Bond for long-leaking school roof OK'd in Leominster

LEOMINSTER -- The City Council approved a bond of approximately $3.2 million for the replacement of the roof at Northwest Elementary School Monday night during its regular meeting.

"This is a high-quality project at minimal cost," Superintendent of Schools Jim Jolicoeur said about the roof replacement and how the Massachusetts School Building Authority, using its Accelerated Repair Program, will reimburse the city nearly 72 percent of the construction cost.

Once the project is completed, the city will have paid about $909,767 for the $3.2 million repair.

The leaking is damaging the roof's supporting structure and could potentially damage the wooden parquet floor in the school's gymnasium, Jolicoeur said when first describing why the project was necessary.

Jolicoeur was before the council Monday night with district Facilities Director Anthony Sciabarrasi to answer questions from councilors about the project.

During their brief presentation, Jolicoeur said that while consulting engineers were designing the repair project, an additional issue was raised -- channeling the water that runs off the areas of the roof that are sloped.

"It's definitely a problem that needs to be addressed," Sciabarrasi said about the water and the ice that accumulates in the winter, especially in the building's entrances and doorways.

"It creates a serious hazard," he said, adding that custodians often must chisel ice out of doorways when the temperatures drop.

The repair will cost about $81,000 and will create a drainage system that will channel the runoff directly into underground storm water pipes around the school, which is at 45 Stearns Ave.

The $81,000 project does not meet the criteria for the MSBA Accelerated Repair Program, so Jolicoeur said the city will have to bear its full cost.

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Bond for long-leaking school roof OK'd in Leominster