Board approves $323,980 in roof repairs for schools and district facilities

The Roseburg Public Schools board approved district requests to repair and replace roofs at several properties with a combined budget of $323,980.

Staff described projects at Melrose Elementary (main and classroom buildings), central facilities (warehouse, Student Services building, Central Office) and one rental home. A contractor explained the rental home currently has a cedar‑shake roof installed over furring strips; replacing it with standard composition roofing requires removal of the cedar, new sheathing and full reroofing, which increases cost compared with a routine composition replacement.

"This rental home currently has a cedar shake roof…we're going to remove the cedar. We're not going back with cedar because it is so expensive. So in order to put back normal composition roofing, we'll need to put sheathing down," the contractor said, describing the work that drives the higher quote.

Board members asked whether the projects fit in the current fiscal year; staff said some district roofs would be started before fiscal year end while Melrose work would likely occur in July, with a target date to complete ahead of the school year start. Two bids were received for the rental home work and staff said they were within $1,500 of each other from local contractors.

A board member moved to approve the roofing expenditures, a second was given, and the board approved the request.

What happens next: staff will schedule the rental home work to begin the following Monday and will coordinate timing for district and Melrose projects based on contractor schedules and weather.