The Bristol Township School District has a plan to fix Harry S. Truman High School’s leaky roof – but it’s going to cost money and require the district to take out a bond issue.
At Monday night’s meeting, officials announced they had a two-phase plan that would plug the holes in the problem-plagued roof of the high school. Next week, the school board will vote on whether to allow Schrader Group Architecture to design the new roof for the aging school.
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District business manager John Steffy explained to the public that the new bond issue would pay for the work to Truman’s roof and also go toward construction of the new “state-of-the-art” school at the Mary Devine Elementary School site in Croydon. He also said the $750,000 budgeted for addtional debt service next year will allow the district to borrow up to $10 million.
The district already has a $120 million bond to pay for the construction of three new elementary schools, but work is over budget.
Officials said the bond the district took out at the beginning of the project covers all the district’s schools.
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Steffy said bids for the Truman roof project will have to be solicited before more money will be borrowed.
For more than a year, parents have complained about the condition of the roof and leaks that often spring up. The district worked last year to make repairs to the roof and mitigate problems associated with the moisture getting into the building. Photos from students leaked online in September and showed the ceiling in one bathroom was crumbling.
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Parents at Monday’s board meeting raised concerns about mold caused by the leaky roof and concerns over water leaking in through the classroom ceilings. Two residents also said they were worried about the cost to the cash-strapped district and extra expenditures that could come if water damage is discovered.
Board member Fred Black said contractors won’t know the extent of roof damage until the roofing material is ripped up.
