Keystone Central’s facilities and finance committees on April 3 recommended committing $1.5 million from the general fund for priority capital repairs, primarily to replace an end-of-life HVAC chiller in the district office and equipment at Woodward Elementary, rather than immediately funding a districtwide camera and swipe-access replacement.

Facilities committee chair (name not specified in transcript) said the chiller serving the district administrative building is approximately 25 years old and at the end of its useful life; the committee weighed that replacement against an aging security-camera and swipe-access system and concluded the HVAC work should take priority because the chillers and related equipment are critical to building operation. The motion discussed would allocate funds for the HVAC work but the committee noted additional phases could follow if more funding becomes available.

Other facility items flagged for board approval included replacing the Woodmere Elementary gym floor with a new epoxy surface, the annual gym ceiling and floor maintenance at three schools, and a recommendation to purchase playground equipment for Liberty Curtin from local vendor Nittany Woodcraft, chosen for cost, warranty and the vendor’s ability to supply site prep and landscaping. The facilities report said the epoxy-floor work and playground procurement are part of the district’s 10-year plan.

Board and committee members discussed past unsuccessful grant applications for larger HVAC funding and noted that the $1.5 million would be used to complete essential components rather than the full districtwide HVAC program. Members asked that project costs be tightly scoped and phased to avoid overruns and that any remaining needs be evaluated for future funding sources.