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District pursues state facilities grant for HVAC at Northside, advances several repair projects
Summary
The administration said it will apply for a competitive state Public School Facilities Improvement Grant to support HVAC rooftop replacements at Northside Elementary (project estimate ≈$1.3M) and recommended moving forward on masonry and selected roof warranty/replacement work at Elmwood Academy and the middle school.
Mechanicsburg administrators told the board on Feb. 24 they plan to pursue a competitive state grant to help fund HVAC upgrades and presented several maintenance projects they recommended advancing.
Grant application: Administration described the Department of Community and Economic Development’s competitive Public School Facilities Improvement Grant and proposed using the opportunity to support an HVAC rooftop replacement project at Northside Elementary with a project estimate discussed at roughly $1.3 million. Staff said districts may apply for funding up to about 75% of a project’s cost but cautioned that past awards have paid less than the maximum; a board resolution of support is the first administrative step before filing the application.
Masonry and roofing: Facilities staff summarized an evaluation of Elmwood Academy’s masonry and identified problem areas (hallway to cafeteria and front gym section) where moisture intrusion requires repointing and moisture‑control work. They proposed targeted masonry repairs rather than whole‑building replacement. For roofing, staff recommended limited warranty extensions for some Elmwood roof sections nearing the end of life and targeted shingled peak replacements at the middle school (original shingles from 2002), describing them as end‑of‑life maintenance to prevent more expensive failures.
Board reaction and next steps: Board members asked about lifespans (staff cited roughly 15–20 years as typical end of life for rooftop units and targeted sections) and prioritized the projects within the district’s multi‑year facilities plan. Administration said it would bring the grant resolution to the next meeting and continue to prioritize needed facility work across the coming years.
