Re: Boston City Council hearing this week on sick school

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the update. This is very well done. It clearly states

some facts (15 years of failing to stop the water instrusion) and

then asks pointed questions such as how do you know the new

method will work any better and how do you do the work while the

building is occupied without harming those already harmed.

There is a better chance of gaining support rather increasing the

rancor and it puts the ball directly in their court. Let us know what

happens. I've got my fingers crossed.

Carl Grimes

Healthy Habitats LLC

-----

City of Boston

In City Council

Order Regarding

Persistent Environmental Problems at the Louis Agassiz Elementary

School

By

Councillors Chuck and Tobin

June 3, 2009

Whereas, the Louis Agassiz Elementary School began to experience

problems with air quality and mold during the 1980s; and

Whereas, concern over environmental problems at the Agassiz in the

nineties, led then Councilor Maura Hennigan to sponsor and lead

passage of

an ordinance to have twice yearly inspections of air quality at each

school;

and

Whereas, despite the investment of millions of dollars since the mid

nineties to remedy the environmental problems, there continue to be

problems of water infiltration, apparently leading to a continuation of

mold and

air quality problems; and

Whereas, poor school environmental conditions can affect health and

learning and

Whereas, the Agassiz school student population has a high rate of

children with asthma making them more vulnerable to poor

environmental

conditions and

Whereas, teachers document respiratory illnesses that they believe

are caused by the environmental problems; and

Whereas, the school population has declined from a maximum

enrollment of 900 to 500; and

Whereas, some believe that the significant decline in enrollment is

connected to student and parental concerns regarding environmental

problems

at the Agassiz; and

Whereas, teachers complain about respiratory illnesses that they

believe are caused by the environmental problems. Therefore Be It

Ordered, that the appropriate committee of the City Council hold a

hearing and invite representatives of the Boston School Department to

review the history of the environmental problems at the Louis Agassiz

Elementary School; to explain why the water infiltration problems

continue to exist

despite capital improvements over the last ten to fifteen years; to explain

why they believe that the present capital improvement plans will cure

the

problem while past strategies have not succeeded; and to explain why

scheduling window replacement in an occupied building will not affect

the air

quality, particularly while the building is occupied by students and staff

who

already have air quality related health problems. And Be It Further,

Ordered, that the public, particularly, parents and students be

invited to testify.

************************************************ **

December 3, 2009

The Boston City Council´s Committee on Education will reconvene a

public

hearing on Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. The hearing will

be held

in the Louis Agassiz Elementary School Auditorium located at 20 Child

Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130. The subject of the hearing is:

· Docket #0779-Order for a hearing regarding the environmental

problem at the Louis Agassiz Elementary School

This matter was sponsored by Councillors Chuck and Tobin

and

referred to the Committee on Education on Wednesday, June 10, 2009.

Members of the public are cordially invited to attend and testify. If you

have not testified at a Council hearing, please arrive five (5) minutes

before the call of the hearing to sign up and become familiar with the

hearing format, testimony locations, and the sound system. Please bring

fifteen

(15) copies of any written document you wish to present at the hearing. If

you know others who may be interested in this hearing, kindly notify

them.

Written comments may be made part of the record and available to all

Councillors by sending them by fax or mail to arrive before the hearing.

Please

use the address below.

For the Committee:

Connolly, Chair

Committee on Education

Liaison: Cora Montrond

Mail Address: Boston City Council, One City Hall Square-Fifth Floor,

Boston, MA 02201

Tel: (617) 635-4562 Fax: (617 ) 635-3734

E-Mail:Cora.MontrondCityofBoston (DOT) Gov

Broadcast: Comcast 51 cablecast date/time: Live

Webcast: _www.cityofboston.gov/citycouncil/live.asp_

(http://www.cityofbo ston.gov/citycouncil/live.asp) (except off site

hearings)