Conneaut takes action to remedy new school deficiencies

By MARK TODD

Staff Writer

mtodd@starbeacon.com



CONNEAUT - - School board members in Conneaut unanimously agreed Wednesday to join forces with a state agency to demand repairs to it's three new buildings.

A resolution approved at the special meeting authorizes Conneaut Area City Schools administrators to work with the Ohio School Facilities Commission on the project. The action could include a lawsuit to seek repairs or damages.

A resolution approved at the special meeting authorizes Conneaut Area City Schools administrators to work with the Ohio School Facilities Commission on the project. The action could include a lawsuit to seek repairs or damages.

At issue are chronic roof problems at Gateway Elementary School and Conneaut Middle School, and faulty windows installed at Lakeshore Primary. Gateway and CMS opened in 2004, and Lakeshore one year later.

The buildings were constructed via a plan mapped out for the district by OSFC, an agency created to improve schools across the state. Conneaut was the first Ashtabula County school district to participate in the plan.

Roof problems at the two schools stem from faulty installation, said David Riley, an attorney for the district, who specializes in construction issues. Riley referred to a report recently prepared for the district and OSFC by inspectors.

"There's a lot of bad work," he said. "It wasn't done well."

Problems include improperly applied sealant, which allows rain to penetrate, and substandard caulking and flashing. Copies of the report will be sent to the roofing contractor and GPD of Akron, the building's architect/ designer.

"Someone should have been watching this," Riley said.

At Lakeshore Primary, inspectors have determined the windows installed aren't suitable for this area, Riley said.

"The windows are doing what they were designed to do," he said. "They just shouldn't be in this climate."

Condensation always will form on the windows, which could lead to water-related problems in the future, the board learned.

"Water is a recipe for disaster," Riley said. "This is not what you paid for."

The three buildings were a big part of the $46 million project that also renovated and expanded Conneaut High School and demolished four old schools. OSFC paid 84 percent of the costs, while the balance came from a levy approved by voters in 2000.

Should the repairs require any additional expenditure, that same ratio would stay intact: 84 percent paid by OSFC, and 16 percent by the district. Any settlements received also would follow that formula.

"Twenty cents on the dollar is a far cheaper expense today (than extensive repairs in the future)," Riley said.

By joining forces with OSFC, the district will be able to use the agency's attorneys and consultants, saving tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees. "It's the most cost-effective way to get this done," Riley said.

Also, the school board would have final say on any settlement OSFC attorneys can obtain - - if a settlement is considered appropriate - - from the responsible parties, Riley said.

The Lakeshore Primary windows were chosen during a process called "value engineering." When the school's price tag exceeded it's budget, designers suggested more economical options to accomplish similar results. Many of the compromises were cosmetic.

However, cheaper was never meant to mean inferior, officials said.

"(Value engineering) was supposed to save money but not result in lesser quality," said Superintendent Mary Zappitelli.

School officials put their faith in the opinions of experts well versed in school construction. "As educators, you expect the people you hire to guide you in the right direction," Zappitelli said.

Riley said he believed the district was on firm legal footing.

"The district is well-protected," he said. "I feel pretty comfortable the blames lies elsewhere than the school district."

Reports of sweating pipes at Conneaut High School, caused by inadequate insulation, also will be investigated, officials said.

Star Beacon Print Edition: 11/9/2006

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