What’s the 422?

The new office building for administrators of the Spring-Ford Area School District requires $49,956.06 worth of change orders, according to the board’s agenda.

Scheduled to open in time for the 2009-10 school year, the administrative building project is capped at $3.5 million.

At Monday’s board meeting, Maintenance Director Bruce Cooper explained how an inaccurate water pressure reading was behind these change orders. Water pressure actually decreased – from 50 to 60 pounds-per-square-inch to 35 psi – over two separate readings, Cooper said.

A $7,975 water pump is needed to allow two toilets to flush at the same time, he said.

Board Member David Shafer asked Coooper if he used a certified “flushometer” when the pressure was tested. Halfway through the maintenance director’s response, Shafer said he was only joking.

The two other change orders are: $32,731.61 to add a fire pump that meets Upper Providence code requirements, and $9,249.45 in electrical work for the fire pump system.

Located on Lewis Road near the old Bechtel dairy building, the new building will replace a 1920s-era structure with water issues on Bechtel Road in Upper Providence.

Spring-Ford’s school board does not typically vote on items during work sessions. The last regular meeting for the 2008-09 school year is Monday, June 22, which is expected to include final budget adoption for next year.