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Shikellamy board hears Kinetex flooring pitch; vendors say March order needed for June installations
Summary
District officials heard a vendor demonstration of Kinetex commercial textile flooring and discussed durability, maintenance, warranty and timelines; vendors recommended full replacement at the middle school and the board asked for product options and a March follow-up.
Shikellamy School District trustees on Thursday heard a presentation from two flooring vendors about Kinetex, a textile commercial flooring product that vendors said offers durability, low routine maintenance and allergen-reduction benefits.
Superintendent Jeremy Winn opened the item with photographs showing worn floors at Priestley, Chief Shikellamy and Oaklyn elementary schools and introduced representatives from Garvey’s Flooring (Adam Shuey and Tom Garvey) and J&J Commercial Flooring (Mark Staver and Robert Schuller). The vendors described Kinetex as a polyester-based product with low volatile organic compounds and said it contains approximately 45% post-consumer recycled material.
Vendors highlighted several features: a lifetime warranty covering materials and labor, strong noise reduction and impact-insulation ratings, anti-fatigue properties for staff who stand for long periods, and a low rolling resistance that they said would ease movement of carts and equipment. They estimated an expected service life of roughly 20 years with proper maintenance and offered on-site installation support and post-installation training for custodial staff.
Board members questioned cleaning protocols, including stain and bodily-fluid removal; vendors provided a cleaning demonstration and compared Kinetex to traditional VCT and carpet tile, noting lower routine costs and fewer airborne fibers. Representatives said staffing shortages in custodial crews were a factor in recommending lower-maintenance surfaces and suggested that, over a 20–30 year period, the district could see a return on investment compared with frequent repairs to existing VCT floors.
Tom Garvey recommended full replacement at the middle school rather than partial repair. Vendors also shared regional installation examples (Hughesville High School, Warrior Run, Muhlenberg and Lancaster districts) and said that orders would need to be placed by March to meet a June installation timeline for at least two schools. The board discussed bringing product samples, color options and cost figures to the March meeting and possibly conducting a site visit to Hughesville to inspect an existing Kinetex installation.
The board did not take a vote on flooring at Thursday’s meeting; members directed administration to return with product options, pricing and color samples for March consideration.
