Quaker Valley School District rehires consultant for more work on proposed high school project

Quaker Valley School District officials are moving forward with plans for a new high school despite a pending denial from the Leet zoning hearing board.

School board members unanimously voted March 15 to approve a new contract with Pittsburgh-based firm Thomas & Williamson LLC to provide professional consulting and program management services.

Officials said they will act as Quaker Valley’s representative and work with the district’s architectural and civil engineering teams, assist in the bidding process, review construction cost estimates, bid documents and specifications, as well as other work related to the project.

“It’s effectively a new contract for continued service (for new phases of work),” board president Jonathan Kuzma said. “They’ve been very good with us as far as moving this project along. I think they believe in this project and have been great to work with.”

There is no end date for the contract. Cost is not to exceed $444,016, with payments taken from the district’s construction fund.

The total estimated project costs for the proposed school on a 150-acre site is about $95 million.

Thomas & Williamson was hired by the district in 2019 and was instrumental in selecting the architects and civil engineers for the proposed school, according to district director of facilities Charlie Gauthier.

The firm’s president is Jon Thomas. Superintendent Tammy Andreyko lauded his efforts.

“Mr. Thomas’ work keeps us very current as far as cost estimates, as far as communication with staff, communications with different vendors,” Andreyko said. “He also is very aware of construction going on in the community as well as other school districts. His timely reports are very helpful to us.”

Approving a new deal with the firm is the latest board action involving the project since the zoning hearing board’s denial of the district’s special exception application for the school last month.

Leet officials had scheduled a hearing for March 9 in case Quaker Valley wanted to amend its application to include an emergency access road. Zoning board members said they would have been willing to approve the application with that addition. The district decided not to amend it.

The meeting cancellation was posted on the main page of the township’s website, leettownship.org.

In a letter dated March 10 from district attorney Daniel F. Gramc to zoning hearing board solicitor Vince Restauri, Gramc wrote that the school district does intend to work with the township and its emergency responders on an emergency access plan.

Part of the zoning hearing board process is to have its decision put in writing, which is expected to be done by March 28.

District officials said on March 15 that they have yet to receive the written decision, which would be reviewed district solicitors.

Andreyko said Quaker Valley’s next steps would be determined after that review and further discussions.

She also noted the district recently had two staff meetings to discuss site plan development.

A public presentation outlining where the district is in the design and planning process is in the works. It is unclear when that will take place.

“It is really important for us to benchmark the project for our staff and the community,” Andreyko said.

Kuzma said he expects more public participation in the project as milestones are reached and more covid restrictions are lifted. The district went mask optional on March 1.

Restauri said earlier this month the written decision would reflect the Feb. 9 denial. It will be posted on the township’s website.

Board members have been advised not to comment on the matter until after the decision has been disseminated.

District officials, and those who oppose the project, can file an appeal of the board’s decision to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.

That court’s decision could be appealed to a state appellate court.

Quaker Valley has given project updates at previous school board meetings as well through the Blueprint QV section of the district’s website, qvsd.org.