Marblehead facility subcommittee pauses Veterans building roof work after interior flooding; contractor offers review

Members of the Marblehead Public Schools facility subcommittee paused work on the Veterans (D‑wing) roof on the committee’s Dec. 1 meeting after rain entered between two roof levels and caused interior flooding.

Committee members said the district previously allocated roughly $400,000 in capital funds for the project and recently put the remaining work out to bid. The general contractor identified in the meeting transcript as Pacon was the low bidder and subcontracted the roofing work. Members reported that a first roofing subcontractor apparently roofed over critical weep holes, which contributed to water tracking from the upper roof into the lower roof and into the building.

An envelope expert who works with the Massachusetts School Building Authority inspected the roof with district staff and raised material concerns, saying the coping metal appeared to be a lighter residential gauge and some sealants used did not match standard commercial roofing materials. Those findings were relayed to the general contractor, and the district’s and contractor’s insurers have had representatives on site.

Facility members said they prefer a full tear‑off and replacement of affected roof areas rather than piecemeal cutting and patching, noting that cutting into a new roof and patching can create future failure points and may affect warranty coverage. The committee emphasized it will hold payment until the work is done to the district’s satisfaction.

The contractor emailed the district offering to “make this right” and recommended bringing an independent third‑party engineer to assess whether a full replacement is required or if sectional repairs and removal of wet insulation would suffice. Committee members debated the risks and benefits of a contractor‑suggested third party, with some expressing concern that a third party chosen with contractor input could be biased or could reduce the district’s leverage. Others said a nonbinding independent engineering inspection could provide the technical information needed to decide on a full replacement.

Members scheduled a site visit for 2:30 p.m. so district staff, a committee member who volunteered to inspect the roof and the envelope expert can assess conditions and report findings back to the subcommittee. The committee requested that operational decisions be coordinated with the superintendent and that staff return with recommendations to the facility subcommittee and, if needed, the full school committee.

Next steps: an on‑site inspection is planned, staff will follow up with the general contractor and insurer representatives, and the subcommittee will receive a report at a future meeting before authorizing payment or further work.