Plum School Board Considers Roof, Sewer Repairs

Plum Borough School District officials are considering repairs to the high school roof and a sewer line at the junior high.

Last week, the school board authorized administration to advertise for bids  to repair a sewer line at O'Block Junior High School, as well as the Terrazzo floor in the area.

District facilities supervisor Bob Holleran said at a facilities committee meeting last month that the lines around the school nurse's office and the cafeteria are sagging. He said it's a "chronic issue that needs to be solved" and the maintenance crew is fighting sewer backups.

Holleran said repairs could be made as soon as school lets out for the year. He estimated the plumbing alone could cost about $30,300. That doesn't include the cost of repairing the floor.

Officials also are looking into repairing or replacing the roof at Plum High School.

At the March facilities committee meeting, Joe Slapinski of Tuscano Maher Roofing—the company has worked on roofs throughout the district—said the high school roof is approaching 20 years old.

Slapinski said the company has performed maintenance on the high school roof—including a leak near the pool area—and about one-third of the roof is "showing its age."

Slapinski said officials might want to consider restoring the roof before it cracks, causing insulation to get wet.

"If we wait three to four years, you could be looking at a full replacement," he said.

Slapinski estimated that it would cost about $497,000 to restore the roof and $1.4 million to replace it. The restoration cost could increase if wet insulation is discovered.

A moisture survey to check for wet insulation would cost about $1,600. Officials haven't taken any action on the matter.

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