BERNARDS TWP. Seeing a rare opportunity, the Board of Education voted in a special meeting Monday to seek $2.55 million in state grants that would help fund $9.06 million in heating and cooling upgrades to five district schools.

School Business Administrator Rod McLaughlin said the state recently made available regular operating district grants with an application deadline of Wednesday, Sept. 4. District officials did not know when such money would be available again.

The district already has a capital reserve nearly large enough to fund the long-planned upgrades on its own, so there were no objections to the grant requests.

I think its a great opportunity to get money thats so hard to get from the state, said board member Elaine Kusel.

The upgrades are sought for RidgeHigh School, WilliamAnninMiddle School and Oak Street, Cedar Hill and Liberty Corner schools. The only exception is Mount ProspectSchool, which was not built until 1999. The other schools precede 1970.

Two grant requests will be filed for each school one to replace the schools unit ventilators, which act as heaters; and one to upgrade the schools heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system.

A total of 182 unit ventilators would be replaced. McLaughlin said the units are all at least 35 to 39 years beyond their useful life.

The HVAC projects would include upgrades to the electrical service and operational software.

An upgraded system should allow us to control all of the energy uses a lot better, McLaughlin said. The schools were expanded at different times so theres a different system in each building. It makes it a lot more complicated.

The upgrades should produce long-term energy savings, he added.

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State grants sought for school upgrades in Bernards Township

A long stretch of daily rainy weather put some crimps in the plans for contractors working on the six Indiana Area School District buildings this summer.

With that wave of challenges behind, the supervisors and workers have tweaked their schedules and all now expect to meet their deadlines as planned.

When the school bells ring and students start classes for the new school year on Aug. 27 (the Tuesday before Labor Day), the only work still under way will be in Ben Franklin and Eisenhower elementary schools.

And school officials say the students and teachers in the classrooms should barely notice. Just as when work began and continued through the 2012-13 school year, renovations will be done after school hours or in areas away from the classrooms.

But in the four other buildings Horace Mann and East Pike elementary schools and the junior- and senior-high schools all the work should be finished and the students should see finished products.

That is, as long as the nice weather prevails, said Greg Trout, the supervisor of buildings and grounds for the district.

This school-by-school status check for the district is unprecedented. Since early 2012, the Indiana Area School District has taken on a project like no other in its history.

Because of state school funding guidelines, large-scale projects in the past were limited to one building at a time.

But under a new state law that allows schools to work outside those traditional rules choosing the contractors that can do the most efficient rather than the least expensive work Indiana designed a districtwide plan to make improvements that will pay for themselves by reducing energy consumption and utility bills.

With a district-appointed project manager called an ESCo Energy Services Company to oversee the improvements, a series of subcontractors have installed new lighting systems, water-saving plumbing fixtures and weatherproofing measures in all the schools.

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Indiana, PA - Indiana County

FORT WAYNE City officials unveiled $3 million worth of improvements to Fort Wayne Parks on Monday afternoon, the latest in what is expected to be a parade of announcements on how the citys new income tax money will be spent.

City Council members June 25 approved raising the local option income tax from 1 percent to 1.35 percent, which will generate about $13.5 million a year.

The tax increase takes effect Oct. 1 and is meant to close a budget gap caused by property tax caps and pay for projects and services officials say are needed but currently unaffordable.

Among the needs, the city said, was an additional $3 million a year to maintain the beloved park system. Now, they say, those needs can be met.

This is the most significant event to happen to the park system since well maybe in its history, Parks Director Al Moll said. This will ensure the park system is taken care of long after were here.

Moll said every poll, every survey taken shows that Fort Wayne residents love the parks and want to maintain them. The new money, he said, means that will happen, and the city wont have to go into debt.

Well be able to pay as we go for a change, rather than borrowing, Moll said.

Among the projects the new money will pay for in 2014 is a splash pad for Hamilton Park at Spring Street and Cherokee Road, an additional restroom in Shoaff Park, the first year of a 10-year plan to resurface park roads, parking lots, and tennis and basketball courts, and the first phase of renovations to the Diehm Museum Pavilion.

Other projects include sidewalk improvements, roof replacements, electric and HVAC work, pool maintenance and improvements, and work at playgrounds and the botanical conservatory.

New roofs and asphalts probably not sexy, but it has to be done, Moll said.

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City parks to see tax money boost

Enhanced security along with classroom, lunchroom and other additions are among the things awaiting many north Georgia students who begin returning to class next week. And, while it won't be ready for them when Fair Street students in the Gainesville City School System head back to classes on August 12, they should be in their new school before Halloween.

Friday is the first day of the new school year in the Jefferson City School System - the earliest start date for any of the systems and private schools in Hall County that AccessNorthGa.com tracks each year at this time.

But classes in Habersham County won't start until August 15, the latest of any of the public systems. Among private schools, Chattahoochee Christian has the earliest start date, Aug. 6, and Riverside Military Academy the latest, Aug. 25.

The systems reporting enhanced security at their schools are Hall and Habersham. Hall County says it will have "security" entrances at all middle and high schools system-wide when classes begin August 12. Habersham County school officials say "security" entrances, including cameras, have been installed at all schools. In addition, "access control" for the "perimeter" doors has been installed at Habersham Central High School.

In Gainesville, city school officials have announced that they plan to move into the the new Fair Street International Baccalaureate (IB) World School on October 16. Fair Street students have been attending classes at Wood's Mill Academy since the old Fair Street facilities were torn down last year and work began on the new school. Moving the Fair Street students back to their own school will have a ripple affect on Wood's Mill and some of the other schools in the city system. (Details below.)

Work on the new school began last spring with shortly after the existing facilities were torn down. Plans to tear the school down and replace it were explained at a Nov. 2009 meeting with parents and others. The last classes in the old complex were held May 24, 2011, and in July of that year, former teachers, students and others gathered for a "Farewell to Fair Street" and to reflect on the school's history.

Fair Street dates back 76 years and was, for a long time, all-black until schools in Gainesville were integrated in the 1960s.

Back to school at a glance:

BANKS COUNTY

Name of school system: Banks County School System

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Enhanced security, new Fair St. school highlight back to school in Gainesville area

Georgetown,TX (PRWEB) July 24, 2013

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Autumn Heating & Cooling can also provide Georgetown residents with new air conditioner replacements, including air conditioners for the home or rental residential properties. Winner of the Angies List Super Service Award, this air conditioning service offers a range of energy efficient units from major brands such as Tappan, Lennox, Rheem, Goodman, and more. With a low service call fee and 24-hour service, certified ac technicians are available seven days per week to assist with all of your air conditioning service and ac repair needs. Available for air conditioning service and air conditioner installation as well, Autumn Heating & Cooling provides huge discounts and specials on complete system installs, guaranteeing professional service and absolutely no hidden fees or charges.

Now is the time for air conditioning system checkups to ensure your air conditioning system is running properly for the hot Texas summer. Give Autumn Heating & Cooling a call to schedule your appointment right away.

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24-Hour Service, Low-Cost Service Fees, and Huge Discounts Make Autumn Heating & Cooling Georgetown’s Choice Provider ...

The Elmwood Park Board of Education passed a resolution at its July 23 meeting authorizing a "no frills" school referendum for residents to vote for or against on Jan. 28, 2014.

According to State Monitor Thomas Egan, the proposed referendum totals just under $10 million and addresses "health and safety issues" in all district schools.

Some of the proposed repairs include window replacements in all schools, asbestos abatement and boiler replacement at Ganter Avenue School, repair of all heating and HVAC systems, in addition to structural repairs in all buildings.

At Sixteenth Avenue School, there are plans to convert the gym into three classrooms.

School officials and board trustees anticipate that grant money from the state will cover 40 percent of the $10 million, making the total cost to taxpayers just under $6 million, Egan said.

This spring, Trenton announced that $425 million had been made available to non-Abbott school districts in New Jersey to put toward necessary maintenance and capital projects. As part of the grant application process, Egan said that the board needed to set the date for a referendum vote.

Unlike last November's three-part, $25 million proposed referendum which suffered an overwhelming defeat by borough voters, board members insist that this is a "no frills, no fluff" referendum, and only addresses necessary repairs. Last year's referendum sought to address repairs, in addition to athletic facilities renovations and the construction of a special education annex.

Egan said that the board expects to hear back from Trenton on the status of its application in the fall. If, for whatever reason, the district's request for funding is denied, he said that the plan will be redrawn entirely.

Email: milsop@northjersey.com

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Elmwood Park Board of Education authorizes 'no frills' referendum

Posted on Wednesday, July 24, 2013 at 4:00 pm

Tools and equipment line the office walls while workers maneuver around to help install a new HVAC unit in Liberty Middle Schools front office.

Workers at Liberty Middle School install new HVAC systems in the schools front office, part of a school-wide facelift of Hanover facilities.

Though Liberty is also undergoing other projects such as locker repairs, the HVAC unit replacement is just one example of the many summer maintenance projects currently underway in Hanover schools.

The projects are a part of the districts school-wide makeover this summer, which school officials estimate will cost $2 million.

Financially the school division is in a better place than two or three years ago, said David Myers, assistant superintendent of business and operations.

In recent years, the amount of maintenance was limited because of budget reductions, he added.

A number of Hanover schools will be visibly changed after the projects. Many schools will receive or already have had paint jobs. Also, several school parking lots will be re-paved.

Though there are multiple cosmetic upgrades underway, Myers said the school district focused first on addressing safety needs of the schools. Replacements of alarm system control panels are occurring at schools such as Beaverdam Elementary and Lee-Davis High School.

Myers said there are currently around 338 maintenance requests, but the number is subject to change depending on when the jobs are completed or if any others are added.

The rest is here:
Summer maintenance of Hanover schools underway

"The Freon Don" has set up shop in York, offering complimentary refrigerant pressure checks for automobile air conditioners.

A blue Chrysler minivan pulls into an alcove near the corner of West Princess Street and South Richland Avenue in York.

A man gets out, and "The Freon Don" moves in, taking the driver's seat and checking the temperature of air streaming from the vents.

It doesn't look good.

"It's cold, but not as cold as it should be," Don Mason says. "If your air conditioning isn't working properly, you want a pressure check. That will tell you everything."

Mason, through his business, offers free refrigerant pressure checks, he says - no obligation.

"I've had a lot of people thank me, even though I didn't fix anything," he said. "I just showed them what the problem was."

Recently laid off, the York resident promotes his business from the trunk of his Subaru Forester and rents nearby garage space, he said, where he can recharge your car's refrigerant for between $50 to $75.

Mason uses the brand Enviro-Safe, a hydrocarbon refrigerant, but frequently refers to it as the more well known brand "Freon," a registered trademark of DuPont.

Recharging means "adding Freon to a system that doesn't have enough pressure," he said. "It makes the air cooler."

Continue reading here:
Air conditioning on the fritz? Could be a refrigerant issue

Cedar Park, TX (PRWEB) July 10, 2013

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The summer season and its hot temperatures are here. Because of this, customers will want to ensure that the air conditioner is running both effectively and efficiently, keeping the home cool and comfy through those long, hot summer nights without leaving a big hole in your piggy bank. Autumn Heating & Cooling is available to provide ac service in Cedar Park to ensure customers air conditioners are working properly before the season hits or whenever needed. Of course, if the air conditioner is not running smoothly or quits altogether this summer, this BBB A+ business provides qualified technicians 24 hours a day to provide ac service calls and air conditioning repair so the customer wont have to remain in the Texas Summer Heat for long.

Autumn Heating & Cooling can also provide Cedar Park residents with new air conditioner replacements, including air conditioners for the home or rental residential properties. Winner of the Angies List Super Service Award, this air conditioning service offers a range of energy efficient units from major brands of air conditioners such as Tappan, Lennox, Rheem, Goodman, and more.

Air Conditioning Repair Service

With a no service call fee and 24-hour service, certified ac technicians are available 7 days per week to assist with all of your air conditioning service and ac repair needs. Available for air conditioning service and air conditioner installation as well, Autumn Heating & Cooling in Cedar Park provides huge discounts and specials on complete system installs, guaranteeing professional service and absolutely no hidden fees or charges.

Now is the time for air conditioning system checkups to ensure your air conditioning system is running properly for the hot Texas summer. Give Autumn Heating & Cooling a call to schedule your appointment right away.

About Autumn Heating & Cooling: A trusted BBB member business providing quality heating and air conditioning service, repair, and installation to Cedar Park and the surrounding area. With low service fees, huge discounts, and quality service, Autumn Heating & Cooling has become a local household name.

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24-Hour Service, Low-Cost Service Fees, and Huge Discounts Make Autumn Heating & Cooling Cedar Park’s Choice Provider ...

When the school facilities task force members presented their findings in April, they recommended a total cost not to exceed $130 million. But the cost of each recommended repair, replacement and improvement was not part of the presentation.

For seven elementary school buildings, that information was provided at the June 20 school board meeting.

The eighth school, Central Montessori, was not included in this list. It is currently housed in the Central Learning Center, which the task force recommends demolishing because of its age. Along with the other programs now at the CLC, Central Montessori could be moved to Southwest Junior High.

Each of the elementary buildings has a list of items categorized into first, second and third priority.

The total estimated construction cost to do everything on the elementary list is $43,315,843. The total for just the top-ranked items is $21,087,263.

The highest-ranking items for the seven schools are presented in the charts below. First priority items are shaded blue, second priority light blue, and third priority green.

Some items on the list apply just to a certain part of the building. For example, in the list of top priorities at Forest View Elementary, the task force recommended HVAC upgrades to the north kindergarten addition. In the second priority list at Lino Lakes Elementary, window and screen replacements apply only to the 1957 and 1975 wings.

So that board members could fully understand these specifics, the presentation included a map of each elementary school showing the date each wing was built. Those maps are also posted here.

The cost list for changes recommended for junior high and high school buildings will be presented at the Oct. 10 school board meeting.

A secondary campus, with Century Junior High housing all students in grades seven and eight and an expanded high school building accommodating grades nine to 12, will be considered.

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School board sees cost estimates for elementary facility upgrade options