MASSENA — Despite labor shortages, the $29 million capital improvement project for the Massena Central School District continues according to schedule, said Bernie H. Brown, chief executive officer of Bernier, Carr and Associates, the Watertown firm hired to complete the projects.
Because of a large number of construction projects in the summer, contractors often have to move from one site to another. The school district had a high of 80 workers earlier this summer. Now, 64 people are working Monday to Saturday on the renovations.
Mr. Brown insists this is not a cause for concern.
"The union halls are empty and Massena is doing a very good job of getting a good number of people," Mr. Brown said. "I'm not saying this as a negative thing. All in all, Massena's doing a real good job" getting people to work.
Mr. Brown, accompanied by three other Bernier, Carr employees, gave a progress report Monday to the Board of Education.
Asbestos abatement has been completed in the buildings, they said. Demolition work at the three elementary schools and the junior high school is finished and renovation work is ongoing.
So far at Nightengale Elementary, walls have been framed in six bathrooms and a new ceiling has been put in the cafeteria. New metal door frames and cabinets also have been installed.
At Madison Elementary, new floors have been poured in the bathrooms, firewall construction has begun and ceiling tiles have been placed. Tile floors in the addition have been waxed.
Drywall work was completed Monday at Jefferson Elementary. Smoke soffets and wall frames are in and the roof has been completed connecting the addition to the original building. Brick work continues both at the gym door and in the school's entrance.
At J.W. Leary Junior High School, ceiling work has been completed in the offices and the drywall work is continuing in the technical classrooms.
Contractors are finishing a corridor in the bus garage, which is being converted to make space for a new pre-Kindergarten program as well.
"I think we're in good shape," Roger B. Clough, II, interim superintendent said. Mr. Clough has weekly tours of the buildings and meetings twice a week with officials from Bernier, Carr.
"The progress we were at three weeks ago to where we are today is amazing," he said.
Work will continue into the coming school year and beyond, however. Bidding for the work to be done in the high school will begin in late September and work is slated to begin in the beginning of October. Construction will begin in the cafeteria, the planned gym addition and the strength and conditioning area. Those alterations are projected to be complete for the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year. Before the end of that year, the pool will be renovated. After finals in June, the auditorium also will get renovations, including a new stage. The entire project will not be completed until 2010. The last thing to be done will be repaving the roads and parking lots.
In other news:
Concerns were raised about the high cost of driver's education at the high school.
"That we charge $450 is cost prohibitive to most of our 16-year-olds," English teacher Lee Baines said. "It borders on being the absolute wrong thing to do for our students."
His concern stemmed from watching students driving out of the building without knowing the rules of the road, he said. Members of the board agreed, adding their concerns for the pedestrians coming from the schools at the same time.
The board promised to look into the matter further in this year's budget discussions. The finance committee already has begun to look into the program and has even discussed setting up a scholarship fund for students in need, said board member Andrew S. Szarka.
The board also approved 64 personnel appointments, including teachers, support staff, substitutes and resignations.