Marshall schools respond to middle school flooding, approve 10-year facilities plan; high school HVAC controls being replaced

Marshall Public School District staff said heavy rain Friday night caused significant water intrusion at Marshall Middle School, triggering emergency cleanup and repairs, while the board approved the district's 10-year long-term facility maintenance (LTFM) plan and staff described an ongoing upgrade of the high school's building automated control system.

The flooding entered Marshall Middle School through at least three points, Tricia (facilities presenter) told the board: a cracked roof drain that "pushed out" pipe and gravel into a cabinet, overflow into a window well that leaked into the cafeteria area, and a partial sewer backup in a bathroom off the cafeteria. Tricia said crews were on site early Saturday and by about 10:30 a.m. the flow of water had slowed. "We were able to get that sucked up pretty quickly on Saturday morning," she said.

Why this matters: the F Wing and the main hallway, technology office, student services and parts of the district office sustained damage; staff removed flooring and some sheetrock, and contractors are working to sanitize, repair and prevent mold before classes resume. Tricia said the district aims to have the wing restored by the first day of school in September, or at least by the time teachers return in late August; if not, "we will relocate any classrooms to another part of the building until we can get those rooms finished." She also said the district is inventorying damaged items and working with its insurance company to determine coverage.

Cleanup and repairs: Tricia said district staff and local contractors removed tile and carpet in most affected rooms, cut out wet sheetrock up to two feet where necessary, and brought in three local contractors (flooring, plumbing and electrical) to begin repairs. Photos shown to the board included standing water in the district office, sludge in a staff bathroom, and gravel pushed from a failed roof drain. Tricia acknowledged a coordinated staff response and publicly thanked the maintenance and custodial crew members who came in on short notice, naming Ron Schultz, Terry Fisher, Dean Lemke, Randy Anderson, Ron Inga, Rodney Baumgard, Robbie Gifford, Tom Blumey, Paul Lambert, Gavin Williams, Andrew Stelter, Troy Klam and Bennett Apple.

Funding and planning: Tricia described the LTFM revenue source and how the state formula is applied, and the board approved the district's 10-year LTFM resolution and plan during the meeting. "This money is to be used, specifically for the upkeep of your facilities, your maintenance of your facilities," Tricia said, stressing that LTFM is distinct from the district's operating budget. The board motion to approve the 10-year plan was made by Sarah Ranchey and seconded by Mary and was recorded as approved; individual roll-call votes were not specified in the meeting minutes.

Summer projects and preventive maintenance: Tricia summarized summer work across district buildings aimed at safety and upkeep rather than large capital projects. Examples included concrete and safety-light installations at Parkside Elementary, window resealing and removal of an obsolete drinking fountain in Parkside's gym, grass and service-road concrete work at Southview, key-fob reader installations and painting at the middle school, resealing a large cafeteria window and repairing irrigation at Marshall High School, and security improvements at the district's CTI location. Tricia said the district will incorporate regular inspections of lifts and hoists (basketball hoops, gym curtains, stage rigging) on a multi-year cycle and will continue annual inspections for automotive lifts.

High school building automated control (BAC) system: Tricia reported the district is replacing the high school's aging controls and centralizing mechanical, HVAC, lighting and security controls. She said the district received three bids and selected Johnson Controls because the company already provides controls in other district buildings. Tricia described the project as substantial: about two miles of new wiring run through the building and replacement of roughly 154 DDC (direct digital control) controllers. "If you were to guess how many DDC controllers we replaced at the high school, it's a 154," she said. The district engaged Orb as owner's representative and Question Solutions Engineering as commissioning agent to verify installation and sequence of operations. Tricia said major completion is targeted for Aug. 25 (staff return), with some punch-list or seasonal commissioning to continue into fall. She said the project remains on track financially and staff had not needed to tap contingency funds as of the meeting.

Next steps and risks: staff said some in-field adjustments have been required (for example, duct temperature sensors that were installed outside rather than inside ducts, which produce inaccurate readings and require relocation). Tricia said those are the sorts of items the commissioning agent will help identify and correct. On the flooding, she said sanitation and mold prevention are immediate priorities and that the district will relocate classrooms if needed at the start of school.

Community impact and timeline: district staff said work is already underway and expressed optimism that affected spaces will be returned to service before the school year begins. "We're feeling good about the process," Tricia said. The board will receive follow-up information on insurance coverage, inventory of disposals, and the contractors' schedule as repairs move forward.