The Exeter Township School District’s facilities committee on Jan. 13 outlined plans to replace the senior high school elevator and pursue a newly announced state Public School Facility Improvement Grant (total program $100 million).

Brian Fike, business administrator and board secretary, said cost estimates for a full, ADA‑compliant replacement have come in lower than earlier worst‑case figures and now sit in a range he described as "somewhere, I'm guessing around 1.5 to 1.6" million dollars. He said the replacement requires moving the elevator and modifying a stairwell so the new unit meets ADA size requirements.

The grant program carries a March 13 application deadline and requires at least 25% local match; Fike said the district would propose using remaining bond funds as the match and that sample resolutions authorizing the application and a matching‑fund commitment will be brought to the board for the voting meeting. Fike noted bond proceeds from December 2023 must be started to be spent by December 2026 and fully spent by December 2028 under the applicable borrowing rules.

“We’re gonna apply for this grant to see if we can get maybe 75% of the funding for that and that would free up the bond money for other things,” Fike said, describing the potential effect on the bond program.

Staff told the board they expect final cost numbers in February and, if the board votes to move forward, demolition work would happen over the summer with noisy work concentrated in summer months and finishing through the fall; a tentative completion window around September was mentioned if approvals and schedules align.

Committee discussion included procurement and design notes: existing engineering work tied to the original bond project could be amended rather than reprocured; an outside elevator option was considered but found nearly double the in‑building relocation cost because of added classroom and hallway work. Board members asked about contractor selection, amendment procedures and contingency for temporary elevator outages while work proceeds.

No binding authorization or contract award took place at the committee meeting; staff will return with a resolution authorizing the grant application, a matching‑fund commitment for the voting meeting and final cost estimates.