The Salisbury Township School District Board of Directors held an operations and finance committee meeting March 4 to receive updates on pricing for fencing around a turf field at the middle school, the request for proposal for a suitable engineering company and a detailed accounting of the 5-year budget projections.

Director of Facilities Bill Brackett started the meeting with a proposed layout of the middle school athletic field which will be a combination of both sod and turf and a fence that would enclose the perimeter of the turf area with an 11-foot setback. The turf area would be lined for football, soccer and field hockey and would be surrounded by black vinyl fencing. The grass areas would include a softball field and a smaller soccer field.

Pricing for the turf and sod renovation was discussed last month and the lowest bid for the project came in at $1.9 million. Brackett set out to acquire pricing for the fencing and returned with an estimated price of $150,000 to enclose the perimeter of the turf portion. Pending board approval the project is slated to commence in 2027.

Brackett then provided an update on the request for proposal in the search for an engineering company that fits the needs of the district. Six companies sent proposals and four will be brought in for interviews March 12. Following interviews, a decision will be made to either appoint a new engineer of record or remain with CHA.

The next item on the agenda was in reference to steel doors in a vestibule area near the boys locker room at the high school. The doors are compromised because they are rusting on the inside and they do not close properly when the sun heats the steel causing it to swell. Adjustments to the door closers cause the doors to slam creating another hazard. Solving the problem will require new doors and a $40,000 price tag. Installation is scheduled for this summer.

Superintendent Lynn Fuini-Hetten sought informal approval from the board to allow three students from Allentown Central Catholic High School to play with the Salisbury Junior High softball program pending a formal approval from both the board and Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, Inc.

During the finance portion of the meeting, Brackett outlined the district’s intention to apply for a $5 million School Facility Improvement grant to help defray the cost of the high school HVAC system and the chiller in the cafeteria. If a grant is secured it would cover 75% of the total cost leaving the district to cover 25% of the project cost which would result in significant savings.

Chief Financial Officer Dawn Nickischer continued the finance discussion with a line-by-line detailed explanation of the projected revenue, expenditures and interest income forecasted over the next five years. Nickisher committed to providing more budget information during next month’s meeting and welcomed questions from the board as they review projects in the coming weeks.

The next meeting of the operations and finance committee will be 7 p.m. April 15. All meetings are held in the administration building, 1140 Salisbury Road, Allentown.