North Star approves bond for building upgrades, moving toward school merger

BOSWELL, Pa. (WTAJ) — The North Star School District board took its first steps towards a major building renovation at the elementary school following Tuesday’s meeting.

A roughly $10 million bond was approved during the meeting that will go towards capital improvements at the elementary school in Boswell, according to our media partners at the Tribune-Democract. This project leads to the long-planned closure of the aging middle school in Kantner.

“It’s exciting and a little bit sad,” Superintendent Louis Lepley told our media partners at the Tribune-Democract.

The board discussed merging the two schools for years and taking out the bond to pay for renovations is the first step to breaking ground on the project.

Lepley said improvements include an addition to the back of the elementary school for classrooms, with a new gymnasium at the front and a new cafeteria.

The middle school, which dates to the 1960s, will eventually be closed due to its age and infrastructure issues. It currently needs a new roof, and a boiler and there is no public water available, among other issues.

Before the unanimous approval, the board heard from bond counsel Anthony Ditka, of Pittsburgh law firm Dinsmore & Shohl. Ditka explained the bond process and how the bond will be acquired.

He explained the school is well within its legal borrowing limit with the new financing that was approved up to $12 million.

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After the upgrades are done, North Star students will be centrally located in Boswell, which Lepley told our media partners at the Tribune-Democract is a benefit to the district. He added that closing one of the schools will also help district taxpayers, too.

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