HEARING UPDATE — Hancock County Board of Education President Chris Gillette, left, and Superintendent Dan Enich are pictured during Tuesday’s school board meeting. -- Craig Howell

NEW CUMBERLAND — Improvement projects at Weir High School are moving forward, according to officials with the Hancock County School District.

During Tuesday’s school board meeting, Assistant Superintendent of Schools Dave Smith and Kasey Arnott, education technology and digital systems coordinator, offered an update on the development of new baseball and softball fields on the Weir High campus, as well as a new physical education addition to the school.

“We’ve been trying to keep an eye on things,” Smith said.

The two have been stepping in to assist during the absence of Director of Facilities and Maintenance Mark Dziatkowicz, who currently is out on medical leave.

Smith offered thanks to the district’s maintenance personnel, pointing out, in particular, the work of Gale Martin and Aaron Crago.

“They’ve done a great job to make sure everything is getting done,” Smith said.

It was noted progress on the concession stand and dugouts for the baseball field is being made, with crews waiting for the man door and window to arrive for installation. Shingles, gutters and fascia for the press box are expected within the next week.

The backstop and fencing for behind home plate need to be bid out, with Smith explaining the grandstand will need to be bid again, with the possibility of that portion of the project being broken down into multiple components.

“We have received one bid,” Smith said. “It was an elevated price.”

At the new softball field, it was reported concrete for the batting cage has been completed, with netting to be ordered.

For the new auxiliary gym, concrete and top soil have been removed at the site, which is located on the back end of the high school closest to Jimmy Carey Stadium.

“Everything is excavated. The land is ready,” Smith said.

As part of the preparation, an exploratory dig has been performed to look for a fire main thought to have been located within the construction zone, but the dig came back negative, Smith said.

Superintendent Dan Enich said a few smaller touches to the fields also are being finalized, noting specifically bat racks, which will be completed by the carpentry program at the John D. Rockefeller IV Career Center.

Board member Larry Shaw asked about reports of some uneven areas of the baseball field and was told contractors are looking into the issue of a possible dip along part of the warning track.

Board President Chris Gillette pointed to a punch list previously provided to the board, saying only four of 25 items have been completed, even though the original schedule had much of the project to be finished in August.

“We’re kind of behind on that,” Gillette said.

The board agreed a work session may be needed to discuss the Weir High projects, as well as any updates on the planned improvements to the Field of Dreams facility at Oak Glen High School.

(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com)