Oxford Roof Project Delayed

The $1.8 million roof replacement on the Great Oak Middle School will not be finished by the time school opens Sept 1.

There have been delays getting materials to the job site, officials said. 

The project includes replacing the asphalt roof with a steel roof and installing solar panels.

Work will continue after school opens. Much of the roof replacement will be happening after school hours and on the weekends. The solar panel installation may happen during regular school hours, assuming noise doesn’t disrupt classes.

Charlie Benlock, the construction contract administrator hired by the town to oversee the project on behalf of Oxford, said they started the project in July. Materials were late, delivered on Aug. 3.

A crew of 16 has been working to catch up, Benlock said.

“We’ve had to completely take off the old asphalt roof and some of the wings on the school are already completed,’‘ he said.

Robert DeBisschop, chairman of the Great Oak Roof and Solar Panel Building Committee, said he expects the solar system to be up and running sometime by the end of September. He said once it is completed CL&P has to come in and inspect it and must certify it, he said.

John Barlow, the school district’s facilities manager declined comment on the progress of the school and referred all Valley Indy questions to DeBisschop.

However, Barlow did comment on the project publicly during Tuesday’s school board meeting.

He said asbestos abatement being done as part of the roof project will be completed by the first day of school. The steel roof part of the job should be completed about two weeks into September.

In May, voters approved spending $1.8 million for the roof and solar panels. The town will be getting a $324,000 grant from the state’s Clean Energy Fund, $180,000 will come from the state Board of Education and $61,000 from the American Recovery Investment Act to cover costs.

Keep local reporting alive. Donate.ValleyIndy.org