Westmont board picks lights, approves firm to solicit bids for building demo

Joshua Byers, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·2 min read

Oct. 22—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — The Westmont Hilltop school board approved the purchase of a $40,000 light package from Musco Lighting for installation at Price Field.

The group determined the third level offered by the company, ShowLight+ with RGBW, was the best option.

"Going with the last one at this point in time gives us the most flexibility," board member William Carney said.

Carney serves on the athletic committee and, after inspecting other districts with lower levels, made the recommendation that Westmont go with this option.

The package includes six pre- programmed light shows, three customized shows, a touch screen monitor, control over dimming and blackout modes and independently contorted color accent fixtures.

"It is impressive what it can do," Carney said.

He added that these new poles don't scatter the light the same way the old versions did, so there won't be much, if any, illumination bleeding into the surrounding neighborhood.

Thomas Mitchell, district superintendent, said there's varying brightness settings for the lights as well.

He noted that it can sometimes be darker than preferred on the field, and this control will help with that.

The group also approved the BSS 200 track surface — a strong synthetic material that's less water permeable — the cost of which was already figured into the $7.5 million renovation budget.

In other action, the board asked UpStreet Architects, Inc., to solicit bids for the demolition of the former elementary school on Goucher Street.

Initial approval for the firm to prepare bid documents was given in October 2020, with the members giving the green light on the proposal and associated forms in January.

Mitchell said that since then UpStreet has been in the permitting phase.

The process was stalled at the beginning of the year because the company discovered 5-foot-high crawl spaces under the building that would need to be filled, as well as other environmental coordination.

According to the calendar that was attached to the agenda, there will be a pre-bid conference on Wednesday, and bids will be due at 2 p.m. on Nov. 10.