By Christine Haines
After 56 years of service, the hot water storage tank at Belle Vernon Area Middle School is being replaced.
In a special session Monday, the Belle Vernon Area School Board voted to replace the tank as an emergency measure.
“On Friday we had some cloudy, discolored water in our hot water only,” said District Superintendent Dr. Michele Dowell.
Because the total project is under $14,600 and it is an emergency, bids were not required. The board awarded the $11,600 contract to connect the new tank to Reno Brothers. The 220-gallon tank will be purchased through the state’s COSTARS program for $3,000.
In other matters, board president Joe Grata offered a statement regarding a change in one of his votes from the last school board meeting. A group of items had been voted on together in a consent motion at the meeting, including a memorandum of understanding with Belle Vernon Area retirees. Because the motion didn’t include the names of all of the retirees involved, Grata said he was unaware that one of the people covered by the agreement was his sister.
“I was concentrating on getting to motion 1.14, which was our amended health and safety plan.” he said.
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