District to replace paper towels with electric hand dryers at middle school; Rob Elementary to get new toilet partitions

Facilities staff told the Feb. 25 meeting that Mill Hall Borough has reported sewer-clogging caused by paper towels flushed or disposed of in student restrooms. To reduce that problem, the district plans to install electric hand dryers in middle school student bathrooms and eliminate paper towels in those spaces.

Brett said there are 10 student bathrooms at the middle school and recommended two hand dryers per typical bathroom and at least two in larger bathrooms by the gym and auditorium; in some larger spaces staff may install only one dryer. He said the district reviewed models used by nearby districts and favored an "ECO" model that provides similar heat output while using lower amperage. "The ECO was the better of them, and it uses less the amperage draw," Brett said.

Staff also discussed coordinating hand-dryer choices with Liberty Curtain so the district can procure or standardize models across schools; Brett said he planned to use whatever model Liberty Curtain adopts.

Rob Elementary partitions: Brett presented current quotes to replace heavily rusted metal toilet partitions at Rob Elementary. He said he had solicited a local contractor for comparison and that funding is available. Brett asked that quotes be included in the March work session and forwarded to the March board meeting so the work can be scheduled and completed over the summer.

Ending: staff requested board approval in March for hand-dryer procurement and the Rob Elementary partition replacement so procurement lead times do not push the work into the fall.