School Board Discusses Gas Leak

The Chartiers Valley School District has sent a complaint to Peoples Natural Gas over the fumes that inundated one of its schools last week.

An overwhelming odor of natural gas filled the Chartiers Valley Primary School on Thursday, forcing students to be moved to the nearby middle school auditorium while workers tried to fix the problem.

Superintendent Brian White Jr. addressed the school board on the issue during the district’s monthly voting meeting Tuesday night.

White said the natural gas was coming from a transmission pipe operated by Peoples about a quarter mile from the school. He said the district recently learned that someone notified the gas company about the problem on Feb. 4, but Peoples did not immediately correct the problem.

He was told that the gas company had been monitoring the gas leak before it was forced to take action when escaping gas wafted into the school.

Also during the meeting…

-The 2011-12 school calendar was unanimously approved by the board. The school year will begin Aug. 25 and end June 5.

-The school board approved a motion to allow Seton-LaSalle High School to use the high school stadium for varsity football games. School Director Jeff Choura suggested the board consider eventually raising the rental prices for the high school athletic facilities. Nicholas Morelli, the director of finance, estimated that the current rental fee for schools is $1,200 per event.

-The board accepted the resignation of Donald Kaminski as human resources director, which will go into effect Friday.

-Chuck McCartney, who serves as the public relations coordinator, received a six-month contract extension that will start in July. School Director Mary Lou Petronsky voted against the motion because she said McCartney should be awarded a yearlong contract instead.