Barbour BOE discusses school repairs
By BEN SIMMONS, Staff WriterMembers of the Barbour County Board of Education discussed structural renovations and repairs to county schools at Monday's meeting. Among the items on the agenda were repairs to the roof of Philip Barbour High School and an update on the Kasson Elementary/Middle School renovation project.
Barbour County Superintendent of Schools Dr. DeEdra Lundeen said the process to begin repairs to the roof of Philip Barbour High School is under way. She anticipates the repairs will be complete before school begins in the fall. The repairs are needed because a portion of the roof was torn off during a windstorm in February.
"At this point, we do not have an estimate," Lundeen said. "We have secured an architect and we are working with our insurance company. They will take it from there to make sure we have structural engineers on the roof to figure out exactly what needs to be done. We are then hopeful that the repairs will be secured and completed by the time the doors open for students in August."
Glen Sweet, who serves as buildings and maintenance coordinator for Barbour County Schools, told the board he met with a damage consultant last week. He said the cause of the roof's malfunction could be attributed to clips that were used to secure the roof. He said the clips used were thinner than the ones specified in the construction contract.
During the meeting, the board was also given an update on the renovations at Kasson School.
"The project at Kasson is almost complete," Lundeen said. "As we are doing our walkthroughs, just like if we were building a house, we see those little things that we want to make perfect. We all have to work together to make sure everything is just right, because the public wants the best that we can build. And that's what we are going to do."
Lundeen said contractors are "double-checking" to make sure everything will be perfect when the school opens. She said no date has been set for the students to move back into the classrooms.
"We want to make sure we have done all of the sub-compacting correctly and added all the stone that needs to be added," Lundeen said. "We want to make sure it's done absolutely fabulously, so that when we do lay the pavement that it doesn't end up buckling."
The Kasson School is being renovated because the floor was heaving, which caused the walls to heave and the ceiling to buckle. In order to take care of the problem, the interior portion of the building was removed and the pyrites, which the school was built upon, were dug out and filled in with appropriate dirt. Contractors are now rebuilding the interior.
In other news, Lundeen announced the bond for Philip Barbour High School will be paid in full on June 30, 2010, and taxpayers have already paid for the full amount of the school. However, she said bond could not be paid off early because of the purchase agreement.
"I'm very proud of the community and everybody else who has input into their taxes," Lundeen said. "On the June 30, 2009, tax bill, taxpayers will not find a levy for the bond payoff - they have already paid it off. (Taxpayers) are anticipating it two more times, in June and December, but they will not see it on their bill because they have already paid it off. I'm very pleased to say that."
The next meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Monday at the board office in Philippi. Members of the board include Patrick Jones, Brian Kisamore, David Everson, Brad Robinson Jr. and David Strait.
