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Leaky roof must wait
(by Rick Palsgrove, Southeast Editor - June 01, 2009)
Will Cruiser athletes feel sprinkles of rain on their heads when they take the floor in the Groveport Madison High School gym this fall?
The roof of the Groveport Madison High School gymnasium needs replaced, but it appears work will not begin on the project until late June or early July, which could be cutting it close to complete the job before school starts in August.
At a special meeting May 29, the Groveport Madison Board of Education tabled a proposal to fix the roof until the district hires a new business manager in June.
Four bids were received to fix the 11,000 square foot gym roof:
•Chemcote: $140,860;
•Simon Roofing: $153,790;
•Division 7: $173,000;
•K&W: $178,312.
(Simon Roofing has repaired roofs in the district previously at Madison, Dunloe, and Asbury elementaries.)
"It's a huge job," said Groveport Madison Assistant Superintendent Mike Beck, who added it could take three to four weeks to replace the roof.
Beck said that's how long it recently took to replace the roof on Madison Elementary.
"I'd be shocked if anyone could replace that roof (high school gym) in six days," said Beck.
Beck said it is important to get the roof replaced before August. He said the gym floor needs to be resurfaced and that work, which takes three days, cannot be done until the roof is replaced. Otherwise dust and debris could damage the refinished floor.
"If the roof's not done it could delay the volleyball season," said Beck.
He added the construction will also require the company to have semi-truck loads of roofing and tar at the building, which could be disruptive to the parking areas.
The board voted 3-1, with board member Duane Dailey abstaining, to table the vote on the roof repair proposal until the board's June 15 meeting. Board members John Kershner, Nathan Slonaker, and Naomi Sealey voted for the tabling while Mary Tedrow opposed it.
"We can't wait (to do the work) and then find there's no roof on the gym when school starts," said a frustrated Tedrow.
The remaining board wished to wait until the district hires its new business manager so he can weigh in on the bidding process. The board authorized Superintendent Scott McKenzie to hire the business manager in June, subject to the board's approval on June 15 of the business manager's contract.
There are three finalists for the business manager's position:
•Larry Cooper of Groveport, who has worked in logistics for DHL Solutions;
•Larry Ricchi of Madison Township, who is a former Groveport Madison school board member and served as a director at the Radio Shack warehouse in Groveport from 1982-2008; and
•Michael Rodgers of Mechanicsburg, who has served as regional manager of Erie Construction.
The business manager would oversee transportation, food service, facilities, and technology in the district. A salary for the position has not yet been determined.
Other Groveport Madison news
•The board voted 3-2 to hire a consultant/facilitator, at a cost of $200 per hour not to exceed a total of $3,200, to help the board develop a district organizational chart and job descriptions. Favoring the action were Kershner, Slonaker, and Dailey and opposing it were Sealey and Tedrow.
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