Storm damages library at Muldown Elementary

Muldown Elementary suffered some damage earlier this month after temporary measure to seal the roof failed in the wake of a rain storm.

Roofers had been repairing a portion of the roof and covered an open portion of the roof before leaving the school Wednesday, Sept. 5. That night the area was hit with a large rain storm and the covering on the roof failed.

Water poured through open areas and damaged a portion of the library including books. The damage was discovered early in the morning on Thursday, Sept. 6 and extra school custodians were brought in to clean up the mess.

Ron Thompson, school facilities director, explained the situation to the school board.

“It was a disaster in there,” Thompson said. “We had to call in extra custodians, but we were ready when school opened. The response of our employees was good.”

The roofing company, Progressive Roofing, agreed to pay for the damages and cleanup costs including paying for school employee time to clean it up. They apologized, Thompson noted.

“The roofers thought they had covered the holes,” he said. “But the wind pulled the covering back.”

The school brought in dehumidifiers to dry out the area and carpets were cleaned. They will continue to inspect the area for mold that could result from the water damage.

Work on a portion of Muldown’s roof began at the end of August.

In other news:

• The board heard that overall enrollment in the district is down compared with the same time last year. Last year in September the enrollment for the district was 1,610 students and this year it is 1,581. The official student count is taken in October.