1983-06-20 School Committee Minutes

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READING SCHOOL COIVITTEE MINUTES JUNE 20, 1983 custodial staff have been trained to make minor repairs to encapsulate friab 1 e (sprayed or trowled on) asbestos, but there is a serious problem in the boiler room ceiling of the Birch Meadow School. Continuing, he said the Administrat :1-- would like to be able to eliminate this problem during the summer school vacat while the building is empty. In order to do this the situation must be declal- an emergency so that the School Department can forego the time - consuming bidd i process. He said the estimated cost of this project is $11,000 and it may be only by firms with specially trained personnel. Mr. Winslow then went over what has happened since the State Department of Occupational Hygiene (DOH) made its survey of Reading Public Schools. In Jar-, the DOH held workshops for custodians, instructing them on how to take same 1 e for analysis and how to contain and encapsulate friable asbestos. Mr. Wins1 said about 200 samples were taken in Reading Schools and about 40 sent to the to be analyzed. Reports came back in about two months. He said most schools some asbestos but in -house repairs have taken care of these situations. Th e Richard D. Kimball Company ( consulting engineers) was engaged to review the Y' e of tests and make recommendations for compliance with State regulations. Mr. Winslow noted that State regulations require that notification of the presence of friable asbestos must be given in writing to PTA's /PTO's, and t h, will be done by the June 28th deadline. He then asked the School Committee authorize the encumbrance of funds to correct the situation in the Birch 14e,- School boiler room. Mr. Nissen moved, seconded by Mr. Allen, and it was unanimously voted to authorize the Administration to encumber sufficient funds to cover the cost, removing the asbestos from the Birch Meadow School boiler room, and that t h e process be completed during the summer. Space Use Committee Report Mr. Nissen, as School Committee liaison to the newly formed Space Use Conuni reported that the three members who have been appointed to date held an org meeting. He said that, as a result of discussion at this meeting he want e dL determine School Committee opinion on the future of the Central Office, C o 0 Junior High School, Pearl Street School and its two portable classrooms, ar3- Reading Memorial High School. He posed the following questions: (1) Wh e X- the Committee prefer the Central Office to be located? and (2) How does t h e Committee feel about Pearl Street School being used for general town offi c e No particular preference for a Central Office location was expressed. Howe Dr. Wells pointed out that because the Pearl Street School will be closed d- it would be a good investment to have someone housed in the building unti 1 time as it can be determined whether it will again be needed as a school. added that he too would like to see the Pearl Street School reserved for Acting Chairman Coco noted that the sense of the Committee was that the Co Junior High School would become and remain the Coolidge Middle School. At the conclusion of the discussion Acting Chairman Coco suggested that a discussion of future space needs be placed on the agenda of the July llth 1 - --