The operations committee of the Salisbury Township School District school board heard a presentation by D’Huy Engineering, Inc. at its Jan. 7 meeting.

The capital plan is a districtwide plan identifying facility infrastructure and system repairs required for upkeep, establishes priorities, reflects current conditions and acts as a working document for the district.

D’Huy said the first capital improvement plan was created in 2007 and has been updated yearly until 2011.

“Since 2007, Salisbury Township School District has spent over $32 million on capital improvement projects, including the high school renovation,” Arif Fazil, president of D’Huy Engineering, said.

On this plan, there are 75 items which should be addressed at Salisbury Middle School, according to Andrew Mather, with D’Huy.

The priority logic included safety, curricular value, educational impact, number of people affected/day, physical conditions, domino effect, community impact, life cycle economic impact, energy sustainability impact, life expectancy projected and existing.

For example, if LED lighting was installed at SMS, there would be a positive impact on curricular value, it would affect all students/faculty/staff, it would have a moderate impact on other building elements and long-term energy savings. The cost to implement LED lighting throughout the building would be $773,500.

The facilities include Salisbury High School, 163,000 square feet, built in 1963. Renovations and additions were made in 1989, 2002 and 2009.

SMS, 121,100 square feet, was built in 1969. Additions and renovations were made in 2005.

Western Salisbury Elementary School, 40,500 square feet, was built in 1960 with additions and renovations made in 1988.

Harry S Truman Elementary School, with 100,300 square feet, was built in 1974 with additions and renovations made in 1988.

The administration building, with 21,900 square feet, was built in 1934 and had additions/renovations in 1992.

D’Huy provided a summary of facility project cost comparisons and discussion centered on the amount of work needed at SMS. Renovations are estimated at $25,188,800 versus a replacement cost of $39,357,500. Capital improvements are 76 percent of what a renovation would be.

Fazil said anything in the 60 percent or higher range should be discussed on how it will be managed.

WSE is hovering at 60 percent with renovations estimated to be $8,424,000 versus $13,162,500 for replacement.

The total estimated work in the district is $45,354,298.

According to the Association of Physical Plant Administrators, the annual budget allocation for routine maintenance and capital renewal is in the range of 2 and 4 percent of the aggregate current replacement value.

D’Huy listed the top seven high priority projects which should be addressed in the summer of 2020: WSE HVAC upgrades, SMS HVAC and architectural upgrades, stadium turf field replacement, stadium track resurfacing, stadium lighting upgrades, new concession stand/maintenance storage building, and the SHS gymnasium/cafeteria roof replacement.

All of these items would be $25,779,055.

Chief Financial Officer/Board Secretary Michael Taylor told the committee there is $250,000 in the capital expenditures budget currently.

Following the presentation, Gatanis thanked D’Huy for always “staying on top of projects” and for arriving on-site in one hour at WSE when the mold problem was uncovered. “We can feel comfortable with them.”

Gatanis suggested a subcommittee be formed including administrators, staff, Taylor, teachers, board members and parents to determine facility needs. Fazil said he would sit in on the meetings as needed.

Director of Facilities and Safety and Security William Brackett asked the board to consider purchasing a new Polaris Ranger all-weather vehicle for clearing snow and spreading salt. The vehicle could also be used in the summer months. The current 2005 model was stolen, and when recovered, was damaged. It was repaired and landed on its side this summer creating a bent frame. It was sent to the Polaris dealer for repair. Brackett said the equipment is vital for removing snow at SHS. If the board approves the new equipment, Brackett said he would sell the existing equipment on eBay. The new equipment would cost approximately $50,000 which includes a snowblower, snow brush, full cap, drop spreader and a 72-inch mower deck.

DeFrank said the board needs to list the items needed in the district and prioritize. Gatanis asked if a lesser model at a lower cost would suffice but Brackett said no. Brackett said he can make it through this winter with what he has and is worried about next winter.

Also on the agenda was a request for power quality reduction equipment at SHS. The equipment handles surges and spikes which are caused by turning equipment on and off, lighting, utility grid changes and backup power supplies. These conditions attack electrical equipment which causes increased repair, maintenance and equipment costs.

The proposed equipment is designed to reduce energy consumption and extend the useful life of motor loads.

Brackett said the equipment is maintenance free and includes a 10-year warranty. It also includes a money-back guarantee if the district is not satisfied with the results. The cost of the equipment for the high school is $46,977.98 with a projected annual savings of $14,216.53. The payback period would be approximately 39 months.

Superintendent Dr. Randy Ziegenfuss requested the replacement of the SHS TV Studio TriCaster equipment which is eight or nine years old. The equipment is starting to fail and is needed to prepare the broadcasts for the television stations. The cost is $35,000 which can be purchased outright or leased. Ziegenfuss said the item needs to be addressed in the next month or two.

Taylor said if the equipment is leased, it could be added as a line item on the budget but the district would be paying six percent interest. He said the cost could be taken out of the capital expenditures fund but he would like to see the money replaced when the bonds are refunded.

In other business, the board had a preliminary reading of Policy 6A.5 on school visitors.

At the end of the meeting, Gatanis thanked Ziegenfuss for suggesting a delay on the renovations. “It’s a big decision and we need to make sure we make the right decision,” Ziegenfuss said. He said there are two big variables to money coming into the district, one being the study being conducted on the land along Emmaus Avenue.