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Winchester district reports failing Pearson roof; $2.8–$2.9M project and referendum discussed
Summary
Superintendent Louie told the board that moisture scans and asbestos testing at Pearson School show widespread wet insulation and asbestos, and contractors estimate a full roof replacement at roughly $2.8–$2.9 million; the district would seek reimbursement (about 70%) and plans to ask the Board of Selectmen to place a referendum before voters.
Superintendent Louie told the Winchester Board of Education on Dec. 9 that moisture scans and asbestos testing at Pearson School show extensive wet insulation and the presence of asbestos, making a routine repair more complex than anticipated. “The red is what's wet in the insulation,” Louie said, summarizing the assessment report and the testing results.
Contractors provided a preliminary cost estimate of roughly $2.8 million to $2.9 million for a full replacement, Louie said, and the district’s eligibility for state reimbursement this year is approximately 70 percent. That would leave Winchester taxpayers with an estimated local share of about $800,000 to $900,000, the superintendent explained. “If you leave a wet sponge sitting in your sink and pick it up later, you may find it starts to smell moldy,” Louie added, describing how long-term wetting can cause mold and additional structural damage such as loss of gypsum deck integrity.
Board members discussed next steps and logistics, including hiring a project manager and preparing bid specifications. The district has identified a consultant who could prepare specifications and guide state reimbursement work; Louie said a project manager fee of about $20,000 is typical for this stage. Garland, a manufacturer referenced in the briefing, has provided technical support during the assessment phase and a project manager named Roger is available to shepherd the work through bidding and reimbursement processes.
Louie said she intends to ask the board at its January meeting to approve advancing the project concept to the Board of Selectmen and ultimately to a town referendum so the district can pursue reimbursement and complete contract work. Board members noted that bids typically have limited validity and that a summer construction window would be preferable to avoid work during the school year.
The item is currently at the planning stage: no contract award was made and no appropriation was approved at the Dec. 9 meeting. Louie said further specification work and state coordination will determine final scope, cost and timing before any referendum question is finalized.
