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Chester-Upland SD details facilities hires, safety fixes and districtwide camera refresh
Summary
Facilities Director Mr. Robertson told the school board the district will hire a foreman (starting Oct. 20), add custodial staff, pursue electricians/HVAC/plumbing contracts, refresh cameras across schools and has blocked off a hazardous stairwell at Chester High while it seeks bids.
Facilities Director Mr. Robertson told the Chester-Upland School District board that the facilities department is ramping up staffing and capital work to address longstanding building needs and immediate safety concerns.
"The district facilities department is moving forward," Robertson said, announcing that "this Monday coming up, which is October 20, we will be bringing on board a foreman for [the] facilities department," and that the district plans to hire three custodians to support operations. He said the hires should help complete renovations and maintenance projects across aging buildings.
Robertson outlined planned procurements for trades needed beyond in-house capacity — "electrician for some of the things that our electrician on staff can't do," HVAC personnel for preventive maintenance and a plumber for recurring building plumbing issues. He said the district has solicited bids and will hold a bid-tally meeting to evaluate camera-system proposals.
On security systems, Robertson said a districtwide camera refresh is underway. "We already got the bids in... The next meeting will be 10:30 to tally the bids," he said, adding that the procurement includes both replacements of existing equipment and some new installations: "So this replacement and new repair... combination. Replacing some of the old and putting in some of the new." A door-alarm walkthrough is scheduled Oct. 20 to finalize procedures for recent summer installations.
Robertson described several completed and planned building projects: HVAC work and new VCT flooring at Main Street, restroom renovations, work at CUSA pending final invoices and warranties, and a dance-floor delivery expected next week. He said a summer storm damaged electrical systems at the STEM building and that the district's insurance carrier is assisting with repairs.
On safety, Robertson said a stairwell at Chester High showed a falling fixture and the district has restricted access until replacement bids are completed: "We have everything blocked off. No students, no staff, and nobody's dropped back there." He emphasized the district's practice of immediately addressing hazards.
About athletics, Robertson said an athletic-complex planning committee met Oct. 7 and engineers are preparing worksite plans for bidding, but cautioned the project is in early stages and additional phasing and detailed plans will be presented later.
Board members pressed for clarity on the scope of cameras and the process for advancing athletic-complex plans. Staff offered to provide detailed phasing to the board before formal proposals are presented.
The board took no formal action on these items during the meeting; Robertson described plans and next steps for procurement and repairs.
