By susan rumble

Special to The Press

The entire parking lot at the Cetronia Elementary School will be removed and reconstructed to improve safety for the staff and visitors who use it.

Director of Community Relations Nicole McGalla reports the parking lot is cracked and has depressions that could cause people to slip and fall.

She added water, which accumulates in the indentations and cracks, freezes and causes an additional slip hazard.

At the Feb. 15 meeting, the board approved an agreement with Cowan Associates to provide professional services for a fee of $47,926 for surveying, engineering, and construction administration and inspection in the parking lot replacement project.

Board member Jarrett Coleman voted no.

The board also approved an agreement with Cowan Associates for surveying and engineering to prepare a design for a new bus loop and parking lot at Fogelsville Elementary School for a fee of $12,250.

Coleman voted no.

In the matter of data transmission service, the existing agreement with Service Electric expires in June.

The district solicited bids for a new contract and, again, Service Electric was the lowest responsible bidder with a proposal of $1,250 per month for a five-year term beginning July 1, 2022.

The charge will be eligible for a 50 percent E-rate discount through a federally funded program that makes telecommunications and information services more affordable for schools.

If the E-rate is received, the cost will go down to $625 per month.

Parkland receives its Internet access for data transmission through a direct fiber connection from Springhouse Middle School to Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21, the main hub which connects to everything in the district.

Moving on to a different item, the board approved the purchase of security cameras from TWG Security at a cost of $42,887.

The cameras will be used in the newly constructed section of Schnecksville Elementary School and as replacements for outdoor cameras in the existing building.

In a report on district goals at midyear, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Michelle Minotti emphasized “how hard everyone is working” to achieve the objectives set forth at the start of the school term.