Board Looks to Terminate Contracts For Elementary School

Candace Braun

Originally scheduled for completion in June, then postponed to August, the construction and renovation work at the four elementary schools in the Princeton Regional School District is still only 96 percent complete, said Board President Anne Burns at the October 26 Board meeting.

Meanwhile, the contractors, Imperial Construction and Fletcher Harlee, have vacated the premises, leaving bathroom stalls without locks, water fountains in the wrong place, and other "minor things that are major irritants," said Ms. Burns.

The Board has sent a letter of intent to terminate its contract, and will meet with the two contractors at a meeting later this month, at which time the bonding company may take over and assign other firms to finish the job, said Ms. Burns: "[The work] is just not done and we want it to be over."

She added that while the jobs are minor and could be handled by the district, if they were to do so it would put them in breach of contract.

"We hope this device ... will finish the modest amounts of work affecting each of the schools," said Michael Mostoller, facilities chairman. "We're going to try to do everything we can to finish this process up quickly."

When construction on Johnson Park, Community Park, Littlebrook, and Riverside Elementary Schools first began in March 2003, contractors had predicted the job would be complete 15 months later. However, various difficulties arose throughout the school year, particularly last fall when parents complained of their children suffering from breathing problems due to construction dust. Construction was halted for over a month at the elementary schools while ventilators were installed.

At Princeton High School, construction work appears to be moving along at a steadier pace now, after the Board's meeting with contractors to discuss their lack of progress, said Mr. Mostoller. The school's elevator should be completed during the next few weeks, and the steel wall foundations should be erected by mid-November, at which point passersby will be able to begin seeing the structures take shape, he said.

Construction is also continuing at John Witherspoon Middle School, with the swimming pool expected to open by mid-November, said Mr. Mostoller.

In related news, the Board unanimously approved the hiring of Judith Wilson as the new superintendent of Princeton Regional Schools at its October 26 Board meeting. Currently serving as the superintendent in Woodbury, Ms. Wilson's contract will begin on February 1, with an annual salary of $162,000.