Valley to get roof next year

May 31, 2006

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

MaineToday.com - Portland,ME

By ALAN CROWELL

Staff Writer

BINGHAM -- Valley High School will get a state-funded new roof but

not until next year.

School Administrative District 13 Superintendent said

the district has received verbal approval of its application for

funding for a $700,000 new roof over the Upper Kennebec Valley

Memorial High School gym, locker rooms and kitchen.

said, however, that while state officials are optimistic they

will find funding for the project this year, it is now too late to

go forward this summer.

That means the district will have to survive another winter with a

leaky roof that has caused mold to grow in the ceilings of the girls

and boys locker rooms and the kitchen. " We are going to have to

patch and plug. We will have a lot of continuous maintenance issues

just to get through to next year, " said .

The mold is not considered a health hazard although the problem

could become one. Schools in other parts of the state have been

closed because of dangerous mold.

But while the project itself will not take place until next summer,

voters will still be asked to approve funding at a June 13

referendum.

The state's revolving renovation loan fund program will pay for

about two-thirds of the cost of the project, with residents paying

the rest back interest-free over 10 years.

said that while it is too late to get the project done this

year, if voters authorize it, he will be able to put it out to bid

this winter, when the district should be able to get more

competitive bids.

School board members have said that while they would put the project

before voters this year, doing the work this summer was contingent

upon state funding.

Bingham, the largest of the two district towns, is facing rising

water rates and school board members said they did not want to

saddle residents with another expense unless state funding was

guaranteed.

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