BERGHOLZ — More improvements are coming at Edison High School as school board members discussed projects at the Thursday meeting.
During the regular session at John Gregg Elementary School, the panel formally approved a $532,000 bid from Fairfield Landscape of Canonsburg, Pa., to complete the outdoor walking trail on the EHS campus. Superintendent Bill Beattie said a construction meeting was being held to go over details and the work should be completed in December.
An agreement was approved in July with Burgettstown, Pa.-based JTSA Sports for architectural and engineering services to create the 1.5-mile woodland trail, which would be available for students and the public at the Richmond campus. The project primarily requires excavation and surfacing work, and once completed the course will wind from the high school grounds into the nearby woods. The path, which spans 8 feet wide, also has the ability to reverse and treks could span a total of 3.1 miles. Beattie noted that the trail could be used for more than health purposes; other ideas are to utilize the area for science classes and other forms of outdoor education.
However, the board had to rebid the project after an initial attempt yielded no responses.
“We put it back out to bid because the first time no one bid on it,” Beattie said. “Upon approval, (the contractor) was hoping to mobilize on Monday with a substantial completion date of Dec. 16.”
He added that a preconstruction walk-through had been completed and Fairfield officials would return in the spring to add grass seed.
“No trees need to be moved, so it should be substantially easier to do,” Beattie said.
He continued that federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds were being used to cover the cost.
On a similar note, the board discussed improvements including the addition of an indoor athletic facility at the former bus barn and an exterior painting project at the high school.
“There would be an indoor batting facility and we’re looking at lights and the installation of an indoor batting cage. We will also need to clean up the building,” Beattie noted, saying work should be done rather quickly and a completion date was eyed for November.
The district is also looking to paint the exterior of the high school building and planned a preconstruction meeting to seek bids. Leaders said the project entails updating about 55,000 square feet of the building including the annex, and bids would be taken until Oct. 7 with a contractor possibly being approved at next month’s meeting.
In other action, the board:
— Approved teachers Eugene Ciciarelli, Gina Fogle, Lindsay Breon, Mark Tyler Miller, Shawn Scott, Kyle Solar, Christopher Tarquinio and Gabryelle Walsh on the certified substitute list and Steven White as a transportation department sub;
— Rescinded the supplemental contract of Alicia Hartman as cross country coach and she will remain a volunteer;
— Approved a contract with Jefferson County Juvenile Court for the School Liaison Program;
— Approved a transition agreement with Family First, Head Start and Columbiana County Community Action Council;
— Approved an agreement with the Jefferson County Educational Service Center for alternative school services for the 2022-2023 school year;
— Announced a strategic planning meeting at 6 p.m. this Thursday at Stanton Elementary;
— Set the next regular meeting for Oct. 20 at 6 p.m. at Stanton.