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Facilities committee advances field‑house upgrade to full board and flags gym‑floor and HVAC needs
Summary
The facilities committee moved a proposal to add a mezzanine batting cage in the field house to the full board, agreed to promote a student Science National Honor Society petition and a school‑van purchase, and discussed vendor quotes for gym‑floor refinishing and a multi‑million‑dollar HVAC replacement plan.
The Kutztown Area School District facilities and extracurricular committee on Dec. 9 advanced several maintenance and program items to the full board while flagging larger capital needs.
Field house proposal: Facilities staff described plans to add a second‑level batting cage and additional storage in one bay of the field house. The concept packages netting and a contained second‑level practice area; initial in‑house estimates for netting were in the low thousands, with a fuller buildout described in discussion as likely to come in well under $80,000. Committee members voted to move the proposal to the full board for discussion and approval.
Gym floor: Staff reported peeling and delamination of finish on portions of the high‑school gym playing surface. The vendor Miller recommended a full sand‑and‑refinish at about $29,520. Committee members asked staff to obtain additional quotes and to assess safety and timing for any summer work; staff noted the trade‑off between a skim/refinish and a full sand‑down and recommended further evaluation before committing to a specific approach.
Stage floor and backstage surface: Facilities staff presented a summer maintenance option to replace the stage surface with a Plyron product intended for hard stage use; material costs were quoted at roughly $13,516 for the required pallets. The committee discussed in‑house installation, paint/finish considerations and storage for excess sheets.
Science National Honor Society: A student‑driven petition to start a Science National Honor Society chapter was presented; staff said the national charter has an initial cost (application $225 plus a $75 membership fee per student), and the committee approved promoting the request to the full board and creating an activity account for fundraising.
School van: The committee reviewed a budgeted 2024–25 replacement of an aged passenger van (vehicle with ~230,000 miles). Staff reported vendor quotes, a possible local graphics vendor that would save about $500 on markings, and a 4–6‑month lead time; the committee voted to refer the purchase to the full board.
HVAC and long‑range facilities planning: Facilities staff outlined recurring HVAC failures (diaphragms, valves, proprietary control issues), limited in‑house HVAC staffing and the need for a coordinated planning process. Planning‑level figures mentioned during discussion placed full project estimates in the roughly $30 million range for major building projects, with the HVAC portion for middle and elementary buildings estimated near $5 million if addressed comprehensively. Staff urged early decisions and funding planning ahead of 2026 timelines.
Why it matters: the committee moved smaller maintenance projects and student activities forward while flagging several larger capital and maintenance challenges that will affect budget planning and may require multi‑year funding strategies.
What’s next: the field‑house upgrade, the Science NHS charter and the van purchase were referred to the full board for action; staff will return with additional vendor quotes for the gym floor and continue facility planning on the HVAC timeline.
