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WILKES-BARRE — Parts of a brand new roof on an elementary school started leaking and a big chunk of an old roof— on a little-used former high school — shattered, continuing Wilkes-Barre Area School District’s seemingly endless trend of seeing buildings break faster than they can be fixed.
During the work session part of Monday’s monthly meeting Project Manager Gary Salijko, of Apollo Group, Inc., reported various leaks had developed at Flood Elementary School, both in sections of the old roofing not yet replaced and in a new section just installed prior to the cold weather setting in.
Salijko said the contractor installing the roof had been at the School Monday to inspect the problems. Solicitor Ray Wendolowski said the district would obviously hold the contractor responsible for any additional work to fix the problem and for any damage inside related to the leakage.
Salijko also reported that a section of the roof over the old Wilkes-Barre Township High School, currently used for storage and the transportation department, had failed. Board Member John Quinn warned the township would react quickly if the board didn’t do something to fix the problem because it will create a health hazard as animals can get in and water starts to pool and do more damage.
Quinn said he had been contacted by someone from the township who proposed the board sell the property to the township for $1. Quinn, a township native, then criticized past boards for making the township residents feel neglected. He argued townships students are scattered throughout district schools, then railed against past hiring practices that seemed to shutout candidates from the township.
“What kind of wacko would order that kind of roof,” Quinn asked. “This district has not been nice to my home town. The township went 17 years without a teaching job.”
Wendolowski noted that when the roof was installed it was considered state of the art, and said that type of roof has held up well in the south, but has fared poorly in colder climates because a “plasticizer” evaporates over years leaving the material very brittle and easily shattered by heavy snows or sharp temperature changes.
Superintendent Bernard Prevuznak said the district may be able to repair the roof with insurance picking up all costs except for a $10,000 deductible, but added the district is waiting for the insurance company to confirm that. Salijko estimated repairs to run anywhere from $60,000 for a “temporary roof” designed to last about 5 years to $360,000 for a regular roof.
The district has no plans for the building, Prevuznak noted, but he did say there has been some talk with a private party about a property “swap” that would exchange the old school for some other real estate in the East End, near the former Mackin Elementary building. Prevuznak declined to elaborate, citing negotiations.