Schools
Contingency Fund For Marple Newtown High School's Renovation Project Running 'Very Thin'
93 percent of the project's $2.5 million contingency fund will be used up if new change orders are approved.
NEWTOWN SQUARE–A school board member questioned on Tuesday night's Facilities and Transportation committee meeting whether change orders will cause the renovation and addition project for to run over budget.
Tim Sullivan, senior project manager for Reynolds Construction Management, told the school board’s Facilities and Transportation Committee that there will be $159,100 remaining in the renovation project’s $2.5 million contingency fund, if, at its next meeting, the full school board approves the $131,000 worth of change orders which Reynolds Construction has requested this month.
In other words, Sullivan said 93 percent of the contingency fund is used up.
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School Board President David McGinley said it’s a “disturbing fact” that there is $159,100 left in the contingency fund when the project will not be completed for eight more months.
McGinley asked Sullivan if he thought the remaining money in the fund is going to be enough to complete the project.
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Sullivan responded that, “It’s going to be very, very thin, yes.”
McGinley stated, “the $159,000 is not going to be enough and anyone who thinks it is, is crazy.”
McGinley said the project has been averaging $100,000 per month for change orders and because of that, it is going to come in “way over budget.”
After restating Sullivan’s comment that the $159,100 left in the contingency fund is “very thin,” McGinley asked Sullivan how much more money in contingency funds for the project would make him comfortable.
“I’d like a quarter of a million myself,” Sullivan said.
McGinley said “that’s good news” because the school district does not have “much more to give.”
Meanwhile, the high school renovations are progressing.
When the school opened for the school year last month, all of the classrooms, except for two science rooms, had been completed, Sullivan said.
Sullivan said “tremendous progress” has been made on the gym.
School board member John McDevitt asked if the gym is still scheduled for completion for Nov. 1.
Sullivan replied, "no" and that the gym is four days behind that completion date. The original completion date for the gym was Sept. 1.
However, according to Sullivan, work on the new pool is going well and is scheduled to be finished on Nov. 8.
