School board declines help

SHARPSVILLE, Pa. -- The Sharpsville Area School Board has told the state that it doesn't want any reimbursement on a proposed $2 million expansion/renovation project at Sharpsville High School.
The state helps school districts pick up some of the costs for new construction and renovation of school buildings but will offer renovation reimbursement only once every 20 years on a building.
New construction doesn't face that limit.
Sharpsville High School got a major makeover in 1992, which meant any further renovations won't be eligible for reimbursement until at least 2012.
Sharpsville has most of the money it needs for the latest high school project that would add a new cafeteria and wrestling practice room and convert the old cafeteria into two classrooms.
The funds came from an insurance settlement for the fire-damaged vacant South Pymatuning Elementary building.
Superintendent Dr. Derry Stufft said if Sharpsville asks for reimbursement on the proposed project, that would start a new 20-year cycle of no reimbursement being available for renovations.
The building has already gone 12 years through its current 20-year cycle, and the board didn't want to give those years up in the event the high school needs some major improvement at the end of the current 20-year period in 2012.