Board approves gym floor replacement and hazardous‑material mitigation after tartan floor testing

The Mount Vernon City Schools board approved three business‑services contracts to remove an existing gym surface that testing showed contains mercury, to mitigate contaminated materials, and to install a new wood gym floor and related equipment.

A district business‑services presenter told the board that portions of the existing gym floor include an older “tartan” resilient surface and underlying ply wood placed over discs. Those discs have deteriorated and testing showed mercury contamination in the tartan layer. The presenter described a multi‑step mitigation plan: erecting an 8‑foot temporary containment wall and tarps at the gym entrance, removing the existing floor, heating and testing the concrete slab to ensure contamination has been addressed, and disposing of contaminated wood and materials at a hazardous‑waste facility if required.

The presenter said the work will also include replacement or reconfiguration of bleachers and a new basketball backboard to accommodate a regulation shot clock. Board members asked about the number of bleacher rows that will be affected and whether frequent movement would shorten bleacher life; the presenter said the bleacher vendor will coordinate the staged removals and reinstallations.

On cost and procurement, the presenter said the mitigation bid is in the board packet and that the district has sought possible external grant sources for hazardous‑waste removal. The presenter also said the district saved “close to a hundred and $35,000” through the bid process; that figure was reported in the meeting as an approximate savings.

The board voted by roll call to approve the three items; roll‑call responses recorded in the transcript were affirmative for board members present.