Pawtucket Memorial roof design complete; city plans spring work and cites HVAC fixes as primary mold remediation

Commissioner Saint Cyr told the subcommittee that the design for Pawtucket Memorial Elementary School's roof is complete and that the project will be put out to bid in the coming weeks with construction targeted for next spring.

"The design for the roof is complete," Saint Cyr said, and added the bid and pre‑work could occur in coordination with school breaks to limit disruption. He described sections of the building that have two roof layers and said work will be fairly invasive in places.

Committee members asked whether roof repair alone would fix the long‑standing mold problem. Saint Cyr said a forensic engineer concluded the principal cause was failures in mechanical systems and not just the roof. He cited recent upgrades—new boilers, pumps, AHUs, control work, a commissioned chiller and duct cleaning—as measures that should significantly reduce moisture and temperature variability contributing to mold growth.

On next steps, staff said bidding will move forward before spring and that pre‑work may begin during school breaks when feasible; the full remediation package pairs mechanical system fixes with roof replacement to limit recurrence.

What happens next: the district will advertise the roof contract and coordinate schedule and pre‑work to limit in‑session disruption; mechanical and controls work already completed will support long‑term mold remediation.