SMS roof leaks cause building damage

The rain events over the past few weeks mean more than just time inside for the students and staff at Somers Middle School — they also mean water in the hallway.

The crux of the problem is the building's roof, which has only been patched but not replaced since the structure was built in the 1950s and 1960s.

The leaking in the 1960s section of the building Superintendent Teri Wing describes as 'severe."

During rain or snow events, buckets and trash cans are placed in the hallway to collect water.

Part of the problem is the wing's butterfly roof that funnels water downward in the middle of the roof as opposed to current designs that are flipped to allow the water to run off the sides of buildings.

"That means it could be leaking anywhere and funneling down. It's not exactly the most wise roof construction, but it was more popular in the 1950s and 60s," Wing said. "There's such a build up of moisture that even a little bit of rain causes it to start leaking."

That standing water and the amount coming through pose a number of healthy and safety problems, including the softening and weakening of the tile flooring, which still has asbestos.

It's also leaking down over a light fixture, which leads to other safety concerns.

The district has been cited twice on health inspections for the problem, since mold is growing in the leaking area, Wing said.

Signs are being seen of leaks also in classrooms in the 1950s portion of the building, but have yet to fully break through the way it has in the hallway.

The district tried to run a building bond four years ago, but was shut down by the voters. If that had passed, it would have funded the upgrades to the current building and built an additional structure.

Since that time, the district's board of trustees hasn't felt comfortable going back to voters to ask for money, particularly in the current economic climate, Wing said.

The district applied for a Quality Schools Grant through the Montana Department of Commerce in March for $550,000, which would also have included asbestos removal in the carpet and tile flooring, but was turned down, mainly because the district couldn't show community support for the project.

"They want to know is the community aware of the problem and does it feel that it's important," Wing said.

Wing plans to apply again for the June 18 deadline for the grant, this time just for the funds needed for the new roof. The cost for the replacement has been priced at roughly $326,000.

If the district is successful in the next round of the grant application, it won't see that money until next May, after the 2010 Montana Legislature approves it.

Wing said she plans to apply for emergency funding to get at least a temporary solution to prevent the need for buckets in the hallway.

"That way we can get something done before this coming winter," she said. "But that's not going to be a long-term fix."

The only other possible funding sources, aside from grants and bond votes, would be out of the district's own pocket — taking money away from teachers' salaries, textbook funds and other functions of the district, Wing said.

Wing hopes this time the district will be more successful in its grant application — so long as it gets some support from the community to show the need for the project, beyond the obvious safety and health concerns.

"I would really appreciate some letters of support that I can include with this grant again — support for a major community asset and support for making sure our school is safe and healthy," Wing said.

Community members can submit letters of support by e-mail to wing@bresnan.net or by mail to PO Box 159, Somers, MT 59932.