Board approves grandstand restoration, outdoor batting cage funding and musical contract; tables PA Youth survey

DERRY — The Derry Area School District board recorded a series of routine and project motions during its regular meeting on Thursday, including approval of a stadium grandstand restoration contract, a funded outdoor batting cage, and a contract for the district musical. The board also tabled a proposed administration of the Pennsylvania Youth Survey to allow members time to review the instrument and its grade‑level administration.

Key actions at a glance:

- Stadium grandstand restoration: The board approved a contract with Tremco and Allegheny Restoration to complete grandstand restoration and waterproofing with a base bid of $619,450 that includes a 30‑year warranty. The board also approved the alternate bid to add aluminum handrails for $59,500; the vendors will be procured under the Keystone Purchasing Network cooperative purchasing program (AEP contract 021‑D) using customer proposal number PA‑021D‑35761.

- Outdoor batting cage: The board approved a proposal to install an outdoor batting cage between the baseball and softball fields. Funding sources cited in discussion included a $7,500 grant from the Pittsburgh Pirates, roughly $3,000 in booster/private donations, $3,000 from the Norm Bassiano discretionary fund, and a planned draw of approximately $3,841 from athletic advertising revenue (the district noted it has almost $20,000 in that account). The contract is a Keystone Purchasing Network (KPN) procurement consistent with prior athletic facility work.

- Musical contract added to agenda and approved: The board amended the agenda earlier in the meeting to add item L — a contract with Musical Theater International for the 2025–26 musical production running Feb. 27 through March 1, 2026 — and approved that contract by voice vote.

- Pennsylvania Youth Survey (business affairs item G) tabled: Board members asked for more time to review the survey’s content, grade‑level suitability and administration plan; the motion to table item G was made and passed.

- PSBA officer election: For the Pennsylvania School Boards Association officer ballot the board opted largely to abstain from most officer selections but voted to support Antonio Perez for the Section W‑3 adviser slot; the board recorded the motion to choose Perez and to abstain on other positions that require no selection.

Other routine approvals included minutes from prior meetings, bills, the treasurer’s report, personnel items and athletics items A–C; all were approved by voice vote as listed on the agenda.

Vote mechanics: Most approvals were taken by voice vote; specific roll‑call tallies were not provided in the public portion of the transcript. Where an alternate was added (the grandstand handrail) the board discussed safety and liability before voting to include the alternate in the awarded contract.