Board approves Strayer auditorium lighting fix and district clock/speaker upgrade

The Quakertown Community School District board approved two facilities contracts at the June meeting: an auditorium lighting and dimmer-rack retrofit at Strayer Middle School and a district-wide clock and speaker system upgrade.

District facilities staff told the board the Strayer auditorium’s existing dimmer racks and certain fixtures were failing and producing intermittent strobe-like flicker during events. Facilities director Rob (last name not stated in the transcript) said temporary wiring changes restored usable lighting for recent events, but a full retrofit is required to prevent recurring failures. The board approved moving forward; administration said the project would be funded from capital reserves if needed.

The board also approved a district clock-and-speaker upgrade to replace aging wall clocks and intercom components that are no longer reliable. Facilities staff said unsynchronized clocks had, at times, differed by minutes among buildings and caused bell- and dismissal-schedule mismatches; the new system will centrally control time and bell schedules district-wide. The purchase and installation were presented as part of an annual capital projects list. Board members noted the project will help transportation timing and reduce recurring maintenance work.

At the meeting, facilities staff said the full capital-project package — including the lighting work, clocks, selective masonry repairs and vehicle/camera items presented elsewhere on the agenda — was slightly above an originally planned capital allotment but that several items had allowances and contingency built in. The board approved the items in the facilities consent agenda after discussion and a review of funding options.