Schools falling behind in war against decay

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Jan. 27, 2002

Schools falling behind in war against decay

If it is broken, the district often is able only to patch it up, not

actually fix it.

By Claudette Riley

News-Leader

Becky Wells has taught fifth-grade math surrounded by six large trash cans

catching dirty rainwater leaking through the roof.

The Field Elementary teacher has covered blackboards with plastic to keep

them from rotting.

She has worked with students under mold-soaked ceiling tiles.

" It wasn't a leak, it was a flood, " Wells said of her classroom after a

heavy rain. " Leaks happen all the time, but instead of fixing the roof, they

just patch it up. "

There are other teachers in similar situations. Springfield officials said

the district has more than $80 million in overdue maintenance and repair

needs.

" Deferred maintenance issues are taking money away from education, " said

Superintendent Jack Ernst. " It's getting in the way of being able to deliver

dollars where they are intended - students in the classroom. "

Ernst contends that a more timely and aggressive maintenance budget would

save money down the road.

He points to Central High School as a building crippled by years of neglect.

A nearly $23 million renovation of the school is under way.

The $2.5 million for maintenance in the levy will more than double the

existing $2 million maintenance budget.

Opponents of the levy point out that not all of the $2.5 million will end up

in the district's facility repair and maintenance fund. It will also be

spent to replace aging buses and equipment.

Ernst said the $2.5 million won't all go in one fund but it will all be

spent on needed maintenance.

" It's not exactly doubling the maintenance budget, " Ernst said. " But we are

making a commitment to stop deferred maintenance. "

The more than $80 million in overdue maintenance and repair needs includes

damaged roofs - some are at least 40 years old - aging boilers, older

single-pane windows and some air-conditioning needs.

" In the severe heat, it gets to be a morale issue, " said Judy Brunner,

principal at Parkview High, where single-pane windows fail to keep the cold

or heat out. " It's just like being a homeowner. You don't want to wait until

it's falling in on you. "

In Study Middle School classrooms that take the brunt of the sun, window

coverings become fragile with age.

" I have blinds in some of the classes that were put up in 1948. They are

just crumbling, " said Principal Steve Seal. " We desperately need

maintenance. Our exterior doors and our bleachers are bad news. The carpet

in the library is torn, ripped, coming up. "

From the proceeds of a bond issue voters approved in 2000, Glendale High

received money to replace floor tile, updated a boiler and install some

energy-efficient windows.

The school, built in 1963, also got a new band room.

" There were projects that shouldn't have had to wait for a bond, " said

Glendale Principal Kelvin Pamperien. " If you have a structure that old, you

have ongoing maintenance needs. The yearly budget for that just has not been

adequate. "

Less than $13,000 was budgeted to replace floor tile. It only scratched the

surface of what is needed.

Ross, a junior at Glendale, said that when an old pipe burst recently,

it disrupted the school.

" It was a mess for several days and it smelled real bad, " said Ross, 17. " It

was real expensive, but it could have been avoided. Maintenance is real

big. "

Some windows in the school are fragile. They can't be opened even during the

hottest days.

" Windows need help, " she said. " Sometimes (a note) will say, 'Do not open,'

because if you do, it falls out. "

In Springfield's aging bus fleet, more than 60 percent of the buses were

purchased before 1990. The oldest two were bought in 1980.

" We are the third-largest district in Missouri and we are the oldest fleet, "

said Glenn Bradley, director of transportation. " Our buses are very safe,

period. But our buses are old. "

The district has 143 buses in its fleet and replaces about two a year. New

buses cost about $52,000.

New buses typically include a seven-year warranty. The state reimburses

districts for a new bus on an eight-year depreciation cycle.

After eight years, the state will no longer reimburse districts for buses,

officials said.

Charlie Drewel, chief financial officer of the district, said a quicker

replacement schedule saves money.

" It's another way to maximize our reimbursement, " he said. " It will cut down

on our future expense to maintain those buses. "

About 8,500 students ride buses daily. The fleet logs 7,000 miles a day.

Older buses have logged between 300,000 and 400,000 miles.

Five mechanics keep the buses in top shape. Last year, Springfield's fleet

scored 100 percent on an inspection by the Missouri Highway Patrol. The next

inspection is in March.

" We are putting more money in keeping the old buses running, " Bradley said.

" The money that is saved in this department can be placed somewhere else. "

" Our job is to keep the physical integrity of the building, " says Bill

Shelburn, an estimator with the Springfield Public Schools General Services

Center, seen studying the leaky roof at Bingham Elementary School. Steve

J.P. Liang / News-Leader

http://www.springfieldnews-leader.com/election/maintance012702.html