School board addresses facilities

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on April 19, 2022

In a relatively brief business portion of their April 18 meeting, Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board directors addressed facility upgrades at district buildings. A total of six actions were approved for more than $500,000.

In the first matter, directors voted to spend $74,400 for carpet tile to replace floors at Chadds Ford, Pocopson, and Unionville Elementary schools. The board also voted to spend $42,300 on the flooring at the high school. Directors also accepted painting bids for CFES, PES, and UES. The total for the three schools comes to $37,100.

One of the proposed new signs for the middle school.

Among the larger ticket items was a move to replace the current hot water system at CF Patton Middle School. That $172,000 expense was already factored into the Long Range Facilities Plan. However, Director Rashi Akki said it’s time to replace the system because of age.

“It’s a little over budget,” Akki said, but I think where the bids are today…we should be good.”

Another $179,000 will upgrade the building automation controls system at all four elementary schools. Akki said it’s a good idea because the upgrade will link all the systems in the four elementary schools and that it was already a part of the long-range planning.

The board also voted to replace site identification signs at the middle and high schools at $16,700.

Other business

The budget was not addressed in detail during the session, but Director of Finance Joe Deady reminded the board there would be a budget hearing on Tuesday, May 3.

A copy of the proposed final budget may be found here.

The 2022-2023 budget, as proposed, is almost $2.5 million more than the current budget. Tax increases are included in the proposal. Chester County property owners would pay 30.73 mills in taxes, while Chadds Ford Township property owners would face a levy of 15.98 mills. Chadds Ford is the only township in the district in Delaware County.

The difference in the millage is based on how the two counties assess property value. The average assessed value in Chester County is $265,297. Delaware County’s average assessment is $450,188.

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.