Davis Construction Gets Underway

As construction of the new Davis Elementary School on Maple Avenue in the township gets underway Patch asked the school district about stagnant water and safety concerns at the construction site.

Tuesday afternoon a Maple Avenue resident, who did not want to be named, spoke with Patch about concerns she has about the large construction project.

The woman and another neighbor both spoke of the temporary retention basin in the front of the property which is filled with green and brown water.

A concern is that mosquitoes, which can transmit different diseases, will breed in the stagnant water which fills the bottom of the basin.

Centennial School District’s Assistant to the Superintendent William Gretton said that the district is working with local environmental organizations to monitor the water to make sure it does not pose a health hazard.

“We monitor that water weekly, if not more,” said Gretton. “If we had a problem we would be required to spray it and we would.”

“The basin is designed to hold storm water run-off and slowly release the water over a 72-hour period, and it is doing that,” according to Gretton.

Gretton also spoke about security at the site, which did have some vandalism before the original Davis was taken down.

A locked fence now surrounds the property and the area is regularly patrolled by members of the Upper Southampton Police Department, Gretton said.

“If we need to add more security we will work with the police, but there’s not a need to right now,” said Gretton. “If there is an issue with security we will address it.”

The new school, which will house students from kindergarten to fifth, is set to open in September 2012, according to Gretton.

“We got started a little late, due to technicalities, but we are currently working to get up to speed,” he said.