Community Corner
Time for New Schools
The physical and structural problems that face all of Orange’s elementary schools can no longer be managed. The scope and severity has grown beyond what the most recent bond can handle. After attending the Board of Education building and grounds sub-committee meeting on Monday evening, I gained a better understanding of the issues. Our schools have had it and so have many members of the board. It’s time to replace our schools.
While everyone is familiar with recent events and problems at Peck Place School, what is not widely known are all of the other problems that face our schools. The most urgent and concerning is at Turkey Hill. Recently a classroom was relocated after a custodian noticed a gap near a window. Engineers have looked at the problem and determined that due to poor original design, many of Turkey Hill's exterior walls are not properly anchored. They estimate 50% of all classrooms may be at risk. They have looked at the problem wall and intend to survey the entire school with both architectural drawings and onsite visits. According to what was said at Monday’s meeting, the state code requires school building walls to withstand 110 mph winds. Turkey Hill is not considered safe to occupy if those winds exceed 50mph. The BoE intends to add this to next Monday's February 10th meeting agenda as they see this as an urgent issue. It was stressed that the roof which is secured via joists is NOT an issue as far as a collapse is concerned.
The list of needed repairs to all four schools is long. When the recent bond was created, the BoE asked for 21 Million dollars to repair our schools, they were given 8 million, 36% of which will be reimbursed by the state of CT. While original roofs and boilers will be replaced, asbestos will still remain in many areas of the schools. Old rusted and dented windows and doors will not be replaced due to the existence of PCBs. Any ADA upgrades were cut during the bonding process. The parking lot at Peck Place? There’s no time and certainly no money.
Now is the time to stop using band aids to cover up major wounds. Peck Place School was not relocated because of a frozen pipe. It was the 45 year old asbestos adhered floor tiles that caused what otherwise should have been a week’s clean-up. The structural stability of Turkey Hill is now in question and may be an even worse problem than what Peck Place faced. Our schools have outlived their life expectancy. A lack of planning and investment, by the Town of Orange, has caused us to be where we are today. Orange must invest in its number one asset, its schools. It is why families choose to live here. Continuing to ignore this crucial need will only cost taxpayers with expensive repairs and relocations and lower property values. Orange has a history of great schools. It’s time to live up to that history.
The list of needed repairs to all four schools is long. When the recent bond was created, the BoE asked for 21 Million dollars to repair our schools, they were given 8 million, 36% of which will be reimbursed by the state of CT. While original roofs and boilers will be replaced, asbestos will still remain in many areas of the schools. Old rusted and dented windows and doors will not be replaced due to the existence of PCBs. Any ADA upgrades were cut during the bonding process. The parking lot at Peck Place? There’s no time and certainly no money.
Now is the time to stop using band aids to cover up major wounds. Peck Place School was not relocated because of a frozen pipe. It was the 45 year old asbestos adhered floor tiles that caused what otherwise should have been a week’s clean-up. The structural stability of Turkey Hill is now in question and may be an even worse problem than what Peck Place faced. Our schools have outlived their life expectancy. A lack of planning and investment, by the Town of Orange, has caused us to be where we are today. Orange must invest in its number one asset, its schools. It is why families choose to live here. Continuing to ignore this crucial need will only cost taxpayers with expensive repairs and relocations and lower property values. Orange has a history of great schools. It’s time to live up to that history.
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