JOHNSTOWN - A Greater Johnstown School District committee is recommending rejection of last week's bids for a new digital video surveillance system.
The committee wants the district to seek new bids involving different types of equipment.
The district received several bids Wednesday.
Based on the low bid, the cost for a digital video surveillance system would be about $50,000, said board President Robert Curtis.
He said the Facilities Committee recommended rejection because it wants to put a more "flexible" proposal out for rebidding at a later date.
"We will be reviewing the specifications," Superintendent Katherine Sullivan said today.
The full board would decide whether to reject the bids and seek new ones. The board could make the decision at its next meeting at 7:30 p.m. March 17.
Curtis said the system would be for surveillance of Knox Junior High School, Knox Field and Johnstown High School, but not at the city's three elementary schools.
Concerns in recent years have centered around vandalism and bullying problems that officials want to keep a closer eye on.
"We're going to bring it up to the full board," Facilities Committee Chairman Scott Miller said of the bid results.
He noted he's only one of nine members on the board but said it's possible the district may not want to buy a system this school year for economic reasons. With the economy and less state aid, he said, a surveillance system is "not a priority" at this time.
He said the district may want to revisit the purchase this summer or later.
"I believe [the system] is necessary," Miller said. "I think it will be a great tool for the district to have."
The district last week discussed the possibility of raising the tax levy by 2 percent, 3 percent or more for the 2011-12 school year.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com.