001Good evening. This meeting of the Manheim Township School Board is now called to order. Welcome to everyone here in person and those joining us online. In addition to the In addition to the live stream, both audio and video are being recorded this evening. Nurture and challenge for success is our district's mission. It serves as a reminder of our intent to enable every Manheim Township student to learn, grow, and thrive. Now, please join me for the Pledge of Allegiance. Okay, I have a few announcements before we start. I mentioned this at the at the top, but again, members of our community are encouraged to participate in board meetings in person or to view them online in support of both transparency and community engagement. Recordings of meetings can now be watched afterwards on the district's YouTube channel.
002I also want to acknowledge that we're a little lighter on our bench here tonight. Mr. Rivera is not here and is unable to attend. Mr. McKenna is attending over the phone, though he's not here in person. I can also share this board is making progress in appointing a substitute superintendent. We are on track to hold on an appointment at our meeting on March 19th. I also want to thank everyone who has applied for our school board director vacancy. Now that application period is closed, I look forward to reviewing the application materials that have been submitted and discussing the role with folks next week at our works after our work session. We are also on track to be appointing a ninth member at our meeting on the 19th. Now, before we move forward with tonight's agenda,
003I'd also So I'd take a moment to recognize two groups of individuals whose work is essential to the success and well-being of our school community. This week is National School Social Work Week, which gives us the opportunity to recognize the important work of our social workers and and support staff. What they do every day and what they do every day for our students and our families. These professionals help students navigate challenges, support their social and emotional well-being, and connect families with resources that help students succeed both in and out of the classroom. Here in Manheim Township, we are grateful for the dedication of Mrs. Jamie Falgi, uh Ms. Lynette Burger, and Ms. Rosanne Myers, our school social workers and our home and school uh uh visitor uh worker. I think I got her title wrong.
004Sorry about that. Their compassion, expertise, and commitment make a meaningful difference in the lives of our students and families. And we are thankful for the care and support they provide every day. We'd also like to recognize National Maintenance Worker Appreciation Appreciation Day, which feels pretty apt here at the facilities meeting. Uh that day is tomorrow, March 6th. Our maintenance and facilities staff work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep our schools safe, clean, and welcoming for students, staff, and visitors. Their work often happens outside of the spotlight, but is critical to the daily operation of our schools and learning environment that we provide. On behalf of our Board of School Directors, we want to extend our sincere appreciation to our school social workers, our home and school visitor, and our maintenance and facilities team for the
005important work that they do for the Manheim Township community. And finally, before we begin our presentations, the board met in executive session this past Monday, March 2nd, to discuss confidential personnel matters, including terms and conditions of employment of current and prospective employees. And so now, we are on to our presentations part of the agenda. And first up to present our final site project scope for the campus master plan phase two, the maintenance building and Landis Run intermediate school drive. I think I'm just welcoming directly Mr. Gergely from Harbor Engineering. Welcome. Thank you. Yeah, I'd like to review the final scope of the site work associated with the this next phase, which includes the the maintenance building at the corner of Blue Streak and Valley. It's the site. So, just to clarify, what we're proposing to
006do is put out to bid the site work associated with the projects and JPDI Architects will separately put out the building permit or the building application and bid for the maintenance building itself. But, just to recap, this is the maintenance building at the corner of Blue Streak and Valley and separate access drive off of Blue Streak. It'll be a fenced-in area, relocating all the current storage areas and vehicles over this portion of the campus that'll be enclosed with a fence. Uh while the storm water management facility to manage the runoff just to the north. And then we're also proposing to expand the access drive up to Landis Run to create an additional lane. Reduce congestion and steer vehicles to the right as they enter get up towards Landis Run to help make a smoother transition
007for parent drop-offs. Try to reduce some of the bus conflicts that occur and also add some additional parking spaces for the school in the general area. Um as far as the schedule goes, we're proposing to put this out to bid on March 16th and then we'll open bids on April 2nd. So, we can present a recommendation to the board at the April 9th meeting for selecting a site contractor. Then at the end of April, we'll do a notice to proceed with the intent that the building pad could be ready by mid-June for the building. And then the intent is to have the site work completed for Landis Run in August in time for the start of the new school year. So, that'll be up and running. And then JPDI Architects can talk about this further
008when they talk about the building, but the substantial completion for the maintenance building would be next spring. So. With that, yeah, does the board have any any questions? Thank you, Mr. Gargagliano. Does anyone want to start us off with questions, including Mr. McKenna on the phone? Dr. McArdle. Thank you. Um I just wanted to clarify. I think I think you hit on it. Um the extra lane um for traffic um being a a parent of three children who have gone to Landis Run, this is a fabulous idea. I'm really glad that this is this is in the works. My question is that I I I think I see that that traffic will be unidirectional toward the school in that lane. >> Correct. Yes. >> And the car rider uh traffic will go off into the
009new area. Correct. Yes. >> And so the buses will proceed directly to the school and the car rider traffic will go and drop off over here, so they don't have to make that crazy 90° turn. >> Correct. That also helps with the buses that maneuver up and down the lane when cars stack otherwise. It becomes very tight. >> So then there'll be two lanes moving toward the school so that buses can drive in the middle. Is that the intention? So the buses don't get stuck in that backed-up traffic. Yes. My understanding and this I guess this is how it's going to be managed from a day-to-day basis, but all the car traffic would be directed to stay in the right lane. Okay. >> That would free the buses to be able to maneuver separately and
010have like essentially two lanes if they needed it to to get up and maneuver those those curves. Okay. And this may be the beyond the scope of what you can answer for me. I'm sorry. Is that okay? If I can go ahead. I'm sorry. Um will there be signage to that effect so that people know where they're supposed to go? Okay. Great. Thank you so much. >> Sure. Now, you're on a roll. Those are great questions. Yeah. Yeah, thank you, Dr. McArdle. Anyone else? Mrs. Hentz. Um this is situated in what I have been calling the dirt pile as we as our main entrance. Yes. >> So I have been assured that that will be um landscaped and there will be signage at that intersection. Is that included in this? Yes, so there will be
011signage on the building itself. Like it will it will reference the the signage on the building. Uh the dirt pile will be gone. You know, this will be landscaped, of course. Yeah, and then there will be a fence and then the building which they PD can present is all also going to have like a very nice facade for a maintenance building, you know, adjacent to Valley Road and Blue Streak. No, understanding that that's one of the main entrances to the campus, so they're uh the architecture took that into account. >> It's been a sticking point. I said I was going to get that rid of before I left the board, so that's good to know. But then there was supposed to be additional Manalapan Township High School campus something signage. Is that a part of
012It's not a part of >> Can be addressed at whatever time. >> I suppose so, yeah. >> Thank you. Yeah, thank you, Mrs. [clears throat] I wanted I had those thoughts, too, and and certainly eager to hear our our LPS's thoughts as in terms of the tying that building into the rest of the vision of the the rest of the the master plan, so we have consistent signage, consistent themes, the consistent messaging. Um but I agree. I think that dirt pile uh there there's a there's a little room for some uh beautification there. And you know, I some people will mourn the loss of the the dirt pile for its all its character, but I think we're ready to move on. Um any other thoughts or questions, Mrs. Zimmerman? When you say put it out
013to bid then, will that be on the Manalapan Township website? Do you know? I I don't know. Okay. Mr. McKenna, do you have anything? I did. Uh thank you, Mr. Renter. Uh I just wanted to clarify the timeline for when the new maintenance building would be operational. So, you said next spring, so spring 2027 would be the bulk of the construction, and when would it uh be operational for the departments to start using it? So, that would be that would be spring of next year. So, the building pad will get ready in June, then it's like the building contractor could come on and start the building construction. So, the land disturbance should be done by the end of the summer in time for school. The site contractor will get the building pad ready for the
014building. Everything will be substantially complete um in March 22nd. Thank you so much. Are there any other questions for Mr. Gruber? Okay. Thank you very much. That was very helpful. I'm excited to see this move forward. Okay, now that we're done with our first presentation, we're on to our second one, our campus master plan update phase three background, program review, and options from RLPS Architects and Mr. Linky. Welcome and Mr. McKenna, perhaps you could go on mute if maybe that's not for me, I'm not sure, but thank you. Welcome, Mr. Linky. Hello and good evening, everybody. We will look forward to the day that we can give you a one slide presentation, but that's not tonight. >> [laughter] >> So, um we're giving you an update on the campus master plan phase three and just
015quickly, this is the outline. It looked much longer and intimidating than it is. We will move through this quickly. Um but for a schedule uh short-term schedule, we are tonight to give you an update. We've been working on this since November, so we want to give you a kind of a working update tonight. We are going to come back in April 2nd and give you a recommendation of the direction that we want to go with it. And then, if everything goes well, then you'll be able to vote on that recommendation April 16th. And then, the process after that is the first step is getting back in front of Manheim Township and getting the zoning variance continuation of that discussion that you started last summer. So, at a snapshot, that's where we are with this. Um
016a little bit of background, we first talked to the board at the end of October 2025 of what we wanted to do and we were really given three tasks at that point. Kind of summarize the history of where the campus master plan started and where it is today. Um do a program review. We talked about kind of owning the project that we were taking it over. Do a deep dive into the program and talk about efficiencies and get into that. And then test some options. You had a current plan but test some warrants in where we could take it. So that's what we're here tonight. Um as we talked about January 8th, we came back and gave you that history of campus master plan starting in 2022 and to that point it was 2025 and
017we focused on at the end that we were talking about stadium and parking. We're going talking about Journey Field and the baseball and the softball at a high level. That was the scope of the work. And a visual of what that scope of the work is is looking at a campus plan here. Um item one would be the new home bleachers that have been discussed. Underneath them we're talking about some team rooms and underneath the existing home stands which will become the visitor bleachers adding some team rooms in there. On the east side we have some seating for Journey Field and we have the field house piece that we're talking about. And on the west side new concessions, new ticket booth for entrance off that parking. You know, we're revamping that parking on that side
018to get rid of the old maintenance and bus piece on that area. And then the other two areas the 6A and the 6B. 6A being softball, the the bleachers and the press box and the accessibility to the softball and then the bleachers and the press box for the baseball area. So at a high [clears throat] level that's the scope of the work that we are talking about. And similar to um what we went through with you with Nitrauer, we've been meeting with this group discussing priorities. We use the Moscow method to identify and kind of start ranking your priorities. So, we have a long list there. We're not going to go through each one of them, but that's there for the information if you have any questions. But again, uh this list helps you get
019you from your needs to your wants. The must-haves are the needs. The should-haves are closer to the needs than the wants, and then it kind of flips over to your could-haves are more wants that you have. And then, as we talked about before, the could-haves sometimes we can start developing them into alternates depending on how pricing and and the value of them, then you can evaluate them then on bid day or soon after bid day to see if you want to take advantage of them. Uh the won't-have, we don't have anything on there now, but we always say as an example of a won't-have, this is the way we've always done it. We're trying to do a project that's going to last 20, 30, 40 years in the future, so let's be future-forward thinking with
020our approach. In addition to the priorities, we have goals. And again, we're not going to go through each one of them, but a couple things that came out of our discussions with them is we went back, and one of our marching orders back from October is efficiency. So, how can we get flexible with our spaces, and how can we uh flexibility comes multi-purpose. How can you use one space for more than one things, so you have less square footage, and but make those spaces work harder for you? In addition to that, if you remember the history that we went through um coming out of the RVE report and some other early discussions, it was initially thought that maybe this could be a capital campaign project. And the scope got past to that. Got past that,
021but we won't don't want to lose that idea that there could be a capital campaign portion of this project. So, maybe those could have which uh could be alternates, scoreboards, or other things could be developed into a capital campaign. But, also, you know, do some pavers, which could be a fundraiser, but it gets the community more involved in the project. So, we're we're trying to think of all of that as as we go along. So, uh for a design update, um again, we've had the previous option. Um and we don't not trying to do a 90° turn from what was already there because through that history discussion of where we've been with your campus master plan, there's a lot of good reasons why a lot of these pieces were they were. We just want to
022build upon it and see if we can come up with new ideas that can contribute to that efficiency and uh just improve in general. So, um this was the previous plan, and now Justin is going to run through a couple new options that we reviewed with the steering committee. All right. Thank you, Chris. Uh so, from a high level, just referencing where we're at within the campus, we have the high school to the upper uh right corner, as well as Neff in the bottom left-hand corner. And the existing plan, we we know that there's parking really uh uh existing surrounding the site, but also proposed in the the southwest corner, as well. Um so, we know about uh circulation path that that main um Blue Streak Boulevard as it wraps around the stadium on the
023east side, but also the proposed um access as needed along the western edge, as well. So, that's really governing both the edges of the the project and the plan. And we know that coming in off of Valley is really that prime view of the the stadium, of the fields, and knowing that previous work up to this point had really planned that that important corner as your first glimpse on campus, and making sure that's a a great statement piece for your student athletes, for your community, and for your schools. Uh so certainly paying recognition to them. As Chris mentioned, really taking the previous study and taking it one step further, what we propose thinking about tonight and just wanted to bring that in front of you all is think about the idea of a concourse being
024established there between the stadium as well as Journey Field. So thinking about that holistically, linking from the west all the way over to the east side, knowing that there would be potential um entrances, ticketing on either end of that, but just bringing that that clarity to the overall site with a concourse that stretches the full width of the stadium complex. And what we'll do is we'll we'll start to walk through some options and take it bit by bit, but wanted to at least frame our conversation with that concourse in mind. So the first glimpse with option A, we'll zoom right into the the lower southwest corner here. So coming off of the new parking area in the southwest corner, we would anticipate having a ticketing primarily there for new entrance to that concourse as well
025as a concession's potential there. Again, that's pulling some of the information from the previous study and that work as well as potentially some field storage. So knowing that the track is right there, can we locate some intentional storage right there to meet the needs for student athletes and getting things right onto the track, onto the the stadium field, etc. So I think there's some real potential for here in this corner to meet the need of people coming to site for events and greeting them with a nice structure that's really working well and bringing them into the facility. Another glimpse here focusing really in on the bleacher area, knowing that we'll have a future conversation about actual seat count in the new bleachers, but understanding underneath those bleachers the real potential for meeting not only some
026storage needs, but also bringing some of those toilet needs closer to your patrons as they're there in the stands as well. So, looking at that space directly under the bleachers to really be more of that workhorse space for storage and toileting. Again, that would be linked right together with that blue blue street concourse stretching from side to side. I think there's real potential there for bringing storage where it needs to be to meet the need. Flipping over to the existing home side, the new visitor side. A couple options over here we're showing that as we redevelop what would be that southwest corner where existing jumping is located. There's a need to relocate that and there's a potential on this edge for students for the triple jump and long jump to be relocated over to the
027northern edge. I think in tandem with that there's potential to look at the amount of paving that exists over on that side and maybe we don't need all of that moving forward and there's some flexibility along that edge for incorporating the jumping sports over there. In addition, looking at underneath those bleachers has potential more storage there along the western edge. And then as the previous study did show directly under the existing announcement booth, there could be potential for visitor locker rooms for the for the football visiting team on that side to keep them separate and adjacent to their fans. Focusing next then on the eastern edge and this is where we had seen that field house previously and I think as we've gone through our study, there's a lot of a lot of reason to
028keep it in this location not only from its iconic, but also from functional use as well. So, our first proposal here shows a nice compact footprint that incorporates incorporates both the locker rooms as well as the meeting room tethering those together, knowing there's that that use maybe during halftime where the student athletes are gathered, need that meeting room for uh before they go back out on the field. Making sure the training suite is over in this area as well, easily accessible not only to the stadium, but also down to Journey Field as well. In that middle bar, it is a bit of a more of a a workhorse area with some storage, coaches offices, laundry, toileting, um and then directly planning south of that would be a combination of concessions, the multi-purpose room, uh officials
029locker room, as well as a weight room. And directly below the field house, again off of the the southern edge of the concourse, uh we're showing the opportunity to build seating similar to the previous study, building seating in there to serve the needs of Journey Field. And so, showing about 500 seats in a structured bench style, uh pre-dedicated press box, and also looking at ticketing over on that side as well. As a bit of a variation to what we just looked at, um this option B uh essentially takes a portion of the building and rotates it and really captures more of the end of the stadium. So, stretches out for that locker room, the team meeting, trainers, and just stretches out to really capture uh the end of the stadium. Um we did not talk
030about with option A, but this is showing a a variant to what we've shown as or what had been shown previously as the the drop-off through the site connecting with the the parking area to the east. Um what we're proposing is maybe an option of just a a loop within the site instead of a separate in and a separate out, a loop that would bring you in, allow you to drop off, and then move back out onto Blue Street. The last item we wanted to to talk through and certainly open to questions is down at the field level for Journey Field. Um this is where we're proposing below the concourse level to to have locker rooms as well as some field storage again at that lower level tethered to Journey Fields for soccer and lacrosse
031and field hockey to have those rooms actually down at field level to meet the needs. So I will go ahead and hold on this slide. I don't know if there's any questions with the overall site layout, different parts and pieces. Thank you. There is a lot there. This is exciting. Are there any questions from my colleagues? Dr. McCarty. I actually had two questions. Um my first question is um on the west side with the um near the new parking, there was a uh that that smaller first building that you went up on and then you zoomed in on, I'm sorry. Uh there was a a ticketing uh there was ticketing. Correct. So on the east side currently it's just you know tables on the on the stairs when you walk in. I didn't see ticketing
032a ticketing booth. Did I miss it or is it there? Yep, let me zoom in right here. So this would be uh in the middle of the screen would be that structured seating serving Journey Field and on the right hand side would be that TKT for ticketing. So coming up from the sidewalk there along Blue Streak uh coming up some some ceremonial stairs and then have that ticketing booth right there directly south of the the triangle. Okay, I see. So the two the two places to enter the stadium would then be on the east east and the west. in the south the southeast and southwest corners. Currently shown that way, yes. >> Okay, okay. We have one concourse across that. Right. Right. Okay. Cuz I cuz cuz when you were talking about that accessible loop,
033I thought, "What you don't What Where are they supposed to go?" Cuz there's buildings all around. But that makes sense because then the ticketing is just just to the south of that. Correct. >> sense. If I may, I've one other question. Um you also you're showing the showing the I know you said this was um and um not not final anyway, the relocating the jumping Correct. behind the what would then be the visitor stands. My just questions. Um how would that be viewed? Uh if they're back behind like when that was How would anybody see them? And my concern too would be it's right next to the road and it's and right across the road is is uh retirement community homes. So that proximity I don't know if that's been taken into consideration at all.
034I don't know if there are safety concerns, visibility concerns. And as a parent, I would think, "How am I supposed to watch my kid jump from from there back there?" So I didn't know if there was any thought into that. I I think candidly that's probably an area that we need to study further. Um we were running out of room on the site. Admittedly, something needs to be studied further then. No, I we we agree with the comments and there are things to improve and that is definitely on the list of things to improve on this option. Yeah, thanks. I I That was on my list too. I would hate to have a kid get running down the ramp way and someone honks their horn right when they're about to jump or something and they
035they foul. Uh that would be that would be upsetting on multiple levels. Anyone else have other questions? Mr. Evans? Okay. On your slide of efficiencies those are things you have already placed into these options or are are these alternatives? I'm not sure I caught every detail in the way through. So, on the efficiency side, these are things that again, we talked about in October trying to be more efficient. These are things that we have taken out or um made smaller from what you saw previously. Does this all reflected in the options that you have? >> Yes, they are all reflected in those options. Miss Lamb? Um I know occasionally on Friday nights um the team would invite local food vendors and food trucks. Is there space for them to park in that area of the
036new concept drawings? It's usually like right like in that grass area by School Road when you come in. So, I just want to make sure that there's >> So, the the discussion has been on the west side of the stadium. What is shown on this plan is kind of that curving road. That's going to be a gated road on either side. So, you can control when you let traffic through there. But, the idea is put the food trucks along that road on the west side. Miss Woodbury? So, being a least 40 board member, I do have a question about bathrooms. Um every stadium I've ever been to in my life has a line only in front of one gender's bathroom. Can you guess which one it is? Um so, >> that's accurate. >> So, so
037we might be a 50/50 gender split, but the time spent um and time required is has been studied and is not 50/50. Will you account for that? >> You're right. And it's accounted for in the building code. There's something called potty parity. So, the building they'll be >> twice as many female bathroom facilities than our males when it's Perfect. Thanks. So, I guess I had a question about the traffic circle, the drop-off circle. I'm a little worried about flow, traffic flow moving through campus. If that I mean, I feel like that could back up to Valley Road pretty quickly if people are there wanting to turn in or Do we have an idea of how we'd manage flow in and out of that? Um I I I think it's a good point cuz that's one
038of the things the the team has brought up and Steve brought up of of we did look at different options. So, instead of having one line come in and out, it may be closer to what you had before. You come in and out, but it's more of a widened road drop-off area instead of like a separate traffic movement altogether. And I'll I'll just add and I'll see you, Mr. Uh there there was just It was mentioned, but I want to make explicit that we are through this process intending to switch the home and visitor sides of the the football stadium. I think for both strategic and pragmatic reasons in terms of sunlight and and and who needs to look into that sunlight and who doesn't need to look into that sunlight at key moments. And
039so, I'm excited for that change. Um And yeah, really looking forward to having increased capacity. Uh and I have a few more thoughts, but I'll pass to you, Mr. Chairman. Just have a quick question on the parking. I know that parking is always an issue on campus. Do you think that the lot that has been added here will address those issues sufficiently? I'm going to have to ask Mr. Gergely to talk about the parking capacity. Yes, so it's it's a good point. I mean, as we've done our office has done multiple projects over the campus. Um for zoning, you're you're well over parked by like 5 or 600 spaces, but the need that we keep hearing is that more and more parking is necessary. So, we think the proximity of putting this parking below the
040south side of the stadium. I don't have the count on hand, but should help that that pretty significantly. Just one follow-up then, Mr. that during the day perhaps that parking can be used for students? Do we know if we have the need to park more students? Mr. Roth. Sorry, Mr. Roth. We are definitely open for looking at opportunities for student parking. Um the one challenge that has is it's a little bit more of a walk. Um at one point in time, we did um because of the construction that was happening um around the high school and the middle school, we did have students parking over in that area. Um and they we we did have to open up the gates so that they could cut through the stadium. So, there would be a consideration um
041with safety of students trans you know, going from um that parking lot over to the high school, but it definitely is a possibility. Thank you, Mr. Roth. Thank you. That was worth the walk, I hope. That's good. Mrs. Hentz. I just off of your question, what what is there now? Is this additional paving we're putting in or are we expanding paving or what are we doing? I mean, there is paving there now, but there is the old remnants of the bus maintenance garage that's going to come out. That's going to give you more paving in that area. And we can continue to do this paving because I was here for the middle school where we kept being told we can't pave over any more of a property. So, we With with the the improvements that
042have been occurring, um where um There's there's an underlying zoning district which has a certain amount of impervious surface that's allowed, but the township also has an overlay district. It's called a transitional overlay district for Neshaminy. That allows up to I think 70% lot coverage. So, from a zoning perspective, we're fine. Like we we can we can do this from a zoning perspective. And then kind of to Chris's point, like that's going to add some quite a bit of parking on the south side, but with the moving of the maintenance building to the other side of the campus and all of that, there may actually be a little bit less or about a wash of of impervious surface because we're going to have like landscape islands and trees and bump outs and things like that.
043And currently the whole the whole area is paved. Thank you. Appreciate that. It's a good question. Uh Mr. McKenna, I want to make space for you in case you had anything. Thank you. >> [clears throat] >> Thanks for this very thorough presentation. Can you just remind us who's been participating on the steering group for this? And which which programs have had a chance to give input on these two options? Sure, Mr. McKenna. This is um Dale Ram here, assistant superintendent. We have had a a steering committee that has consisted of a series of administrators, myself, um Mr. Walcott, uh Mr. Hollenback, Mrs. Rainier as assistant athletic director. Um we've sat with the architects from RLPS. Uh we are slated to have some uh tour of the campus, I think in the coming weeks so that
044we can take a walk and um you know, not only have the the renderings that we're talking about right now, but have uh on-site look uh and conversations with Mr. Hollenback who can talk the team through what we have, the difference between what we have and what we would like to accomplish uh through our work with RLPS. And Mr. Hollenback and I know Mr. Walcott and Mrs. Rainier as well are always open to feedback from coaches and the input that they bring to the table is representative of conversations that they've had with people and and living the facility on a daily basis as they game manage and uh talk with coaches and and observe um uh our practices and competitions taking place. And they also bring the benefit of you know, visiting in an away
045events as well and seeing what uh some of our competition hosts in their facilities, so there is a a lot of, um, experience and background associated with the people that are sitting around that table and giving input even to get us to this point now. Thank you, Dr. Hammond. That was my impression. Uh, you couldn't see this, but I was nodding along as you were talking. I appreciate just, uh, how, uh, expansive that process has been. Um, and I would like to echo the point that was raised by Dr. McCartor and by Mr. Rentfro regarding the relocation of the the jump pits. Um, just making sure that we're capturing some of that feedback from the track and field team, from the student athletes as well. I I know that was, uh, quite helpful hearing from
046them in earlier phases of this project. Um, and so, uh, as we move forward, making sure we're soliciting their input on on what impacts, positive, negative, or neutral might might come with with that, uh, change in in where their facilities are. Yeah, thank you, Mr. McKenna. I appreciate that, and I'll, uh, I'll just say, you know, we've been, as a board, we've been considering this for some time. We've been fortunate to have this be part of our long-term planning. Uh, I think it's it's long overdue. I'll just sum up some of the other issues that I'm looking forward to going on the tour again with some of my colleagues, and particularly some of the newer members of the board who may not have had the opportunity to do this before, but there are real, um,
047existing and problematic issues with our facilities that we are are long overdue in remediating. Just off the top of my head, you know, the there's real accessibility challenges across the facilities, particularly at Journey Field. Uh, you know, I I have first-hand experience of trying to help a a senior member of my family navigate that hillside, um, and and, uh, it was not without some some some challenge. And so, having accessibility both in our restroom facilities and our seating facilities there, I think is is the very least we could do and is certainly a long overdue and I'm excited for our process that has led us to this point, particularly just at Journey Field. In terms of the football facilities, you know, I'm and this is for our actually both Journey and the football facilities, just
048glad to see the expansive locker room and changing facilities for our team members, our student athletes, our coaches, our officials. Right now, in the event of inclement weather, those our students will have to move back across the road to the high school in a way that I think is is quite frankly it's a risk. You know, that is not a a path that can be traveled quickly, not without holding up traffic, not without having to navigate thousands of people potentially on a Friday night who are here. And and that is a I know that our our staff and our volunteer teams do an exceptional job at creating a safe environment each and every Friday night in particular, but that is not without challenge. And I think we could do more from a facility design place
049to help our staff members and our student athletes provide that safe environment without having to take such extraordinary measures that they oftentimes do. Also, our teams, particularly our football team, is forced to change in the hallway outside of our auditorium in the high school. They are using that area as a locker room. That is just completely inappropriate. It is it's long overdue. It is not commensurate with the level of student impact, the student activity, the student investment, the way that we as a community invest in that in that that uh the that process. And so, that's also true for locker room facilities for our field hockey team, our boys and girls soccer teams, our lacrosse boys and girls lacrosse programs, other teams that track team that uses the those facilities. They need a place where
050they can use the restroom safely. They need a place where they can shelter if they needed to safely. They need a place where they can change and um receive a treatment from athletic trainer. Like I could go on and on. I'm very excited about this investment. You know, going back to this being our, you know, recognizing the incredible work that our maintenance staff has done over the past 10s, 20s, 30s of years to to extend our facilities well past their design lifetime. I think now is the time for this board and in partnership with this community to to to reinvest in the next phase of Main Line Township facilities on campus. And so, I also echo what Mr. McKenna said. Certainly welcome and want our stakeholders, people who care about what this campus looks like
051and care about our athletic facilities to let us know. We are always available at [email protected]. Mrs. Marshall, our spectacular board secretary, will make sure that we receive all of those messages. Please let us know what you think is important. There is plenty more process coming. I know our LPS will help us solicit that public impact or public feedback rather. But I think it's not too It's not too early to start either. So, help us make this the best facility we can for now and for the future. And now my monologue is over. Are there any other thoughts or questions? Miss Lynn? Um just one last question. Will there be a specific email address set up for our community to send their feedback and thoughts similar to the neutral project? I'll tell you what it is.
052It is [email protected]. [email protected]. You got it. Are there any other questions for our NPS? Anything else, Mr. Lucky? Um just a couple things we for when we see us next on April 2nd, uh you know, we're going to be updating the options and as Dr. Ivey said, we're going to be meeting with the coaches and the PE. Um but we're also we're going to come back with cost estimates, figure out how this phasing is going to work, and then similar to the trial, we'll have like a priority matrix to help you guide you through this decision-making process. So, we've got a busy month ahead of us. I look forward to it. Thank you for this presentation. Thank you for all that you're doing for us and I appreciate you coming out tonight. Okay, that brings
053our presentations to a close. We are now on to item three in our agenda, which is Mainland Township community comments. Residents, taxpayers, district employees, and students are all welcome and encouraged to participate. The board won't engage in discussion, but will provide follow-up if needed. If you'd like to speak, please fill out a commentor's card for the board secretary to collect. Limit your remarks to 5 minutes and share your full name before you begin. Would anyone like to make comments this evening? Mark Sellers. So, concerning the new trial elementary uh school that's going to be built, uh I've always said for the last uh several meetings, I've thoroughly pressed, don't use the taxpayers as an unlimited revenue stream. Spend the school board's funds like you'd spend your own funds. And live within your means. And it's
054easy to play Santa Claus with other people's money. So, the last time I was up, I discussed about Bolivar's comments about Russian approvals. And he said that's the case, but not in this case. But I would say that the feasibility study, which was uh approved for August yeah, September, October, November, December, January, it was 5 months. And yet you approved the $63.6 million project in a month. Now, there was also the comment of God forbid a company makes a profit. I'm all for profits. In fact, if a company doesn't make profits, they're going to be out of business. How much a profit a company makes depends on this board. The feasibility study was $25,000, and I commended you for that for choosing Reese Lower Patrick and Scott. And you own it. You paid $25,000 for
055that feasibility study. So you own it. What I can't figure out as a taxpayer is if you're sending a feasibility study out to cost $25,000, why with something that's a hundred times more than that? It's going to be at $63. $6 million, you're going to pay the same architect firm $2.5 million, that's a hundred times. And that didn't go out for a bid. The other thing is letting the architect firm attach the price to the construction cost, which we all know will only go up. Now, I was a little confused because the presentation that Reese Lower Patrick and Scott did they gave he had here they're going to give you cost estimates for Nitra Elementary. I thought the cost estimates already in there. Now, granted, they're tied to the construction cost, which again, I think
056it's going to go only up to 100 million. Now, I will say this. And this came from you, the the board president. At one of the previous meetings, you chastised the state because funds were held up for the school district. Um what we're looking at is according to Lancaster newspapers, there's going to be about a $6 billion shortfall. Our federal government is even in worse shape with like a $38 trillion deficit. So, I've got to ask as a taxpayer, why should the state or the federal government give Manheim Township any money when I see is in my humble opinion, you could be a lot more um precise in your actions in savings the saving the taxpayer dollars. Um you know, one of the things that was also in Lancaster newspapers was county Democrats back uh
057back a PA wealth tax. Now, 3.07% is what we pay for state taxes. And you know, listen, if somebody's making 100,000 versus 200,000, person making 200,000 paying double the state taxes. But what Shapiro said, and he's right, because Shapiro has called for legislators to adopt the combined reporting requirement measurement makers have supported ensure that large businesses pay their fair share. The requirements would force businesses that turn a profit in Pennsylvania to report that money to the state rather than other states. Now, if you look, Reese Lower Patrick and Scott has a facility in Sarasota, Florida. Sarasota uh Florida's corporate taxes are 5.5%. PA is 7.49. So, I would just say that looking and having said that, you can still make the decision to save taxpayers' money. If you send it out for a bid, that's
058the best way to do it. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Sellers. Would anyone else like to give public comment? Like the side-by-side. I think we need the timer, so yeah. Um Kim Romano. Um so, just a few notes on on some of the pictures that I saw for the drawings. Um so, there are two it there are drawings for two concession stands. Um and I'm really bad with east, west, north, south. So, I have no idea which but there is it kind of anchors both sides. Um so, I was just wondering why there would be two concession stands on on the home side um versus just one larger concession stand. Um thinking during a football game um or really any game, there would be the away side, which is the current home side, and then
059the new side like there we would never staff two different concession stands. We have a hard enough time staffing one concession stand. Um Um so I would think the one by Journey Field because it's more central and would serve both purposes and would be best. And then in that case we even for a football game we wouldn't have just the one on the other end. So I I'd rather just see one kind of larger concession stand. Um it does they do look kind of small in there but it's hard to tell. Um I would hope that either of those wouldn't be smaller than our current one on the other side. Um I would say that would be like the minimal size that we would need. And then the trainer's room looked fairly large. Um and
060I would think that the trainers still need to keep their current facilities in the in the high school to service all students. So I'm not sure that that space by Journey is needed to be so big because it's really I think just during game times to to go in there or for practice or whatnot. But there's still plenty of kids who are practicing near the high school. So like the girls lacrosse team practices on Journey but the boys lacrosse team practices right outside the high school on the other side. So kids still need to have access to the trainers within the school. So I think either they're going to be split or that's just going to be a kind of temporary space for them. So it looks a little large larger than the concession stand.
061So um just some some thoughts there. Uh does I think the TLT is toilets? Um it doesn't look like there's enough on the new home side I would say um especially considering the new locker rooms are over there for the um for the players. So some of those toilets maybe looked like they were connected to the locker room but certainly let's say half time at football the boys head over there. They're going to be using those toilets to kind of eliminate those for then the rest of the population. Um maybe where the concessions was added on that other end would be better to have additional toilets down there. Um the two ticket booths, so I guess we're getting rid of like our main entrance near our current home side. Um so it I just wonder
062about accessibility for our away fans of coming in the entrances on the two home side. Um you know, handicap parking accessibility getting in there and getting over to the away side. Um I think accessibility in general, obviously the seating and and whatnot looks a lot better for accessibility, but in terms of parking parking to the facility still seems a little worrisome. There were a few outside the new ticket booths, um but I would hope that there would be also some over by Journey Field. Um and then like that traffic circle, definitely like people love to drop their kids off right in front, so there will be traffic. I'd rather see that as additional handicap parking. Um you know, how many spots we can fit in that area if that's possible. Um and then just a
063note, I don't know if you've been over to Aphrodite. I think it's actually their middle school where the lacrosse field is, but they redid um their lacrosse field and seating and it's done really nice with handicap seating and whatnot. Um so if you haven't had a chance to go look at that, it is a nice kind of comparison. I think that's it. Thank you. Would anyone else like to give a public comment? >> Welcome. Hello. Um I wanted to talk about the Landis Run. Um driveway in, it's two lanes in but only one lane out. My non-architectural eyes, it looks like there's room to expand that even further. So, I don't know if there's a way to consider two lanes in and two lanes out because if we're letting two lanes of traffic in, all
064of those cars do have to then leave also. Um and as a currently Landis Run parent, uh I'm just glad about the expansion altogether, but maybe like even wider now while we're doing it anyway. Um and then the other thing that I wanted to say is um there's been a lot in local news and local chatter about this board. So, I wanted to take this opportunity to call out a tangible example of the exceptional leadership we have here in Cindy Lamb. She was first appointed to a vacancy among many excellent candidates and then elected in this past November to another term. This weekend as president of Lancaster Asian American Pacific Islander Group, she and a team of volunteers put on an incredible Lunar New Year celebration open to all in downtown Lancaster. Cindy and her
065team coordinated decorations in an outdoor location with busy city traffic, several food and drink vendors of the culture, fundraising for their group, crafts for children, and face painting, local business tables to encourage economic growth, opening the public library on a Sunday, and an amazing display of song, dance, and entertainment across countries and languages, and speaking speeches from government leaders up to and including Governor Shapiro's office. And all of this was rescheduled from the previous weekend due to weather. My family and I witnessed Cindy walking around greeting people, thanking police and city workers, helping event coordinators, and even navigating several issues that undoubtedly were going to come up. She did it all smoothly and in beautiful cultural attire, too. Even with the current real dangers for diverse populations, she did all this openly for the benefit
066of her Lancaster community as a whole. Knowing someone so exceptionally capable, cultured, thoughtful, thorough, unflappable, and humble is a member of the MTSD school board filled myself and my family with supreme confidence for the complicated matters before the school board. Cindy was one of a team on Sunday as she is one of a team here, but in both cases, her abilities are an asset to only amplify the group. So, thank you for who you are and what you do and what you're all doing. I agree. Would anyone else like to give public comment? Just want to be sure that is everyone else who before you can go a second time, we need to make sure everyone who still wants to have gone. >> And I'll be brief. Just a lot of stuff Just Yep. Yep.
067Would everyone else like to give public comment? Okay, Mr. Zellers. Thank you. Thank you for your comments concerning the jumpers and track and field meets. The jumpers also always or many times get relegated to a second position spot. So, with your comments about not having them behind the visitors' stadium bleachers was a breath of fresh air. Thank you very much. My sister won the state champion for Maine Township in high jump many years ago, so I appreciate it. I would also say that looking at the uh where the tickets are and where Rizzla, Patrick, and Scott had the steps near that ticket booth, if you make that a ramp our uh our uh population with disabilities would be able to use the ramp to go right up and they wouldn't have a separate entrance where
068they could you know with steps they can't use in a wheelchair, they'd be able to. Just a comment, thank you. Okay. Thank you. Assuming no one else wants to give public comment, so we are going to move on to our adjournment. Is there a motion to adjourn? So moved. Ms. Woodbury, is there a second? Second. Dr. Ricardo. Nice try, Mr. McKenna. >> [laughter] >> Our next scheduled board meeting is Thursday, March 12th, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. here in the district office. Meetings will be live streamed and recorded for viewing purposes. Thank you to all of Maine Township staff, administrators, and volunteers for your dedication to our students and community. All in favor of adjournment, say I. I. Opposed, nay.