Penn‑Trafford approves 1,300‑iPad lease, $5 million line of credit and several capital repairs

The Penn‑Trafford School District board on March 2 approved a package of budget and capital motions that included a lease for student iPads, a precautionary line of credit and several facility repairs.

The board voted to lease 1,300 iPads through Apple Financial Services for a total contract value recorded in the motion as $666,835 over four years — $166,708.75 per year. The motion, introduced during the budget and finance portion of the consent agenda, passed on a roll‑call vote. District staff described the purchase as part of a phased transition from Chromebooks to iPads (grades 9–12 completed this year, grades 5–8 next year, K–4 following year) and said each iPad will be supplied with a case, keyboard and AppleCare coverage. A district official also said the lease replaces ongoing Chromebook repair costs and will run on a four‑year replacement cycle.

Board members and staff discussed budget impacts. A staff speaker noted the district expects to add roughly $50,000 to the related budget item in the coming year while the full replacement cycle ramps up and estimated approximately $550,000 as the ongoing district cost to have and maintain iPads across all students once the cycle is complete.

The board also approved a commitment letter for a $5 million revolving line of credit with the district’s local depository (recorded in the minutes as S & T Bank, Application ID 0182047) to provide short‑term cash‑flow stabilization in the event of a state budget impasse. The board approved a one‑time documentation fee of $250; staff said there would be no cost unless the district drew on the line. The line of credit was presented to avoid the higher expense and legal fees associated with a traditional tax anticipation note (TAN) if the state again delays budget payments. Staff said the district estimates it lost about $143,000 in interest revenue during last year’s state budget delay — a figure cited as part of the rationale for securing liquidity.

On capital projects, the board approved several contracts to be paid from the Capital Projects Fund: a $251,854.59 contract with Premco/Allegheny Restoration for EIFS and masonry restoration at McCullough Elementary (the proposal includes a 10‑year warranty); a $87,900 contract with Paramount Flooring to replace the Penn Metal School cafeteria floor (the record includes an abatement estimate for asbestos removal of roughly $41,000–$43,000 to be handled in a later action); and an $88,600 contract with Allegheny Restoration Incorporated to repair concrete spalling in the swimming pool mechanical room. Each of those motions was moved, seconded and carried on roll call.

Earlier in the meeting the board accepted a motion to award the district’s diesel fuel contract for the 2026–27 July‑June school year through the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit consortium to Gresham Petroleum as the lowest responsible bidder; the rate recorded in the minutes is listed as "$2.40.29 per gallon." (The minutes’ numeric formatting for that per‑gallon rate is recorded verbatim in the board transcript and is unclear; readers should refer to the district’s posted bid tabulation for the official numeric rate.)

The board also approved a motion to exonerate local tax collectors on several delinquent 2024 real estate tax accounts and forward the delinquencies to the Westmoreland County Tax Claim Bureau. Amounts recorded on the motion were: Penn Township $504,888.83; Trafford Borough $130,514.31; Pennborough $19,008.87 (and 4¢); and Manorborough $41,795.93. That motion passed on a roll‑call vote.

The meeting also included routine approvals of athletic and extracurricular hires and several personnel appointments contingent on statutory clearances; those motions carried.

Actions recorded in the minutes were procedural approvals by roll‑call vote and did not include recorded named yes/no tallies in the public transcript beyond the roll‑call affirmation. The board president closed the meeting after approving the motions and routine business.

What’s next: Staff said some abatement work (Penn Metal cafeteria) will be scheduled for after the last day of school; the line‑of‑credit document will be completed with the local depository and kept available as a contingency. For precise contract terms, bid tabulations, and the final numeric fuel rate, refer to the district’s posted agenda packet and vendor contracts.