Elk Lake to repair water pumps
Published: December 9, 2009
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Donica McGee was sworn in to the Elk Lake School Board on Dec. 1. STAFF PHOTO/MIKE RUDOLF
Diane Ives officially became a member of the Elk Lake School Board. STAFF PHOTO/MIKE RUDOLF
Final repairs to some malfunctioning water pumps at the Elk Lake School are expected to be done over the Christmas vacation.
That’s what Superintendent William Bush said at the school board meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 1.
The pump system broke down on Oct. 15, causing classes to be dismissed early. Temporary repairs were made to keep the system operating while parts were ordered.
According to Bush, one of the two pumps was replaced over the Thanksgiving break. Parts to do the work only arrived the week before, he said.
The work is being scheduled for periods when school is not in session in case it takes an extended amount of time, Bush explained.
The superintendent added that there is no problem with the water quality, and it is merely a mechanical situation with the pumps. Because the pumps operate parallel to each other, one can do the work while the other is out, but not as efficiently.
Water fountains in both the elementary, high school and the Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center have been shut down for the past few weeks, Bush acknowledged, but for an unrelated reason.
School officials decided to turn off the fountains to reduce the chance of students and staff spreading the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu.
Elementary principal Charles Pirone said the fountains pose the greatest risk because students may press their mouths against the fixtures. Sinks and lavatories are still in use throughout the school, he said.
Instead of fountains, the school has placed 16 bottled water dispensers with paper cups throughout the building. Eight dispensers are in the elementary wing, seven are in the high school and one is in the career center, Pirone said.
Bush emphasized that the water itself has been tested and it is still safe. He said it has not been affected by a natural gas well on school property.
As far as the gas well is concerned, Bush said Cabot Oil & Gas Co. was scheduled to begin hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, during Thanksgiving week. However, that didn’t happen because of delays in equipment delivery, the superintendent said.
Bush said he didn’t know when Cabot would actually start the work. He noted that he is in contact with Cabot officials nearly every day, monitoring the well’s progress.
In addition, Bush said he was told the state Department of Environmental Protection plans to have a staff member on site frequently during the fracking process.
The meeting was the first one for two new board members. Donica McGee of RushTownship and Diane Ives of AuburnTownship were sworn in, having been elected in the Nov. 3 election.
Also taking the oath were Eric Emmerich of SpringvilleTownship, who has been on the board for 16 years, and Arden Tewksbury of Meshoppen Township, who is starting his 49th year as a board member.
For the first time in a few months, there was no discussion of the planned career and technology center on the agenda. Only one visitor to the meeting brought the matter up.
Cathleen Novitch of AuburnTownship said she was concerned that the board was giving too much attention to technology education, and not focusing enough on academics in the ElkLake school itself.
“You’re saying that academics is not where we’re putting our money. I would be happy to pay 1.1 mills if we were giving it to the general fund,” Novitch said, referring to a proposed tax increase that would be necessary to pay for the expansion.
Several board members countered Novitch’s assertion. They said over the years, they have attempted to provide academic students with the finest facilities and educational opportunities available.
“We put over a million dollars into the science department one year,” Tewksbury said. “We’ve spend probably scores of millions of dollars to improve this school for all of our students.”
Board member Matthew Curley said he was offended by Novitch’s contention that academics were being neglected.
“Anything that could happen at the vo-tech that would adversely affect the students at ElkLake is a misrepresentation,” Curley said.
In other business, Bush said the district is looking into a policy that would restrict school bus drivers and those who use other school vehicles from using cell phones.
All school vehicles have radios, Bush said, which should be used in case of an emergency. Cell phone use would be prohibited whenever a vehicle is in use, except in emergency situations where the radio is not working.
The board also approved its meeting schedule for 2010. Most of the meetings are on Tuesdays, with two exceptions. The February meeting will be moved to Wednesday to avoid a conflict with the Elk Lake-Montrose boys’ basketball game, and the May meeting will be on a Wednesday so it won’t fall on primary election day.
Meeting dates are: Tuesday, Jan. 19; Wednesday, Feb. 17; Tuesday, March 16; Tuesday, April 20; Wednesday, May 19; Tuesday, June 22; Tuesday, July 20; Tuesday, Aug. 17; Tuesday, Sept. 21; Tuesday, Oct. 19; Tuesday, Nov. 16; and Tuesday, Dec. 7. All meetings are scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
