The Hancock County Board of Education Monday approved a bid from Lombardi Development for the pyrite remediation project at Oak Glen Middle School. Work is scheduled to begin June 7. (Photo by Craig Howell)

NEW CUMBERLAND — A project to remediate a pyrite expansion issue located under Oak Glen Middle School is scheduled to begin as soon as the current school year comes to an end.

During their meeting Monday, members of the Hancock County Board of Education voted 4-0 in favor of awarding the contract to Lombardi Development, with a bid of $1,740,000.

Superintendent Dan Enich offered a thanks to the voters of Hancock County, as approximately $800,000 from the bond levy approved last fall will go toward the project.

“That was a key piece of the levy,” Enich said.

Another $987,000 was provided through the West Virginia School Building Authority, with those funds awarded in December 2023.

Kasey Arnott, director of facilities and maintenance, explained the target date to begin the project is June 7, right after the end of the school year, with an anticipated construction schedule of six months.

Five companies bid on the contract, according to Arnott, with the highest bid coming in at $2,322,491.

The focus of the project is on the left, back portion of the Oak Glen Middle School building, which includes the school’s band room and locker rooms. It is necessary, school officials note, because of the expansion of pyrite located under the school.

Finance Director Joe Campinelli noted the expansion resulted from water and oxygen reacting with the pyrite, causing it to lift upwards and damaging the school’s foundation. Campinelli said there has been work already performed to address water runoff from the hillside located behind the school, which officials believe could be part of the cause of the issue.

It was noted crews are set to excavate to a pre-set depth, removing some of the pyrite, but also taking action to ensure no future occurrence.

“They’re going to put some type of sealant,” Campinelli said. “That should stop the expansion.”

Transportation Director Mark Dziatkowicz, who was serving as facilities director when planning began for the project, explained, when Oak Glen Middle was initially under construction in 2003, some pyrite was removed, but no sealant was applied.

The methods planned this time have been found to work with similar projects in West Virginia.

“This is the solution,” Dziatkowicz said. “This is the process they use statewide.”

In April 2024, the school board approved McKinley and Associates to serve as the architect for the project, with initial contractor bids submitted in May 2024. Those bids were deemed too high at the time, with the project eventually rebid.

chowell@weirtondailytimes.com