Burlington Superintendent Tom Flanagan says that a decision should be made within the next two months about the Burlington High School building, to avoid adding a year to the project time. A cancer-causing chemical, known as a PCB, continues to be found throughout the high school.”I wanted to make sure that the community knew how serious the contamination was that we were finding,” Tom Flanagan, Burlington Superintendent, said. “At this point we know that there are PCB’s in the concrete flooring, in the floor tiles, in the window caulking, in the walls next to the windows, in the soil underneath the windows and around the building, and in the air and in some of the ceiling tiles.”Students, staff and teachers continue their learning in the renovated old Macy’s building, a project that cost $3.5 million to be made possible.The district’s plan had called for renovation of the high school to bring it up to date for 21st Century learning. Now, a seven to $12 million remediation of the PCB’s will have to be factored into the cost.”We will always have PCB’s in that building,” Flanagan said. “I don’t feel that renovating the current building with the information I have is the best path forward.”Flanagan knows taxpayers may have concerns about the cost of a brand-new building if that project were to go through. He hopes community involvement will help make it a decision Burlington residents can get behind.”We need to really seriously consider a new project and a new building for the safety and health of our students and staff and our community.”Anyone with feedback is encouraged to reach out to the superintendent’s office. People can also attend the next school board meeting on May 4.
Burlington Superintendent Tom Flanagan says that a decision should be made within the next two months about the Burlington High School building, to avoid adding a year to the project time. A cancer-causing chemical, known as a PCB, continues to be found throughout the high school.
“I wanted to make sure that the community knew how serious the contamination was that we were finding,” Tom Flanagan, Burlington Superintendent, said. “At this point we know that there are PCB’s in the concrete flooring, in the floor tiles, in the window caulking, in the walls next to the windows, in the soil underneath the windows and around the building, and in the air and in some of the ceiling tiles.”
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Students, staff and teachers continue their learning in the renovated old Macy’s building, a project that cost $3.5 million to be made possible.
The district’s plan had called for renovation of the high school to bring it up to date for 21st Century learning. Now, a seven to $12 million remediation of the PCB’s will have to be factored into the cost.
“We will always have PCB’s in that building,” Flanagan said. “I don’t feel that renovating the current building with the information I have is the best path forward.”
Flanagan knows taxpayers may have concerns about the cost of a brand-new building if that project were to go through. He hopes community involvement will help make it a decision Burlington residents can get behind.
“We need to really seriously consider a new project and a new building for the safety and health of our students and staff and our community.”
Anyone with feedback is encouraged to reach out to the superintendent’s office. People can also attend the next school board meeting on May 4.
