Residents urge Bedford board to address leaks, mold and safety at high school; district says testing and repairs underway

Residents sharply criticized the district’s handling of a multiyear building project and ongoing facility problems at the Bedford Board of Education meeting on March 19.

Charles C.J. Harkness, a Bedford Heights resident and Bedford alumnus, told the board he had "been a fierce defender of this district" but that the rollout of the construction project and what he described as continued disrepair had produced "an absolute travesty of a senior year" for students. He asked the board to "take accountability" and to report back "whether or not all the rain that falls directly into the high school is causing enough mold that they ought not be in some of those spaces." (Charles C.J. Harkness, public commenter.)

Another resident who spoke after Harkness agreed, saying "new buildings will definitely not fix everything" and that the administration must also change internal systems to benefit students and families.

Joe Mesnick, a resident of Oakwood Village, asked two specific financial and oversight questions: "how much money has been spent so far on the building project and has there been an audit?" He also asked whether the district had hired an independent construction manager beyond the district's general manager.

The district’s Executive Director of Operations responded that the exact spent-to-date figure was not available at the meeting but said budget reviews occur routinely in progress meetings. On auditing, the director said, "I would say that there has not been a formal audit as terms of like an external audit," adding that routine budget reviews take place. On management, the director said the district has not hired an independent construction manager separate from the general manager for the contractor.

Speakers also raised operational and safety concerns: a speaker identifying as Ms. Hurd said the bleachers at Heskett have been inoperable "since the first week of February," that parts of the high school "smell like mold," and that morning arrival and dismissal traffic at the high school has created near-miss hazards for students trying to cross the street.

The Executive Director said the district recently approved a contract to repair active leaks at the high school and described a targeted response to mold testing: "We had one room that tested high. We tested it twice ... when we discovered that that airborne mold was high, we shut down the room until it was professionally remediated." The director said the district continues to test and monitor the building. On bleachers, the director said the district attempted to repair them internally but needs a licensed vendor; on traffic, staff said routines have "slowly" improved and that the district discussed, but ultimately did not pursue, making Berwyn one-way because of concerns for emergency access.

Why this matters: Parents and residents said the physical condition of buildings and the district’s handling of the construction project are affecting students’ experiences and families’ trust. The district provided concrete operational steps—leak repairs, mold testing and remediation, vendor searches for bleacher repair—but residents pressed for clearer accountability and a spending/audit update.

The board did not take further action on these public comments during the meeting; it proceeded with the published agenda and later moved into executive session for personnel matters. The district said it would provide the requested spend-to-date figures following the meeting.