Clay problem at school site costs Plum
by Zak Koeske
Dealing with the unexpected discovery last month of about 40,000 cubic yards of clay beneath the surface of the new Pivik Elementary site in Plum has wiped out about half of the district's contingency fund for the project.
Plum School Board members approved a $335,000 change order payment to Nello Construction of North Strabane Tuesday for the removal and replacement of soil necessary to alleviate the problem. The money will come from the project's $750,000 contingency fund set aside for unforeseen costs and does not add to the $14 million total pricetag of the project.
Director of business affairs Eugene Marraccini said he expects it to be the first and last change order on the project.
"When you're building new, once you're out of the ground and you pour the concrete and start building, you should never have another penny of change order," he said.
Board president Kevin Dowdell said that, because Nello dealt promptly with the soil problem, construction of the new Pivik is still on schedule and should be finished by July 2012, in time for the 2012-2013 school year.