Wrightstown officials are making progress in an effort aimed at preserving a historic Bucks County landmark.
At a public meeting on Aug. 21, the three-person Board of Supervisors that locally governs the municipality reviewed bids from contractors keen to repair the roof at the Octagonal Schoolhouse, a structure built in the early 1800s that’s the only remaining octagonal-shaped school in Bucks County, according to a township history.
If a municipal project is expected to cost more than $21,900, officials said they must publicly seek bids from contractors. That’s just what they did, getting five in return that ranged from $43,624 to $99,000.
Since the second lowest bid, $46,636, was so close to the first lowest, the township engineer, staffers and Supervisor Jane Magne plan to meet with the two contractors to go over the bids, digging into the particulars.
“It’s anticipated this meeting will be conducted within the next two weeks and a recommendation made for the board of supervisors to award a contract to the winning bidder at a meeting in September,” said Supervisor Chairman Chester Pogonowski.
According to officials, the proposed scope of work at the school includes removing the existing roofing system/materials from the main building and an electrical cabinet; installing a new roofing system; repairing soffits/fascia; installing new purlins; and reinforcing/repairing rafters.
“While it is desirable to repair the roof as soon as possible, the contract is written to complete repairs by April 2024,” Pogonowski noted. “The cost will be covered by a portion of the ARP funds received post pandemic.”
Supervisors also authorized the township engineer to develop the scope of work to install a 1,000-square-foot parking area in the rear of the school with access from a curb cut on Swamp Road. Additionally, the engineer will make recommendations to correct a washout issue in the front parking area. “These will be reviewed at a future meeting and a decision made as to a course of action,” said Pogonowski.
According to a history from Wrightstown, the octagonal, sometimes called “ink bottle,” shape accounted for more than 100 schools in the Delaware Valley of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.
The first such eight-sided structure was built in 1773 in Oxford Valley, Bucks County.
The Wrightstown Octagonal School’s roots stretch back to 1802. The building served as a school until 1850. It became obsolete for that use as government became involved in education and township school districts formed.
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