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Maryvale 'phase 2' approval expected
Approval of the second of three phases for the Maryvale School District's capital improvement project could happen before December after a successful meeting between the project's engineer and New York State Education Department officials.
The second phase includes work in the high school buildings on the main campus.
Greg Hewitt, project co-ordinator from the architecture and engineering firm DiDonato Associates, said the meeting in Albany included negotiations in which both sides agreed to meet in the middle on certain topics. Overall, the meeting went well, Hewitt added.
"It exceeded our expectations," said Hewitt. "We're hoping for SED approval within one month."
One of the compromises dealt with emergency lights at the former North Hill Elementary School building. Hewitt said the SED requested new lights.
"We're hoping to salvage the lights from this building and use them at North Hill," Hewitt said. "The only cost to the district would be the labor in transferring the lights."
Hewitt informed the board, too, that an office located in the high school must be moved to comply with current building codes.
Located adjacent to a stairway landing, the office does not have a second exit for fire purposes.
"It has to go away," Hewitt said. "We'll demolish the wall, and extend the landing."
Building permits have been approved for the first phase, which includes work at Maryvale Primary School.
A visitor to the building will notice exposed utilities that were hidden by ceiling tiles. This indicates that re-wiring and other work is already under way.
Also Monday, the board heard during its annual audit report that there are "no deficiencies" in the district's finances from both its independent auditor and from district financial statements.
Richard Romer, from the financial advisor Lumsden & McCormick, complemented the district's handling of its money.
Romer noted that Maryvale has a $4.2 million surplus, up from $3.3 million in 2005. He said that the amount places Maryvale in good position to weather lean years, such as when financial assistance from New York State declines.
"You've done an excellent job keeping control of your expenses," Romer added.
In other matters on Monday the school board:
• Approved an eighth grade class trip to the Ontario Science Center in Toronto on November 21.
• Approved five middle school "outdoor education" field trips including: hiking in Chestnut Ridge Park on October 18, "Sabres Night" at Fountain Plaza and HSBC Arena on December 12, snowshoeing in Colden's Sprague Brook Park on January 10, snow tubing at Colden Tubing Company, Colden on February 28 and downhill skiing at Kissing Bridge on February 15.
The next meeting of the Maryvale Board of Education is scheduled for November 26 at 6:30 p.m. in the board room of the Bennett Administration Building.
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