School Maintenance Projects Move Forward

UPDATE: Chief Business Official Steven Shields says crews have finished toilet repair work at Bunker Elementary and the restrooms are back in operation. 

The Newark Unified School District updated school board members last week about the status of several key maintenance projects, while some Newark parents raised questions about a toilet repair project at Bunker Elementary that was left off the list.

Chief Business Official Steven Shields said a number of Tier I and Tier II facility projects are moving forward with repairs or installation. The Maintenance, Operations and Transportation Department received funding approval for these projects and others during the school board’s Feb. 1 meeting.

Shields confirmed the timeline for the following projects:

• Sump pump installation at Newark Memorial: Shields confirms that crews will work on that installation over the weekend of April 9.
• Fire system testing at Newark Memorial: Shields confirms the work is scheduled for the district’s Spring Break period, which runs April 25-29.
• Chemical cabinets at Newark Memorial: Shields confirms that crews are scheduled to cabinets place in classrooms at the end of the month.
• Removing chemicals from Newark Memorial science classrooms – Shields confirms that crews have completed this project.
• Newark Junior High pool repairs – Shields confirms that the repair work may be scheduled for May or June.

“Please keep in mind that the timeline represents an estimated completion date and is subject to change,” Shields said in an email message to Newark Patch.

Another repair project prompted a Newark parent to issue a strong statement during the April 5 school board meeting.

During the meeting’s public comment period, Gary Stadler said a major health and safety problem was identified at last year.

“The toilets were leaking urine onto the floor of the two boys' bathrooms,” Stadler said during the meeting. “The students are standing and walking in urine and then tracking it back to the classrooms to the very carpets that they sit on for ‘Story Time’ and ‘Show and Tell.’”

Shields told Newark Patch that the Bunker Elementary restroom repairs were not part of the Tier I and Tier II Projects and were part of the district’s Routine Repair and Maintenance Program.

“The school site has submitted several work orders this year to address restroom related issues, of which our maintenance staff have responded to each of the requests and continue to address issues related to the toilet repairs at Bunker Elementary,” Shields said.

During the April 5 meeting, Stadler referred to a communication from Newark Schools Superintendent Kevin Harrigan to school board members in regards to Bunker toilet repairs. According to Stadler, another inspection showed six of the urinals needed new seals and one of the toilets needed a gasket. Stadler says this is different from the first inspection that showed the urinals were cracked.

“It took 10 months to try and find that,” Stadler said during he meeting. “It really doesn’t matter if the toilets are cracked or the seals are broken. It was a serious health and safety issue. Regardless of the misdiagnosis of the problem, it should have risen to the top of the repair list.”

According to Shields, the first work order on the Bunker Elementary restrooms was submitted on June 8, 2010 and the most recent work order was submitted on January 31.  

“It was reported to me today that the work has been completed and that the restrooms are operational,” Shields said.

Shields says the toilet repairs and other facilities maintenance issues that fall under the district’s Routine Repair and Maintenance Program are funded with the operational budget of the maintenance department.

“Although we make every effort to resolve the issue as soon as possible, sometimes the issue recurs or a new issue develops,” Shields said. “We will continue to make the repairs to the restrooms a top priority, as they are integral to the safety and well being of our students.”