Seekonk School Repairs May Be Costly

Seekonk schools may need as much as $40 million in repairs, according to the results of a feasibility study. More than 300 projects were identified across the schools, said Chip Phillips, a Senior Project Manager for Colliers in Connecticut. Phillips made his presentation to the school committee at their December 18 meeting.

The final report will be completed in February. The school district paid $62,000 for the study. Phillips said the area with the highest level of need is the HVAC systems, which include the boiler and distribution systems, anything which provides heating, air conditioning, and ventilation to the buildings.

“The Hurley (Middle) School is one of the major components of that,” Phillips noted. “There are (major) needs in Martin (Elementary School) as well.” In addition, school roofs also need to be addressed, particularly at Aitken (Elementary School) and Hurley, Phillips added. New roofs for Martin and Seekonk High School are in the priority two section.

Superintendent Rich Drolet said a list of proposed capital improvement items for the next three to five years will be shared with the Board of Selectmen, the finance committee and the capital improvement committee. “The Hurley Middle School heating system will be number one on our priority (list),” Drolet said, adding there had been “significant damage” caused by a storm last summer. The heating system was non-operational until late October but is running again.