Operations update: credits returned, multiple bids received, and several building projects advance

Operations staff briefed the board on a bundle of capital projects and change orders on Jan. 27, reporting returned allowances, bid results and several pending procurement decisions.

Pat Rucker and other facilities staff said three credit change orders for the Robert Morris project (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) will total $281,223.95 in credits back to the district. A separate set of credits for the West High Tech Ed project will return $27,764.74.

Bids opened last week for the Scranton High boiler and water-heater replacement produced a total with alternates of $922,000. Staff said that figure was about $398,900 under the project budget; the recommended plan moves the building to a three-boiler system so the building can continue operating if one unit is down.

For South Intermediate and West High, bids for environmental abatement and fire-alarm systems produced a pool of responses and alternates. Staff reported total contracts are currently below an initial budget estimate and recommended acceptance of an alternate (1b) for $41,600 to expand an area-of-rescue communication system at West High. Rucker said the district received grant funding that offsets part of the cost: roughly $1,000,000 toward the fire alarm work and about $826,000 tied to environmental abatement efforts.

Facilities presented an estimated full replacement budget for the McNichols Plaza chiller at about $1,088,350, of which roughly $859,000 was construction cost. Staff said they hope to authorize design and construction bidding to secure a new chiller and also continue a temporary chiller until replacement.

West Intermediate items prompted detailed discussion. The district plans a purchase order via cooperative purchasing for $93,000 to complete roofing work. Staff noted the overall roof project returned a credit of $317,399 to the district. A Pennsylvania State Police facility assessment recommended installing vehicle barriers outside West Intermediate; staff gave an approximate cost in the transcript (about $14,315) and recommended proceeding for security reasons.

Board members debated the process for using change orders to alter the West Intermediate gym ceiling and corridor finishes. One director raised concerns that using change orders to alter scope might improperly circumvent competitive bidding; district legal staff said change orders are legal on a case-by-case basis but committed to documenting compliance and to seeking further input from counsel and the Office of Budget as appropriate.

Facilities also said a generator replacement at West Intermediate required additional work and increased the contract by $14,544.82 beyond the original approval; staff said the work involves protecting and reinstalling finished elements and scheduled the demolition/protection work for the summer. The West Intermediate renovation program is scheduled to finish by Oct. 2025, staff said.

Other items included a feasibility-study approach for the West High gym: two firms have offered to provide feasibility studies (one as part of owner rep services and another offered to provide a study pro bono). Facilities recommended receiving both studies for comparison. Finally, stadium front-end loaders—two John Deere machines from about 2002—are failing; the district is renting a replacement and will consider the state surplus as a possible procurement option.