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New septic tank for elementary school

PINE PLAINS — In addition to the remaining repair work on the Seymour Smith Elementary School building, the Pine Plains Central School District will also need to install a new septic tank for the building.

Assistant Superintendent of Business and Finance Michael Goldbeck reported at the Sept. 8 Board of Education meeting that during construction work a paving vehicle accidentally caused the collapse of a steel septic tank on site during the afternoon of Sept. 3.

Goldbeck said he believes the steel tank probably dates back to 1932, when the building was first constructed, and collapsed due to its age.

The accident was not due to any fault by the work crew, Goldbeck pointed out, and would be the school district’s responsibility to replace.

“It could have just as easily happened if a school bus had gone over it,� he said. “And we are grateful that wasn’t the case.�

Goldbeck said that he has requested a quote from the contractor currently working on the Seymour Smith building for the cost to replace the tank. Funding would not come out of the repair project’s  budget, and he said the school district did have funds available.

Seymour Smith repairs coming along

Goldbeck also gave a brief update on the continuing scheduled work on the school building, which began earlier this spring, to renovate the aging elementary school.

He said some work remains: some paving work, two brick column rebuilds and top soil finishes.

There was another delay on the pre-cast material for the front of the building, he added, and it would be at least another week from the Sept. 8 board meeting before those materials would be delivered.

Board President Bruce Kimball asked that, in anticipation of future discussion, the board consider holding a grand reopening or rededicating ceremony when work is completed on Seymour Smith, and that the board also consider renaming the building’s library the Donald C. Spiers Library. Spiers, who died in 2005, was district elementary principal for the Pine Plains Central School District from its centralization in 1957 until his retirement in 1982.

A more detailed update on the project will be provided at the next board meeting, Goldbeck said, which is currently scheduled for Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. in the Stissing Mountain Middle School/High School library.

Lakeville Journal

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