CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield County Career and Technology Center’s Joint Operating Committee accepted the bid in the amount of $23,600 from Full Throttle Enterprises for an LED message sign at Monday night’s regular meeting.
“It didn’t get done during the building renovation,” executive director Lois Richards said. She said they have been looking into doing so for sometime.
Richards indicated they only received one bid for the project. As a result, she said she compared the price against those of other companies.
She said they would be installing a WatchFire LED, electronic message sign. However, she said they planned to use their existing brickwork in order to reduce costs.
Richards initially announced they would use funds from the Adult Education program to complete the project. But it raised disagreement among some committee members.
“It seems like we’re always whacking at Adult Ed,” Larry Allen, West Branch School District representative, said. “Don’t we have funding leftover from the renovation?”
Richards said they had $60,000 remaining from renovation funding. She said she had learned the welding program needed some storage space, however.
“It won’t be $60,000 though,” Allen replied. He said they would still be able to cover those costs even if they used the renovation funds toward the sign.
He added, “(The sign) is a renovation. If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t be saying anything.”
James Smith, Philipsburg-Osceola School District representative, concurred with Allen. He said he didn’t believe the project’s cost should fall on the Adult Education program.
Then, Phil Carr, Clearfield School District representative, inquired if the sign would only be used to advertise the Adult Education program.
Richards said it would announce events for all of the center’s programs. She said it would enable them to advertise their open houses among other things.
Allen again asked if they could complete the project with the renovation funding. Richards said they could do so.
When the sign is being installed, Carr said they need to make sure it’s well above ground. He said they don’t want any moisture affecting the electronics. Rodney Kitko, acting chairman, said they’d also want protection against lightening.
Board members then expressed concern about potential for vandalism to and in the area of the sign. Richards said she couldn’t recall any recent incidents. If there was an incident, she said it had been a while ago.
Richards indicated the sign would be installed and in operation for the fall.