Report faults builders (Westra Construction of Waupun) for Chavez Elementary School mold

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http://www.wisconsinstatejournal.com/local/22094.html

Report faults builders for Chavez mold

7:16 PM 3/14/02

Doug kson Education reporter

Builders of Madison's Chavez Elementary School failed to control humidity

levels during construction, let rain enter the building through leaky roof

coverings and didn't dry interior wall areas after a flood, according to a

third-party investigator's report.

Those three factors are given as the prime causes for the mold that closed

the Southwest Side school Nov. 28. But the report, commissioned by the

district and released Thursday, also recounts numerous instances where the

builders apparently cut corners, compounding the mold problem.

School Board members reacted with frustration and anger. " To me, this is

clearly negligence, " said . " It's mind-boggling to me that a

company we hired would do something that would potentially harm our children

and staff. That kind of lack of oversight is a crime. " Said board member

Ray : " I've already been through the disappointment phase. At this

point, I'm just mad. "

The $11 million school was built by general contractor Westra Construction

of Waupun and 21 subcontractors. The school closed just three months after

opening due to health complaints from staff and students.

The report, written by s Engineering of La Crosse, points no fingers

at specific companies. Superintendent Art Rainwater carefully avoided

blaming Westra Thursday and spoke only in general terms. " The report

clearly indicates that there were significant problems in the construction

process, " he said. s, executive director of the district's

teachers union, went much further, saying the report makes clear that

" Westra is the cause " of the problem. " I think Westra ought to come in and

negotiate with the district and get this resolved before its non-union,

dirty, rotten name is dragged further through the mud, " he said.

Trade unions opposed the hiring of low-bidder Westra because it is a

non-union, non-local company. Of the 21 subcontractors, nine were union

shops, 12 non-union.

W. Mullins, an attorney representing Westra, said he could not respond

to specific allegations because the company has not had time to analyze the

report. It is too early to point fingers, he said. " It may turn out to be

all subcontractors (at fault), " he said.

indentThe 54-year-old Westra Construction " is a very responsible company

with a high standing in the construction community, " Mullins said. " They're

proud of their work and they stand behind it. " He noted that the report is

called " preliminary " by its authors.

" In order for there to be a full evaluation, you'd have to look not only at

construction but also design and maintenance and operation, " Mullins said.

" There's a whole spectrum of time you have to consider. "

Westra has previously called the district's cleanup response " excessive,

unnecessary and wasteful. " Thursday, Mullins again questioned whether the

amount of mold found in the school warrants the district's reaction. " Mold

is everywhere (in the environment), and I'm not sure Chavez is unique in

that sense. "

Sharon Bessa, an air-quality consultant hired by the district, has said that

it is uncommon to find mold in the quantities present at the school. Mold

has been found in 25 of 32 classrooms, she said.

District officials had been waiting to rebuild interior parts of the school

until the cause of the mold had been identified. Rainwater said the report

moves the district closer to reconstruction, but he gave no time table.

Additional lab results are needed, he said. He reiterated that the district

plans to reopen the school next fall. But the continued delay in

rebuilding the school " is making many people nervous, " said Sue Mowris,

president of the Chavez parent-teacher group. There is significant concern

among parents that the school may not be ready to reopen next fall, she

said.

Of the report, she said, " What angers me is that it all could have been

avoided. "

Rainwater was tight-lipped about any legal action the district might take.

But he specifically noted that nothing in the report indicates a problem

with Brown Roofing, a Chavez subcontractor. Last week, the board

awarded the roofing firm more work in the district, even though some board

members said at the time that the district should have waited for the

investigation to clear the firm.