The State College Area School Board on Monday approved a number of change orders that will reduce the cost of the State College Area High School project by $839,170.
The board considered more than $1 million in potential changes to the new high school building construction, ranging from replacing stone veneer in multiple areas to substituting green space for concrete to changing flooring manufacturers.
Some board members were concerned that replacing stone veneer with ground-face block concrete masonry units on the Westerly Parkway side of the south building would lower its aesthetic value.
“I think it’ll make a fair degree of difference as far as the appearance of the exterior of the building, at a small percentage of the cost of the total project,” said board president Amber Concepcion, according to a release from the school district.
That motion ended in a tie vote and will have to be brought back to the board. Another motion to replace stone veneer on the back side of the south building was rejected, while replacement on the north building bus loop entrance passed.
In all the board approved 11 of 14 change orders and will consider another set of changes at its next meeting.
Board member Penni Fishbaine said the board should accept all of the changes.
“I feel we’re overbudget, and I feel we should be responsible in bringing that in,” she said.
The board also approved low bids for the final phase of the Panorama Village Building project, which will convert the former elementary school into office space. When completed it will house district administrative offices, replacing the current Central Office Building on West Nittany Avenue.
Budget Update
Business Administrator Randy Brown and Assistant Business Administrator Donna Watson delivered a budget presentation which includes a proposed real estate tax increase of 4.32 percent that includes Act I Index exceptions for referendum debt service. They said this would still keep State College Area with the lowest millage rate among county districts.
Total revenue for the proposed budget is $143,794,354 — $109,725 more than projections for the 2015-16 budget. Total expenses for the proposed budget are $146,208,721 — $630,953 more than projections for the 2015-16 budget.
