The Ross municipal building and community center will remain open while part of the building’s roof is being replaced.
The township announced March 30 that the roof replacement project had started.
According to township Manager Jessica Crawshaw, the project consists of replacing the flat part of the roof, totaling just over 16,000 square feet. It is expected to take six to eight weeks to complete, depending on weather conditions.
Officials have described the 25-year-old roof as being in “dire” condition, including leaks, problems with bees and a partial collapse.
The work is being done by Pennsylvania Roofing Systems at a cost of $746,250.
For cash flow purposes, the township is planning to borrow $500,000 that would be applied to the cost, finance Director Dan Berty said. The three-year loan from FNB carries an interest rate of 3.58%, he said.
It was not immediately clear if township commissioners will have to vote to approve the loan through a resolution or ordinance, Crawshaw said.
”If a resolution is sufficient, the process can move forward quickly,” she said. “However, if an ordinance is required, it must first be introduced at a public meeting, then legally advertised, and subsequently brought back for a vote at another meeting the following month.”
Commissioners had discussed whether to replace the entire roof at one time or in two projects.
The condition of the curved roof over the gymnasium is not as bad as the flat roof, Crawshaw said. Work on that part of the roof will not proceed until after the three-year loan is paid off.