West York board approves $57,096 in stadium change orders, tables extra downspouts

The West York Area School District board on Wednesday approved $57,096.26 in construction change orders for the district’s stadium and athletic-field project while excluding a request to add extra downspouts, which directors agreed to table until the district can consult the architect.

Brian Bingaman, representing the contractor for the turf, track and lighting project, told the board the contract adjustments include electrical work — described on the agenda as a duct-bank add, a credit for duct-bank reconfiguration and a new light pole base — and a separate general-construction item that would relocate an access transformer pad. He said, “Those two combined are $14,592,” and described the electrical line items and credits that together produced an approval request of $57,096.26.

Board members spent the bulk of the discussion on a proposal for additional downspouts for two prefabricated field houses. Several directors questioned whether the district or the architect should have anticipated the manufacturer’s warranty requirement. One director said the situation “sounds like it’s a design flaw,” while others noted the manufacturer refused to warranty the building without extra rain leaders, prompting the contractor to classify the work as a value-added change order.

President Rice said the board would not sign off on downspouts without further explanation from Buchart Horn, the district’s architect. Staff and the contractor said the downspout work likely would not be installed until 2027 and that tabling the downspout item should not delay other immediate work. The board directed staff to invite Buchart Horn to the next discussion to clarify whether the warranty requirement could or should have been reflected in the contract drawings.

The motion to approve the change orders excluding the downspout work passed with board members voting in favor during the meeting.