There was one bit of “bad news” but several pieces of “good news” when Bill Devine from the Palumbo Group updated the Cornwall Central School District’s Board of Education about its ongoing capital projects.

The bad news, Devine said, is that contractors are about three weeks behind on the Cornwall High School tennis courts. If you’ve been by the school you’ve noticed that the old courts, and the track, have been torn out and site work to replace them – including a retaining wall between the parking lot and tennis courts – has begun. While the tennis courts had been expected to be ready for the CCHS girls’ team to use this fall, it’s now probably going to be the end of September before they are ready.

Devine said that obtaining materials has been slow on that project, and a trench drain under the existing courts had to be replaced. He said crews will be working some overtime on the job, and some Saturdays, but once that drain is in place, and new asphalt poured, there is a two-to-three week “cure” time on the surface before it can be coated and lined.

District officials said Athletic Director Jason Semo is aware of the delay and will make accommodations for the start of the tennis season.

In two other “Phase 2” areas of the project, Devine said that lighting and electrical work at the Lee Rd. Elementary school is 99% done, even though that project wasn’t expected to be completed until closer to the end of August. Devine said the remaining work involves Central Hudson switching out the electrical service to a new pole in the parking lot. The building does have electrical power now, and that switchover will either be done before school begins or during a school year break. Paving in the Lee Rd. parking lot will be done next summer.

At Cornwall Central Middle School, an abatement project in an unused locker room is underway. That project is expected to be completed in March 2025.

At Willow Ave. Elementary, a new loading dock has been built, exterior and interior doors and stair railings replaced. Work there is expected to be done before school starts.

Not pertaining to the capital project, but at the meeting there was a public comment made by a Lee Rd. parent regarding a security situation she said she sees. Leah Brickley said “chronically propped open doors” at the school are unsafe. She thanked two board members for meeting with her to discuss that and other issues. Another parent echoed Brickley’s comments. Board President Jim Creagan thanked both and said district officials “will be sure to follow up; security is something we take very seriously”.