School Projects On Track and (Mostly) Under Budget

Following an update on the status of the different projects underway at Warren schools this summer at Monday's meeting, Business Administrator Patricia Leonhardt said she's never seen a district undertake so much at once. 

She also noted the projects are proceeding on schedule, and for the most part, under budget.

The presentation by Tyler Tripelhorn, the distirct's supervisor of buildings and grounds, gave board members a look at the bathrooms being rebuilt at and the , the paving work undertaken at and Woodland schools, and the solar panels being installed on the roofs at and WMS.

Tribelhorn also discussed the work done to restore the Home Arts room at WMS, , as well as work to improve the drainage at the middle schools' entrances. The drainage work is being done by Warren Township as part of the township's road improvements on Old Stirling Road.

"The township contacted me and asked if we had any water issues, so I added as many as I could," Tribelhorn said. 

But the focal point of the presentation was , where a number of projects are underway. The school has been getting pointing work for the masonry, replacement windows, new gutters, and a restoration of a decorative torch finial Tribelhorn said he'd vowed to himself to repair before leaving the district.

But the biggest undertaking at the school has been the installation of a drainage system in the school's basement, which required cutting through the foundation concrete and installing a series of drainage lines to prevent flooding in the school's lower areas.

"This will save us five or six hours of cleaning of muck after each time it rains," Tribelhorn said. He said it wasn't uncommon for six inches of standing water to accumulate in the school's basement after heavy rains.

The district had budgeted $350,000 for Central's facade and multi-purpose room work, with bids totaling $325,500. 

The bathroom projects at Mt. Horeb and Woodland schools totaled $245,000, with the district budgeting $235,000. The middle school Home Arts room project is paid for by an insurance settlement, and the solar projects and middle school drainage projects are being paid for by the county and township, respectively.

Tribelhorn said the projects should all be completed in time for schools' start, with the possible exception of a faculty bathroom at Woodland School, which is only being updated with new tile and paint.

At the conclusion of the presentation, Tribelhorn said there was one surprising development during the summer's work.

"In my 25 years of doing this stuff, this was the first time abusiness administrator  and superintendent walked the roof with me," he said.