Schools to battle mold malady

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Schools to battle mold malady

The Salinas Californian - Salinas,CA*

By SUNITA VIJAYAN • The Salinas Californian • May 31, 2008

http://thecalifornian.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?

AID=/20080531/NEWS01/805310326/1002

When the school year ends, so should instruction in portables for

some 1,200 students forced to vacate mold-ridden classrooms last

year, Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas said Friday.

On Wednesday, district trustees are set to approve contracts with

construction companies to fix water-intrusion problems - and the

mold they've caused - in many classrooms at E. Steinbeck, Cesar

E. Chavez, Creekside and Dr. F. Loya elementary schools.

That mold pushed hundreds of students and their teachers into

portables over the past year to prevent mold-related health problems.

Zendejas said the district hopes to start extensive repairs this

summer, finishing a majority of the work by the time school reopens.

The board will consider hiring DMC Construction Inc., Wysong

Construction Co. and Dilbeck and Sons Inc.

District administrators hope to first remove mold in classrooms and

then tackle multipurpose rooms, which also have been shut down due

to water intrusion, Zendejas said. In November, the district

relocated about 16 classes at Cesar E. Chavez to 960-square-foot

portables, while Creekside and Dr. F. Loya schools received 20

and seven portables, respectively, in early December. This past

spring, some classes were also relocated at E. Steinbeck School.

Each mold-plagued school will cost about $6 million to repair,

according to estimates.

A few months ago, the district received roughly $8 million in state

funds that went to design work and tests needed before water-

intrusion repairs can begin, she said.

But to fix all of its mold problems by year's end, the district is

seeking an additional $15 million loan, expecting to eventually be

reimbursed by the state.

" The district's going to borrow some money to cover the cost, "

Zendejas said. " We don't have an option because if we don't borrow

the money, we can't start the projects. "

The district got some good news Friday, when the governor's office

provided it with $110,200 in Proposition 1D funds to reimburse some

of the district's already-completed emergency repair projects for

Alisal Community, Cesar E. Chavez, G. , Fremont,

, Bardin and Virginia Rocca Barton schools.

Prop. 1D, a state measure passed in 2006, provides funds for

emergency repairs, modernization and construction for schools and

was used to cover costs of projects including water intrusion,

fixing ceiling tiles and carpets.

" Without the support from the state, frankly, we'd have no money to

fix these problems, " Zendejas said. " It's critical we have the

support of the state in the amount of repairs we need to make. "

Contact Sunita Vijayan at svijayan@....