Committee approves multiple capital bids, awards roofing and paving contracts and authorizes construction escrow

The West Chester Area School District’s property finance committee approved awards for multiple capital-reserve and capital projects, including paving, roofing and lightning-protection work, and authorized a construction‑agreement escrow related to an elementary-school project.

Mr. Burster (facilities) presented the capital-reserve awards: Unitex Asphalt for district-wide concrete/sidewalk/curbing replacement ($90,148), Garvey York for a portion of the Penwood roof ($73,312), Larson Lighting Protection for lightning‑suppression equipment at Ruston High School ($7,887) and Center Roofing and Coating for additional Ruston roofing work ($124,500). Staff said the concrete project exceeded its original $75,000 budget and proposed using $15,148 of savings from a painting project to bridge the gap.

The committee also approved larger capital-project awards: T Schaeffer Construction for East Bradford Elementary School paving replacement ($147,110); Larson Lighting Protection for lightning suppression ($13,157) and US Roofing Corporation for major roofing portions at two schools (one award for $589,334 and another for $310,106). Committee members said these awards reflect bids received and recommended awards consistent with project budgets or with identified transfers between project accounts where necessary.

During discussion members asked whether recent intense rain events had caused any of the work to be emergency repairs. Facilities staff said the recent storms produced cleanup needs and some localized leaks but not roofing failures that required ad hoc emergency contracting; staff explained the district maintains an emergency contingency when immediate repairs are necessary. The committee also discussed longer-term stormwater and drainage considerations at campuses that have high impervious coverage.

The committee approved a construction‑agreement escrow (described in committee materials as an escrow/security arrangement with a township tied to work at an elementary school). Staff said the escrow account would be held in the district’s name as restricted funds and described the escrow amount as approximately $1.27 million to secure project completion obligations.

Each set of awards and the escrow resolution were approved by the committee and will be finalized in contract documents and project administration by the facilities department.