08/30/12 The Union North United School Board has scheduled a public hearing on Thursday, September 13 to hear comments or questions from the public on a proposed $1.5 million bond. The hearing will be held at 7:00 p.m. in the LaVille Jr-Sr. High School library on the same night as the regular board meeting.
The board is seeking the bond to fund a project to remove mold and asbestos on pipes and air ducts from the basement in the LaVille Jr.-Sr. High School building.
According to Superintendent Mitch Mawhorter, the mold was discovered on pipes in the basement when Director of Operations, Chuck Phillips, was doing a visual inspection of the corporation buildings. Phillips was the former principal of LaVille Jr-Sr. High School and now holds the position that combined the Transportation Director and Maintenance Director responsibilities.
Mawhorter said no students are ever in the basement “tunnel”; however the mold could be an air quality issue. Mawhorter said they have had three different contractors who are familiar with mold and asbestos removal to give them opinions on the best way to eradicate the problem. He said there is a possibility that the pipes will not have to be removed if cleaning and resurfacing can be completed. He said, “There is a paper coating around the asbestos.”
A portion of the bond funds will also be used to pay off what Mawhorter referred to as the “tail end” of fixing the air quality problems at LaVille Elementary. He said, “This should take care of the humidity problems in the new kindergarten rooms and regulate the temperature around the building.”
The proposed lease will a have an increased term not to exceed 12 years and four (4) months from the date the Amendment to the Lease is recorded by the Building Corporation and the School Corporation. Proposed payments would be made in semi-annual installments.
Carol Anders Correspondent
