web1_122747556-3e3bf8df5225406ba00132c63e4ff601.jpg

Vigil planned after 2 killed, 4 wounded in campus shooting

web1_Dupont-Crime-Watch-Drug-Forum-5.jpg

Opioid presentation draws crowd to Dupont VFW

<p>WRIGHT TWP. &#8212; Despite pleas from several audience members to table the item, the Crestwood School board voted Tuesday to award contracts totaling a bit more than $2.4 million for construction of the controversial sports field house.</p><p>The biggest contract went to Scandale Associate Builders for general construction at a cost just below $2.5 million. Other contracts were mechanical to Scranton Electric Heating and Cooling for $258,759, plumbing to the same company for $344,923, and electrical to G. R. Noto Electrical Construction for $322,000.</p><p>The vote was 7-0 in favor, with board members Joe Kaminski and Maureen McGovern absent.</p><p>Prior to the vote the board listened to sometimes scathing criticism of the field house from Kelly Ross-van den Berg, who said the contracts used most of about $4 million in a capital projects fund yet will only benefit 10 percent of students. She questioned board members repeatedly about spending on other projects that would benefit more students.</p><p>Board President Bill Jones disputed the claim that only 10 percent of students would benefit. Board member Ron Sturgeon noted prior boards had struggled with the need for the new facility as far back as 2003. And board member Randy Swank said the district&#8217;s debt service payments are declining each year, despite borrowing for the field house construction.</p><p>Asked why the relatively new district sports foundation, formed to help raise money for sports-related costs, did not pay for the field house, board member James Costello said the foundation could not raise the money needed quickly enough and would not be able to borrow it. He added that the non-profit foundation could help offset costs later.</p><p>Swank and others also said delaying the construction by tabling the vote and putting the spending on the November ballot via a referendum &#8212; as at least two audience members suggested &#8212; would mean the cost would increase if the field house were done later.</p><p>The board also voted unanimously to buy 600 Chromebook portable computers and 20 carts to house and charge the computers at a cost of $146,168, also coming from the capital projects fund</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/web1_JonesMug.cmyk_.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Jones </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/web1_JonesMug.cmyk_.jpg</photo0><caption0>Jones </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Mark Guydish</p><p>mguydish@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Crestwood School Board approves $3.4 million in contracts for field house