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Alice ISD officials describe mold, chiller and roof problems; legal contracts complicate repairs
Summary
District facilities staff reported mold and elevated humidity at Shaller Elementary and Alice High School tied to rooftop unit and chiller problems. Officials said legal and contract constraints — including a long-term Johnson Controls contract and ongoing roof litigation — limit immediate repair options but counsel approved emergency mitigation.
Alice Independent School District maintenance staff told trustees July 21 that mold and mildew discovered in the 100 wing at Shaller (Shallard in the transcript) Elementary and at Alice High School resulted from elevated indoor humidity tied to HVAC equipment failures and drainage issues.
At the meeting, the presenter described a rooftop air-handling unit that was introducing unconditioned, humid outside air into the building; indoor humidity was reported above 75 percent in the affected area. The district said a third-party assessment and legal counsel authorized immediate mitigation work and that a contractor will begin remediation work the next day. The district said air-sampling results indicated the organism was mold/mildew and that initial testing did not show a toxigenic or “bad mold.”
Trustees and staff discussed broader facilities problems at the high school, including a chiller system that requires manual resets to cool the building and roofing membrane damage that allows water infiltration. The maintenance presentation said some rooftop drains were installed at four inches instead of the recommended eight inches during earlier roof work, contributing to standing water on flat roofs. Staff described a 2015 energy‑savings contract with Johnson Controls and said the district is reviewing legal options related to that long-term contract; Johnson Controls and roof warranty matters remain entangled with ongoing legal review.
Stadium construction updates and other maintenance work were also reviewed: contractors have placed rebar, begun pier drilling for the press box and concession foundations, and utilities materials are on site. Maintenance staff said they are replacing several 15+-year-old rooftop units from maintenance budget funding this summer.
District staff said they will present a formal agenda item at an upcoming meeting with additional details and that mitigation and repairs will proceed where legally permitted. No formal board vote was taken; staff said counsel had approved immediate mitigation to reduce health risks and that further contract or litigation steps would be addressed in closed or future sessions.
Trustees asked about timelines and community health impacts; staff said air tests showed non‑toxic mold and that remediation is underway.
Action: staff directed to proceed with urgent mitigation and to place a formal report on a forthcoming board agenda.
