The Community School District (CSD) Board of Trustees took steps Oct. 8 to begin roof repairs at Boothbay Region Elementary School. The board directed the Alternative Organizational Structure (AOS) 98 superintendent to get project quotes and set up a special meeting to begin a bond referendum.  

“(The roofs) have been leaking since this school has been built and this should be priority number one,” Trustee Sewall said. He later added, “(The towns) want the roof fixed, I think, and if they don't want to pass it, it just tells you what they want for schools.”

Repairs on the elementary school’s leaking parapets were estimated at around $700,000, according to the board. However, the board and Facilities Director Dave Benner were not confident the number is accurate because the project was bundled with the $30 million bond project currently held up in court. The high school roof may also need repairs, according to AOS 98 Superintendent Robert Kahler. In addition, the board said it wanted to move forward on repairs for the elementary school’s dry sprinkler system, estimated at up to around $350,000; the district reported the system failed in 2023.  

“Right now, I think you guys really nailed it, it’s the parapets and dry sprinkler systems,” Benner said.  

Benner expressed concern the process would not move fast enough to begin work next summer. He said he knows a company that can do the parapets next summer, but he needs “to let them know yesterday.” 

The board considered a motion to start a bond referendum for up to $1.2 million for the repairs, but eventually directed Kahler and Benner to gather updated quotes to begin the process. Kahler said the bond referendum process can start when quotes are available. He added the district will call a special meeting as soon as possible so trustees can decide what work to include and how much to ask. The board also dicsussed holding subesquent referendums to fix one issue at a time.

"Fix the roof and tell (voters) the dry sprinkler is coming right behind," Maddocks said. "Knock one thing off at a time. Just get one thing done."

In other business, Kahler said insurance payments for the 2023 elementary school flood have been completed. Overall, he reported $1,694,141 of the $1,848,070 submitted for reimbursement was covered; the district paid $245,003 of the costs. In addition, he reported the school had $241,459 worth of work done while contractors were on site and areas were accessible, including painting, flooring and asbestos and moisture mitigation.  

Kahler told the board the lawsuit around the vote to bond $30 million in school renovations has cost the district $25,606.16 in legal expenses. Kahler also said if the court decision extends beyond October, the project will miss the summer 2025 construction window. According to Kahler, there could be around $184,000 in escalation costs per month, totaling $2.576 million if the project begins in July 2026.

Also, in what Trustee Ronnie Campbell called a “teenie ray of hope,” Kahler reported Gov. Janet Mills is establishing a Commission to Review School Construction and Renovation Funding. He said its goal is to produce a report for the governor in April.