Dear Editor:
The problems we face with our school buildings are not unique. There are many Internet articles available on reversing the cycle of deterioration in our nation’s public schools. Our school building problems didn’t start with this board or this school administration. However, now that problems have been identified, the board and the school administration have the onerous task of fixing these problems and finding all the root causes.
One obvious root cause is moisture (water) intrusion into our buildings, which has existed for years. In building science, one learns that moisture intrusion is the number one cause of a building’s demise. The problems with our roofs, facades, chimneys, structural elements, and even air quality are being caused by moisture intrusion and these items must be fixed to keep our schools standing.
However, what assures the public that the board has completely identified all the moisture problems in each of our schools? Will the proposed projects in the referendum automatically correct the moisture issues in each building? Every “expert” article that I have read states that all moisture problems must be identified before the scope of the project is finalized and before repairs begin. An independent firm that specializes in moisture intrusion scans should be brought in to verify that all problems have been captured by our architect’s visual inspection.
Finally, at the completion of all repairs, there must be independent verification that all moisture problems in each of our schools have been eliminated. If there is no independent verification that we have corrected these problems, we are wasting our money.
Also, what temporary measures are being taken right now to prevent water from getting into the buildings? The slate roof at the high school is missing shingles; this allows rainwater to enter the building. Also, the gutter on the building adjacent to the 1890 section of Central Middle School, parking lot side, has no downspout. Water from the gutter pours onto the side of a dormer. Can’t we fix this problem now? Are there other areas like this? Why aren’t temporary measures being taken to stop water from entering the buildings? With repairs likely to be two years away, could our building structures or facades fail because we haven’t stopped the water from getting in? Could the project scope and costs increase dramatically because we haven’t stopped the water?
For these reasons, I believe the Board of Education needs an expert citizen’s advisory committee. This committee should be made up of qualified professionals including engineers, electricians, heating and cooling technicians, and other building system experts who could question and challenge our school’s consultants about their recommendations. I believe such a committee is absolutely necessary to help the board with restoring the structural integrity of each of our schools and to insure our property tax money is spent wisely.
Walt Delengowski
