Plum Borough board approves package of contracts, capital repairs and a confidential CHILL Mobile agreement; personnel and policy items also approved

The Plum Borough School District board voted on a package of routine and project-specific items at its March 25 action meeting, approving capital repairs, construction contracts, policy revisions and a confidentiality agreement for a mobile behavioral health project.

Student services: The board approved a confidentiality agreement related to the CHILL Mobile project, identified in the meeting as sponsored by AHN, with an anticipated cost of $33,000 to be paid by the PCCB. The item was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote during the meeting.

Capital projects and contracts: The board approved repairs and projects identified on the agenda, including repairs to the indoor swimming pool, work on the bus garage, roof replacements at the high school, glycol upgrades to hot-water systems at PIVIC and Holiday Park, and testing of high-school transformers. The board also voted to establish a relationship with Eccles Construction Management Services for the high school and O'Block Elementary projects and approved the construction-phase contract with HDG Architects. Board members said HDG will provide a detailed project presentation at a special meeting April 16.

Policy and programming: The board approved revisions to Draft Policy 209.3 (first-aid standing orders) and voted to accept donations and funding to support chorus festivals, orchestra competitions and the Technology Student Association. The agenda also included renewals of contracts supporting kindergarten programming, college/high-school course offerings and summer program support, and the board approved a proposed contribution to the Allegheny County Intermediate Unit; the board noted that final withholding numbers will be determined in July.

Personnel and finance: The board approved several personnel items and finance items that had been listed on the agenda. During the personnel votes at least one board member abstained from voting on a specific hiring item because of a family relationship; another board member stated a 'no' vote on specific coach hires and requested more time and information, asking for a 30-day extension on approvals for some listings. The transcript records abstentions and at least one explicit 'no' without a full roll-call tally recorded in the public remarks.

Operations and transportation: The board confirmed an update that tablets linked to the Transfinder routing software have been installed on all district buses to provide updated student roster and routing information to drivers.

Routine approvals: The board approved minutes, academic-achievement items, and other routine agenda items by voice vote during the meeting. Where recorded, votes were taken by voice; individual roll-call tallies were not provided in the meeting transcript for most items.

Several board liaisons and administrators briefly reported on program achievements during the meeting, including music and athletics recognitions and work at Forbes Road CTC, but those recognitions were presented as part of the meeting's honors and did not change the board's action votes.