Approval

4.     Quotations for the $4,000-$10,000 Cost Category

5.     Liberty High School Additions and Renovations – UGI Costs

     

CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS –

Projects in Design Update - Projects on hold until 2006.
New Northeast Middle School Update - No report.

Projects in Construction Update - No report.

 

DISCUSSION ITEMS –

 

Freedom High School Additions - Mr. Fazil reported that the project is going out to bid this month. All approvals are in except for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.

 

Liberty High School Additions and Renovations - Mr. Fazil reported that the City will review the plans at the March 10 planning commission meeting and the project is scheduled to be bid at the end of the month. Mr. Fazil noted that although the board has updated the budget for the project by five percent for inflation and also for compaction grouting at a cost of $2.3 million, we still have a project that is very complex and the scope, cost, and timelines may reduce how competitive the bids may be. Mr. Fazil suggested that a majority of the scope of work for the Liberty High School Classroom Center be bid as an alternate add. This will give the district an option of reducing the project’s cost if necessary and also perhaps allow the Liberty High School

 

Classroom Center project to be bid separately if necessary. Although this is not preferred, it preserves the options depending on the bids received. The board committee agreed with bidding the majority of the Liberty High School Classroom Center as an alternate since this portion of the project can be separated.

 

                    Mrs. Koch asked if the planned BethWorks project construction might affect the interest of bidders. Mr. Fazil stated that generally the bidders that bid public work are different than those that bid private work; however, the number of bidders that can bid the Liberty High School project are reduced by virtue of the scope, size, and complexity of the project.

 

OTHER - No report.

 

 

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 6:45 p.m.

 

Minutes prepared by Arif Fazil, district engineer, D’Huy Engineering, Inc., and

Jack Wittenberger, Acting Director of Operations, Planning and Special Programs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arif Fazil, District Engineer, D’Huy Engineering, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jack Wittenberger, Acting Director of Operations, Planning and Special Programs