KINGWOOD — The Preston County Board of Education was updated this week on proposed maintenance projects for year one of the school levy.
The levy allocated $2 million per year for maintenance. But, Preston School Superintendent Steve Wotring said, the county told him it is unlikely 100% of taxes will be collected, so $1,938,638 in projects was budgeted.
Eight of 10 county schools have received levy funded maintenance work so far. Only Aurora and Bruceton have not.
Some remaining projects will be put out to bid to complete the first levy year expenditures. Some of the work will be done by school maintenance staff.
Remaining projects and the estimated costs, are:
– Aurora School — Treatment plant upgrades, $150,000.
– Bruceton School — Air condition installation for 13 classrooms, which is Phase 1 of the project, $70,000; parking lot paving, including the road around the school and the parking area, $225,000.
– Preston High School — Parking lot paving, Phase 1, $225,000; HVAC units for 13 classrooms, $206,167; library remodel, $100,000; concourse area roof, $180,000.
– Central Preston — Entry way work to address bird issues, $1,500.
– Fellowsville Elementary— Fire alarm replacement project, $22,000.
A cushion of $137,094 is allowed for, in case projects come in over estimate. Money can carry over to the next fiscal year but must remain in the maintenance line item.
The costs are estimates, Wotring stressed. “The bid could come in under that, it could come in slightly higher than that,” he said.
The paving projects at Bruceton and PHS will be put out so companies can bid on each separately or both.
The PHS parking lot has to be paved before damage to the track can be addressed, the superintendent said, referring to problems mentioned at the last board meeting created by drainage from the parking lot.
The new fiscal year begins July 1, but the county probably won’t start receiving money from year two of the levy until about September. Wotring said he and the staff looked at the list of maintenance needed and have a tentative list of projects to pursue then.
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