ADAMS TWP — Two ongoing Mars Area School District expansion projects were at the center of the school board meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 13.

The board was informed there were some delays to construction of additions to the Mars Area Elementary School. The board also worked on next steps for Mars Area Centennial School renovations.

At the meeting, representatives of Thomas & Williamson Program Management presented updates on renovations at the elementary school.

“We’re looking for a completion of the additions in early June of 2027,” Carrie Crawford, of Thomas & Willamson, said. In August, construction was initially projected to be wrapped up by January/February 2027.

Crawford said the project has experienced delays due to issues obtaining steel.

She said headway has been made with underground utilities in the new kitchen and cafeteria addition. Upgrades to the old kitchen/cafeteria will be worked on during summer 2027.

Board member Joseph Joswiak raised concern about noise from the generator near the parent drop-off area. Crawford said the team will look into options to reduce the sound.

The district also voted to approve an agreement with Roth Marz to serve as architect for renovations to Mars Area Centennial School in an 8-1 vote.

The agreement was not initially scheduled to be voted on at the meeting, but was added to the agenda, also in an 8-1 vote.

Board member Aaron Rose voted against both motions.

Rose said while he is not necessarily opposed to the contract, he voiced concern that the last time the firm had made a presentation to the board was several years ago.

“We're about to approve the spending of a lot of money,” he said. “I don’t believe we should take all the bidding and everything that happened in Phase 1 and just say, ‘we’ll just keep that all the same.’”

Board vice president Kevin Hagen noted the step toward the centennial school expansion is part of the same phase of improvement work as the elementary school.

“We need both,” he said. “This was part of a whole package.”

The firm has worked with the district many times before and is familiar with the centennial school project, Mark Gross, district superintendent, said.

Gross said the firm will earn 6% of the project cost, according to the agreement. The project cost estimate will be worked out once the firm has a design.

“We don't have any idea what this project would cost us yet,” Hagen said. “This is to get (Roth Marz) rolling on designing it.”