AMHERST – The Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee on Tuesday voted in favor of asking the Massachusetts School Building Authority for funding to fix the middle school roof.
The roof is in need of an estimated $2.47 million in replacements and repairs, according to a December 2017 report from an independent engineering consulting firm.
The state funding would be through the MSBA’s Accelerated Repair Program – a different program than the one the district is looking to help fund a new elementary school.
MSBA funds will not cover the entire roof project, and additional funding from the district’s four towns would be needed later for the project, Amherst School Superintendent Michael Morris said.
Last year, some funding was granted to patch parts of the roof, but the remediation is not enough to fix the problem, according to Morris.
According to the district’s statement of interest draft, areas of the roof in need of replacement are 25 years old and leaks have increased over the years.
When it rained last week, the roof had “significant leaks” in the computer lab and library, according to Morris.
“That was unfortunate. It’s indicative that we have major issues with the roof,” Morris said.
At Tuesday’s meeting, a statement of interest was voted on favorably, and will now be sent straight to the MSBA, Morris said. Regional school districts do not need a vote from another municipal body.
Greta Jochem can be reached at gjochem@gazettenet.com