District 'Frustrated' With $33M Westra-Built School

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WISC Channel3000.com

Thursday May 23 04:22 PM EDT

District 'Frustrated' With $33M Westra-Built School

News 3 has learned Madison isn't the only school district having some

troubles with the Waupun-based general contractor Westra Construction.

A Wisconsin school near the Twin Cities is also grappling with concerns

about water leaks, poor workmanship and possible mold.

I-Team reporter Eggert has been investigating a cascade of issues

facing River Falls.

At 270,000 square-feet, River Falls High School is prestigious -- and it

should be. The community spent $33 million for 940 students to have

something special. But News 3 has learned that nine months after the

school opened, general contractor Westra Construction is still on the job,

and staff and students have grown weary.

" It's very frustrating for everyone, " said Buchholz, assistant

principal.

There are minor things like cracks in the terrazzo floor and clocks that

can't keep time.

News 3 has also learned a cracked gym wall is being monitored for safety,

there are 45 acres of unusable athletic fields because of seeding and

irrigation problems, and other issues are big concerns for this school

district.

In March the school district hired a construction attorney, and is now

withholding $2.5 million from Westra.

The superintendent says he has a lot of empathy for Madison schools

officials.

" We're only a heartbeat away from where you are if something goes wrong, "

Boyd McCarty said.

Students see problems, too. CJ Parslow even used his broadcasting class to

produce a report on them.

" I feel bad for the taxpayers because they paid for the school, " Parslow

said.

Last summer Westra was pushing to open both Chavez and River Falls High

School, which opened two days late.

The district hired construction manager Steve Keller, who says water pipes

started breaking apart two weeks before school started -- and kept breaking.

" All of a sudden in the wall, there was a big bang, and this water sound, it

was like a gush, " said Lori Slover, library media director at the high

school.

There have been 11 major water leaks.

" So then the hot water started going down this way, and then some would go

down through the crack and hit the sheet rock below, " Keller said.

Anything water-damaged was replaced, but more pipes could burst at any

moment. School officials say that's because some pipe joints weren't

properly closed or " crimped. "

An engineer has located 11 more uncrimped pipes, but there is no way to get

behind brick walls and see some pipes.

" So we're very concerned about whether we got the potential for problems in

the walls, with No. 1, pipes letting go, but No. 2, if they don't let go and

just leak, you know, we could have moisture in the walls, which leads to

things like mold, " Boyd said.

And because hot water heats the school, officials wonder if a student might

get hurt.

" There's not only the question of liability, but there's also the safety

issue -- could people get burned? " Boyd said.

Besides burst pipes, Keller confirms water got into the huge commons area

last year during construction. Managers say rains came in through

unfinished windows and small roof leaks, soaking insulation and sheetrock.

Keller said he made sure everything wet got replaced, but some staff still

worry. " The concern is if you have a wet building or any part of it that

could be wet that you might have mold or something in the future, " principal

Sharon Kanapes said.

" That's why we started with the mold tests last fall right away, " Boyd said.

" Because of the fact that we were concerned about that. "

So far tests have found only two small spots of mold. Despite it all,

district officials are hopeful they can resolve the issues with Westra. But

would they ever hire Westra again?

" No comment, no comment, " Keller said.

Westra declined to comment, but a spokesman says the company is encouraged

the two parties are still negotiating.

School officials say two of Westra's subcontractors -- the original roofer

and plumber --- went bankrupt during construction.

That caused problems, but the district says Westra is still responsible for

all the work. If things aren't ironed out at a June meeting, River Falls,

unlike Madison, has a contract clause that lets it go to court.