Board OKs emergency work at Mount Marion Elementary

The Board of Education has approved spending up to $325,243 to resolve sewer and asbestos issues that led to closing bathrooms in nine classrooms at Mount Marion Elementary School more than two years ago.

At a board meeting Tuesday, trustees declared the problem an emergency, thereby qualifying the project for an expedited environmental review.

“The project to repair, replace and rehabilitate the septic system at Mount Marion Elementary on an emergency basis ... [is] immediately necessary for the protection or preservation of life, health, property or natural resources,” district officials declared.

Mosaic Associates has been hired for design and construction of the sewer line. Information about the amount to be paid to the firm was not immediately available.

The work is to include abatement and removal of building materials that contain asbestos, replacing floor tiles, and updating pipes.

Trustee Paul VanSchaack said state approval still is needed before the project can begin.

“The work will start once it gets approved ... by the state for facilities planning,” he said.

“As soon as we get that, we’d like to try and have some of the asbestos [removal] done over the Christmas break ... and then, hopefully, get the final items of the project done over the summer [of 2018],” VanSchaack added. “We’ll take it piece by piece because you never know when you’re going to run into asbestos.”

The project will requires removing tile to uncover piping.