Gary Community School Board approves contractor, mold remediation and procurement route to restore McCullough Elementary after tornado damage

The Gary Community School Corporation Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve moving forward with restoration work at Frankie McCullough Elementary School after a March 19, 2025 tornado damaged the building, the board said at a special meeting.

Board members approved selecting a general contractor recommended by district staff, authorized a mold-remediation contractor and endorsed use of a state procurement agreement to obtain discounted flooring, all by a 5-0 roll call vote.

District staff said three competitive construction bids were solicited under an emergency procurement process authorized after the board declared the work an emergency. The three bidders were listed as Pangir Corporation, Power and Sons Construction and Bergland Corporation; staff recommended Power and Sons Construction because its proposed timeline would allow faster completion, a staff member told the board. "Their proposed timeline allows us to complete the restoration more quickly than the other two vendors," the staff member said.

Thomas Kohn of CSK Architects, who prepared scope and drawings for the project, told trustees the 1930s-era building is sound and that allowances were included in the bid for electrical and some masonry repairs. "I don't think so. I think the building is solid as is," Kohn said, adding that the flat roof and allowances for masonry and electrical work were included in the plan.

Tim Irvin of Power and Sons Construction said the contractor plans to complete most work while students are out of the building and to use a project-management platform to share daily logs and photos with the district. "Most of the actually, 95% of the work will be done while our students are out of school," Irvin said. He told the board the team would hold weekly meetings with architects and district staff and could provide access to daily reports through Procore.

District staff described environmental and mold concerns at the school, saying storm-driven water infiltration had produced widespread mold in the gym and possibly in ductwork. The district solicited three quotes for mold remediation — NES Environmental, N and O Environmental, and Safe Environmental — and recommended Safe Environmental as the contractor whose quote best fit budgetary needs while meeting safety standards. An environmental consultant will treat and kill mold and address ductwork before construction crews begin, staff said.

Officials said lead time for the rooftop HVAC unit (RTU) is the project's longest procurement item, about 15 weeks after approval. Staff estimated that other repairs could be completed by Aug. 1, before the next school year, but noted the RTU lead time is a separate constraint.

The board's vote recorded Doctor Woods, Doctor McCloud, Mister Johnson, Mister Michael Suggs and one additional board member as voting yes; the clerk announced the motion passed 5 in favor, 0 opposed. The meeting minutes show the board also acknowledged a Sourcewell procurement agreement that yielded a substantial discount on flooring materials for McCullough.

The board opened public comment per Indiana law but received no speakers at the meeting. The board adjourned after the approvals.

What happens next: district staff said they will begin environmental remediation immediately, order long-lead items such as the RTU, manage the project with weekly meetings and online daily logs, and coordinate scheduling so most disruptive work occurs while students are not in the building.