District 6 faces bills for major repairs

By JOE SOVA / Hungry Horse News

Columbia Falls School District 6 is facing costs in the neighborhood of $350,000 to replace one boiler at Glacier Gateway Elementary and repair the other one, and to repair the roof on the A wing of the high school.

District 6 Maintenance Superintendent Larry Roesner addressed trustees with the issues during Monday night's regular board meeting and explained the situation with the heating system at Glacier Gateway.

"We're in trouble," Roesner told trustees.

He said one gasket has "gone bad" on the newer of the two boilers, which is about 10 to 12 years old. A major problem is that the boiler was installed four feet off the floor to allow for an even level of liquid between the two boilers. Roesner said the newer boiler must be "torn down to parts" to replace the gasket.

In addition, there is extensive corrosion in the old boiler.

"We're sitting with no boiler in Glacier Gateway school," Roesner said, and therefore no heat. So repairs and/or replacement must happen before cool weather this fall.

"The expenses involved keep mounting," he said. "It's going to be a spendy project."

The cost for repair of the newer boiler is $40,000 to $50,000. Superintendent Michael Nicosia told trustees that the total cost for replacing the old boiler and repairing the newer boiler is $160,000 to $200,000. In the replacement and repair, both boilers would be on floor level.

Trustee Barb Riley asked if there is a heating alternative.

"We have to have boilers," Roesner said. "We're still running steam here."

Replacement of roofing on the A wing of the high school began last week, and Roesner said about one-fourth of the membrane had been pulled off. That revealed "crumbling Gyp-Crete," which covers the steel decking. In addition, the decking is "rusted out," Roesner said.

"The substructure holding that up is in really rough shape," he said.

Replacing all the elements of the roof would cost from $500,000 to $1 million, which is cost prohibitive to District 6.

"We could use CDX (plywood) and put a roof on that," Roesner said, with the cost about $160,000.

Nicosia said the cost of replacement and repair of the boilers, and the roof project, could be borne by use of "one-time only" funding from the State, along with money in the district's building reserve fund.

"We have enough for the project," Nicosia said.

Trustees then gave the go-ahead to proceed with the boiler and roof projects as recommended by Roesner and Nicosia.

REPRESENTING THE PUBLIC ASSET Management Group, Eric Ely spoke to trustees about an investment portfolio for District 6, in essence to manage the district's assets.

"You can control assets of your own in an efficient way," Ely said. "We can come in and help at any level."

Included in the management is the district's building reserve fund.

"You can fine-tune it to the needs of your school district," he said.

District 6 has an investment agreement with Flathead County that expires Jan. 1, 2009.

District Business Manager/Clerk Dustin Zuffelato said he has looked into what the Group has to offer and recommended that the district utilize it when the current agreement expires. According to Zuffelato, most of the districts funds would be in longer term investments and the remainder in something like a money market account.

"We want to maximize the taxpayers' dollar for our use," Riley said.

Zuffelato said the interest earned could be used to rebuilt the district's reserve funds. The rate of return on investments is net to the district, with no fees deducted.

Action on utilizing the Public Asset Management Group will be taken at the Aug. 11 board meeting.