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News,  Education

Monday, September 10, 2007

BOE Discusses Air Quality Issues; to Seek $5 Million

The Westport Board of Education tonight held a lengthy discussion of air quality issues at King’s Highway Elementary and other schools. It put the town on notice it will ask for almost $5 million to address the problems as well as pay an unanticipated electricity bill.

Ultimately, it voted to request $1.666 million immediately and put off action on the balance.

School administrators told the board that almost $4.1 million would pay for testing and remediation of mold and other air quality issues at King’s Highway and Staples High School.

The funds would also cover testing the air quality at other schools, installation of a new King’s Highway ventilation system, expedited removal of carpets from all classrooms, and repointing of brick at all schools to prevent entry of moisture into buildings. Part of the request also covers hiring a new HVAC engineer.

Superintendent of Schools Elliott Landon also requested $901,000 to pay for unbudgeted costs for electricity.

He said the funds were needed because of the failure of Connecticut Light and Power Co. to connect a newly installed electric meter at Staples High School during its recent $78 million renovation and expansion.

He said the requested amount covers past and current electrical charges.

During the discussion, Gavin Anderson, chair of the special King’s Highway Maintenance Committee, said the school now was deemed safe for use, despite recent reports of new illnesses.

He said the judgment had been made late today by Sue Jacozzi, director of the Westport Weston Health District, based on information now available.

At the same time, Anderson told the board that initial testing of two modular classrooms not presently in use at the school had indicated the presence of mold and remediation would be required.

A portable classroom found last summer to have mold was taken down at the school in August before classes began.

Comments:     Comment Policy

Does the remediation cost for Staples include the phone call to the HVAC folks who helped built the new school?  The taxpayers of our town should not be paying for that piece of the pie.

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