Shane W Potter

SLIPPERY ROCK TWP — Slippery Rock Area School Board will finance a bond of $10 million at a meeting next month to fund part of the district’s high school construction project.

The board on Monday, Aug. 26, heard from Anthony Ditka, bond counsel with Dinsmore & Shohl, about financing options for the bond. This will be the second $10 million bond the district is taking out for the construction project, which is estimated to cost $26 million.

Construction has begun on an updated cafeteria and new secure building entrance at the high school, and the project is expected to extend through the summers of 2025 and 2026.

Paul Cessar, the district’s finance manager, said the district is taking out three bonds to pay for the project in an effort to fund the construction efficiently.

“We’re borrowing $10 million at a time because there’s certain tax advantages and refinancing advantages if you’re under $10 million,” he said.

In relation to the high school project, the school board voted to enter an agreement with Cernica Engineering, based in Youngstown, Ohio, for laboratory testing services on construction materials.

Board member Mark Taylor, who heads its operations committee, said the company will perform testing on the materials as the project goes on.

“That’s just to ensure contractors are putting in the materials as required and specified,” Taylor said. “There’s actually quite a bit of testing.”

Taylor said Cernica will bill the district as work is completed, and testing will take place throughout the course of construction.