Renovations to the Gettysburg Area School District Administration Building on Biglerville Road are delayed once again. On Monday, the board voted 3-6 to reject a proposal to begin design on the estimated $6.5-$7.5 million project.
The proposal centers around the need to upgrade the administration building’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system and the desire to move the IT room out of the basement.
In May, the board approved Barton Engineering’s design contract for a scope and total project budget of $4.6 million, but that figure proved to be too low.
One option is to move the IT room to the attic for $6.8 million. Staff are not in favor of that scenario and would like to get more bang for their buck.
Director of Facilities and Safety Coordinator Josh Reynolds said the district could expand the footprint of the first floor, creating a new board room and transforming the existing board room into an IT room. That project is estimated to cost $6.5 million. If the district goes that route, it could consider adding a second floor to the board room for an additional $1 million.
Board President Kenny Hassinger did not express opposition to the project but said he preferred to delay approval at least one month so he and others who are leaving the board at the end of November are not committing funds to a project that the new board might not support. Monday’s vote, if approved, would have committed the district to about $30,000 in design fees.
Board Member Alice Broadway, who will remain on the board, supported the proposal.
“I find that rationale difficult,” Broadway said. “I would rather help move a project forward and have the next board decide whether that is something they would like to continue working on.”
Kathleen Pratt, who joined the board this summer, expressed a desire for more discussion. Business Manager Belinda Wallen said the project was originally proposed to be part of renovations to nearby James Gettys Elementary School that began in 2023.
Broadway, Al Moyer, and Tim Seigman supported the design proposal, while Michelle Smyers, Pratt, Michael Dickerson, Jeremy Davis, Ryan Morris, and Hassinger opposed it.
Hassinger, Morris, Davis, and Smyers will attend their last meeting on Nov. 17. Ryan Kerney, Justine Sieg, David Sites, and Donna Harrison will take the oath of office on Dec. 2.
Administrators could submit the building renovation proposal to the new board for consideration at a future meeting.
