Stadium, storage, elevators and waste among many matters tackled by WB Area

PLAINS TWP. — While voting was a relatively short part of Monday’s long Wilkes-Barre Area School Board meeting, the agenda covered a wide range of issues, including big ticket items like the long-discussed new stadium by the new high school, roof replacement at the Leo Solomon school complex, and contract change orders for ongoing work totaling $230,458.

The board approved an agreement with Keystone Sports Construction for the stadium, to include synthetic turf and an eight-lane running track, sports lighting, grandstand and associated ground work at a total cost of just under $8.5 million, keeping it in line with earlier estimates of about $10 million, which Superintendent Brian Costello has long said is within the overall budget for the high school and related athletic facilities. The project involves the state COSTARS cooperative purchasing system designed to reduce costs and speed up purchases.

Keystone, in turn agrees to contract with Ela Group, Inc., which drew up preliminary plans, to do all site engineering and land surveying services. As previously proposed, the stadium will sit in front of the high school main entrance, sunken slightly so as not to obstruct the view. The home side bleachers will seat 2,579 and the visitor side will seat 996.

The Solomon roof project was awarded to low bidder Dunmore Roofing for a cost of $1.48 million, which covers the base bid and five alternates that will provide a 25-year, 72-mile-per-hour watertight warranty on the high roof areas, a lifetime limited warranty on the replacement of the field house shingle roof, and 66 emergency overflow scuppers.

With much of the new high school work completed the bulk of cost for the change orders stemmed from landscaping and school related road changes required by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The board approved $98,904 for Green Valley Landscaping, Inc., to add erosion mat slopes in the topsoil and seeding work, and extend maintenance of the newly seeded ground for 12 months. And it approved $102,475 for Stell Enterprises, Inc., for additional work related to the expansion of the Cross Valley Expressway off ramp and revisions to the Abbott Street intersection work.

The board also approved:

• Purchase of textbooks and other education supplies totaling $189,492 from six suppliers, to be paid for using federal COVID-19 relief funds.

• Approved an agreement with New Story of Wyoming PA to provide educational services for students with special needs at costs ranging from $261 to $510 per day. The district has been contracting with New Story for years.

• Approved two agreements with United Therapy in Wright Township for occupational therapy services at $80 per hour and speech language services at $90 per hour. Business Manager Tom Telesz said this was a new company being used by the district.

• Approved an agreement with Resource Environmental Management,Inc., of Montrose, Pa. to package, transport and dispose of waste at the GAR Middle School at an estimated cost of $9,194. Costello said this was primarily lab materials that were no longer usable, did not present a hazard but did require special disposal.

• Approved an agreement with AmeriStar Facility Solutions of Dallas for emergency deep cleaning and consultation services at a monthly fee of $498 plus a per square foot fee for cleaning services if required. Costello said the contract covers any work if a building has a break out of COVID-19 cases that requires such action.

• Approved an agreement with Lewith and Freeman to list the property on Empire Street in Wilkes-Barre that the district has been trying to sell for years. The lot had been bought as possible athletic fields but never used. Lewith and Freeman will get 6% of the sale price. The list price is $784,000 and Lewith and Freeman keeps exclusive selling rights through Oct. 1, 2022.

• Approved an agreement with Otis Elevator Company of Allentown to service two elevators in the new high school at a monthly fee of $360.

• Approved payment to Plains Township of $10,206 for morning and afternoon monitoring of peak traffic at the junction of South Main and Abbott streets, and at the junction of South Main and Carey streets. Solicitor Ray Wendolowski said the monitoring was required by PennDOT and would be done until a Highway Occupancy Permit is approved for state-mandated work at the two sites.

• Agreed to use BCM Solutions, Inc., for metal detection and school guard services at an hourly rate of $15.50.