The winter ice build-up problem at Bayfield High School was supposed to be fixed in the design of the 2014 music wing addition, but it wasn't, District Maintenance Director Russell Wise told the school board Tuesday evening.
The school has always had a problem of ice build-up in the shaded area north of the gym. There were efforts to design that out with the music wing, but that area still doesn't get sun in the winter, Wise said.
"It starts as a roofing problem and works its way down into the new courtyard," he said. "It never gets sun. It's above the new (gym) entrance. We've always had problems there. This year was no different ... We had around 16 inches of ice there."
He continued, "Once this happens, we can't use that entrance." People coming for sports events in the gym have to use the school's main entrance or the south entrance by the performing arts auditorium, he said.
"This is by far the highest priority of things to get done," Superintendent Troy Zabel said by phone. "It's been a nightmare out there."
Wise presented a list of costs totalling $49,725 for the various things he proposes to fix the problem. The largest one is to take up the metal roof panels, install heat cable, and replace the panels. Heat cables would be added in the gutters and downspout, and the drain trench that the downspout feeds into.
Wise also suggested adding heated mats so people can safely use the gym doors. The cost also includes several new electrical circuits.
District Finance Director Amy Lyons said money for this work has been earmarked from money remaining from the BHS addition project. The amount is above the threshold to require board approval. It will be on the Aug. 9 meeting agenda.
Wise added, "There are serious issues in the back of the school too, (roof) valleys that hold snow that comes off where (people) go into the kitchen and by the dumpsters." It obstructed renovation work on the old band room too because that's where the construction workers came in.
"It's a big mess. We'll discuss that at another time," he said.
Wise also advised that some of the district's maintenance trucks need replacing. "We're in pretty bad shape," he said, citing the ¾-ton truck used for winter plowing and sanding. "It's too much for that. We need a 1-ton truck," he said.
"All our vehicles are high miles."
He said he searched around the country for used 1-tons. "There was nothing better than the quote I got for a new one."
Board action on the maintenance vehicle will happen at a future meeting.
Lyons said, "We're wrapping up the 2015-16 budget" to determine carry-over into the new budget. "We're hoping there will be money to transfer into capital reserve to get the 1-ton. ... The other thing, when Troy and I talk to directors and principals, we really need another (full-time equivalent employee) in maintenance." That might be doable if student enrollment growth in 2015-16 continues through the October count that will determine funding for the coming school year.
Zabel said, "When I came to the district, we were in the midst of significant budget cuts. Maintenance and grounds were one. That was about four years ago. We've added square footage and didn't bring that position back."
Wise clarified that he's actually short two people. "We added a custodian for the new space at the high school. We're good there. It's grounds where we are hurting. We've added green space with the new (baseball) field and the landscaping at the high school. There's more hand work. I could have one person doing nothing but sprinklers. During the summer, we take on all the shipping and receiving for the district."
He said, "I'm in my ninth year here. The schools are being used daily, more than I've ever seen. Every day there are people in our schools. We're becoming more like a parks and rec outside."
