The School District has a list of ongoing maintenance and construction items, but a surprise project has caused concerns among officials and parents.

While inspecting recently completed roofing at McDowell Mountain Elementary School, it was discovered several trusses had come loose over the years, causing sagging and removing support from the school roof.

At the Nov. 12 School Board meeting, Assistant Superintendent Tim Leedy said an estimated 30 trusses need attention.

As for student safety, scaffolding went up immediately for added support, and structural engineer John Denny recently presented the district and town officials with a letter declaring the school safe for occupation.

Original scaffolding has been replaced with less obtrusive supports over the weeks and classes continue as normal.

According to Leedy, these trusses were likely in need of repair for several years, but the supports have been added for extra safety and peace of mind.

At present, Leedy said the district is still waiting for a “plan of attack.”

“We’re still working out the funding source and waiting on an estimate for the project,” Leedy said.

“Once we have a few more answers, then we can begin deciding when and how to go about implementing the permanent fix.”

Leedy said a letter has been sent to the Arizona School Facilities Board asking for emergency assistance to help fund the project.

Otherwise, funding may have to be pulled from the district’s contingency money from the 2007 bond, a route Leedy said he would rather not have to take.

The district has already spent more than $50,000 on temporary fixes and, though a contractor estimate may take several more weeks, Leedy said he is guessing the price tag to be quite large.

The district hopes to hear back from contractors and the ASFB by the end of the year to move forward with the project.

Here is an update on other maintenance and operation ventures being funded by the 2007 bond and capital outlay override election:

Learning Center

For those looking for an update on the planned Community Learning Center, you’ll be able to keep an eye on the progress yourself in the coming weeks.

According to Leedy, the building, planned for construction adjacent to the high school and district office, will enter the construction phase shortly.

“The permit is finished and everything has already gone through the town,” Leedy said. “In a couple weeks we’re going to start bringing fencing and equipment out and, later this month, we’re going to start moving dirt.”

The facility, planned as a meeting place for school and local clubs, organizations and classes, was billed as part of the 2007 bond package and has been more than a year in the making.

The final price has fallen within the $966,000 budget and, according to Leedy, estimated completion is set for June of 2009.

“We’ll then have the summer to get everything ready inside the building,” Leedy said. “The goal is to have everything ready by the time school begins next August.”

Miscellaneous

According to Leedy, the district is staying busy with plenty of bond projects at the moment.

One such project includes playground upgrades at McDowell Mountain Elementary School to the tune of $70,000. Site playgrounds are being updated and brought to code to provide the best, safest entertainment for local students.

Heaters, swamp coolers and re-circulators have been added at the bus barn and a mold remediation project will take place in room 300 of Four Peaks Elementary School over Christmas break.

A total of $730,000 will soon go toward district office roofing and, later this year, an additional storage room will be added to the Four Peaks main building.

High school bell and PA systems will see an upgrade in the coming year as well as a pole vault pit being added to the high school track. Along with the recently expanded new home bleachers, the football field area of the high school will also receive added security fencing between now and next school year.

The Cricket cell phone tower, planned in 2007, will finally be going up at the football field while the Alltel tower will soon be constructed at the bus barn. Next summer will also see the next phase of technology upgrades, which are currently being planned by committee.

As for the joint use fields planned adjacent to the high school and MMES sites, Leedy said the district recently met with the town and the project is not looking likely until the 2011 budget.

“Even then, it’s tentative,” Leedy said. “But there’s no hurry there. The land isn’t going anywhere. If they can fit it in their budget, we’ll be ready.”