Cornwall-Lebanon School District plans for site improvements project

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The Cornwall-Lebanon school board discussed an estimated $13,870,363 site improvements project, including fields, a maintenance pole barn, parking improvements, and an access drive over multiple phases, at its work session Aug. 10.

The board will have the option to vote to advertise the project for bids at its regular meeting Aug. 17.

The project is expected to include four phases, with phase one (discus, shot put, and practice field) expected to range from March to June of 2027 and phase four (a small parking lot and improvements to Lincoln Avenue) expected to begin in November 2027 and conclude in June 2028.

The expected timeline for the project is as follows:

• Phase 1, March 1-June 15, 2027: discus, shot put, and practice field
• Phase 2A, May 1-Aug. 16, 2027: synthetic turf soccer field and javelin area
• Phase 2B, May 1–Sept. 15, 2027: maintenance pole barn and parking improvements
• Phase 3, Aug. 15-Nov. 29, 2027: access drive and large parking lot behind middle school
• Phase 4, Nov. 15, 2027-June 15, 2028: small parking lot and Lincoln Avenue turning lane improvements

The board may request prices for some parts of the project as add-alternates and choose whether to award them depending on budgeting and prices.

Though an access drive through Lincoln Avenue is planned for phase three of the project, it will only be usable after road improvements are made to Lincoln Avenue in phase four.

Superintendent Philip Domencic said in March the project would alleviate traffic during high-usage periods and in case of emergency, allow for increased hours and field availability for athletic programs, consolidate and improve maintenance facilities, and improve stormwater management.

In March, the project was estimated to cost $12,616,014, though costs have been updated as architecture and engineering firm Beers + Hoffman and construction management company Fidevia have worked on plans and ironed out stormwater management.

In other news, the board:

• Heard that the Earl Boltz Stadium facility improvements are slated for completion Aug. 14, with contractors working on punchlist items.
• Heard multiple change orders for the stadium and high school projects.
• Heard an update on the middle school chiller project, with plans to replace obsolete equipment from 1995.
• Heard that 1974 graduate Bradley S. Moore is donating funds for a STEM scholarship for high performing science and math students.
• Heard that revisions to attendance eligibility policies are under consideration (with routine changes to update to state guidelines) and the bullying and cyberbullying policy is under review.
• Heard that the school is working on “common sense” guidelines for AI usage by students, said Domencic.
• Heard routine items for the 2026-27 school year, including personnel discussion and annual contract renewals.

No action was taken Monday buy may be taken at the board’s regular meeting Aug. 17.

The Cornwall-Lebanon school board holds a work session on the second Monday of each month and its regular meeting on the third Monday of each month, both at 5:30 p.m. Meetings are held at South Lebanon Elementary School due to ongoing construction at Cedar Crest High School.