Freeport DME

BUFFALO TWP — The Freeport Area School Board moved forward with financing a portion of a multimillion dollar high school renovation during a meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 13.

The board adopted a bond resolution that allows for the issuance of up to $12 million to fund the first phase of the $55.37 million project that was approved in a split 5-4 vote on June 11.

The approval paves the way for the district to pursue investors to borrow $9.95 million for the first of what will be a multiphase operation in the coming years.

Earlier this month, the board also approved architects to move forward with renderings and the design phase, which could take up to a year to complete, according to Brad Walker, the school’s director of finance and operations.

“It takes almost a full year for them to put their plan together to present to the school board,” he said. “At that time, they (the board) can approve it and move forward with the bidding process or they could say ‘go back to the drawing board.’”

Superintendent Ian Magness said three architects from Pittsburgh-based HHSDR Architects & Engineers have been in the building daily since last Thursday following the approval.

Beyond the design phase, he said, one of the district’s next steps will be to bring a proposal to the board for asbestos abatement and removal, which is set to take place next summer when the building is unoccupied.

Officials said they understand there are plenty of steps yet to take to fund the entire scope of what is a massive undertaking.

“There’s a lot of work to still be done,” Walker said. “We’re in the early phases of that big project.”