School officials are conducting informal meetings to determine how they will be able to permanently repair ongoing roof leaks at Prendergast and Mead schools.
“There are a few leaks being addressed as we speak,” Robert Evans, dictor of facilites for the schools, said this week.
The district has used infrared scanning to locate the leaks in the roofs. Tests have been done at the buildings and show no mold problem, Evans said.
The leaks have been patched as they arise, for at least six years, but no permanent solution has been offered, Evans said.
Roof replacement would be a longterm solution, and would involve reimbursement, but certain criteria must be met to qualify for that level of addressing the problem, Evans said.
The topic has come up at recent meetings of the Board of Education and Board of Aldermen.
“When we had that significant rainfall a while ago, we had significant leaks specifically at Prendergast School,” Board of Education President John Lawlor said at a meeting earlier this month. “If we don’t do something, it is going to be costlier. It is high priority relative to our building plans. We want to address it before it becomes a health or safety problem.”
Lawlor said snow in the winter could cause similar leaks.
“I suppose that as long as the snow doesn’t melt, we will be okay. When it melts we will probably have the same problem we do with the rain,” Lawlor said. “I doubt very much that we are going to be able to [fix the roofs before the winter]. Maybe we can band-aid it for winter purposes.”
