CLARKS SUMMIT — Abington Heights Superintendent Michael Mahon announced during a regular school board meeting Nov. 16 that the district finished the 2015-16 school year with a net deficit of $1.2 million.
“While any deficit is not a good one, that is better than what we were fearing,” Mahon said.
Mahon added the district will hold its first budget presentation in December.
With regard to ongoing pool renovations, Mahon reported the district is expected to receive authorization from Liberty Mutual, the bond insurance company for Yannuzzi, Inc., the contractor originally employed to complete the work, to move forward with the project.
“It’s well known that we’ve had difficulties with the construction company using substandard materials and going far past their date of completion,” Mahon said. “We sent them a 10-day letter that they had to finish up the work. At the end of the 10-day period, they installed substandard material that collapsed and we threw them off the job.”
According to Mahon, the district made a claim to the contractor’s bond insurance company, Liberty Mutual, Oct. 4.
“We now sit here approaching December with no action from the bond insurance company,” Mahon said. “They’ve been here twice and we’ve been told by our legal counsel we’re absolutely within our rights to demand this bond be paid. We have stated we are absolutely uncomfortable with the former contractor being appointed to finish for many reasons and we were told this week the insurance company is finally going to authorize us to move ahead.”
Mahon announced the district has reached out to Quandel Construction, of Scranton, a contractor who recently completed work at Waverly Elementary School, to resume renovations of the pool.
“We expect Quandel to be paid by the insurance company to avoid any problems with bidding,” Mahon said. “We’re hoping by the end of this week the insurance company says it’s fair to go or we’re going to move ahead and get the money afterward because our pool needs to be fixed.”
Mahon added the district had to pay to have mold removed from the facility due to lack of ventilation as a result of Yannuzzi’s shoddy work.
“Now, we’re using industrial dehumidifiers which are costing us money to run,” he said. “This has been a total disaster.”
The Abington Heights boys and girls high school swimming teams have been training at Marywood University while the Abington Gators Northeastern Pennsylvania Age Group Swim League teams have been renting the pool at West Scranton Intermediate School.
While there is no set timeline for the work to be completed, Mahon estimates it should take three to four weeks once another firm is assigned.
“(Quandel) has said they’re ready to go,” Mahon said. “Their history with us is such that they are very positive and proactive, but it could be longer or shorter.”
In other business:
• Leaves of absence were approved for teacher Emily Johnson, effective Oct. 2016 to the end of the 2016-17 school year, and teachers Lynn Keeler and Emily Saslo, effective the second semester of the 2016-17 school year.
• Resignations were approved for cafeteria worker Pamela Orue, retroactive to Oct. 20, nurse assistant Kathleen Weiland, retroactive to Nov. 9, and special education teacher Denae Diaz.
• Edward Bath was approved as a boys varsity swimming co-coach.
