The Mountains Valley High School gym floor sustained the most damage.
By Eileen M. Adams
Staff Writer

RUMFORD – Last month’s heavy rain and snow caused about $85,000 damage to several SAD 43 buildings.

The figure is an estimate from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said Superintendent Jim Hodgkin at Monday’s school board meeting.

Sustaining the most damage was the Mountain Valley High School gym floor where some of the boards are beginning to separate and warp because of water leaking into the building. Whether a new floor will be needed has not been determined.

The floor is still OK for basketball play, he added.

Also damaged were some of the ceiling tiles and carpets at Rumford Elementary School and at the central office in Mexico.

“There was more damage done than originally thought,” he said.

A representative of the district’s insurance company looked at some of the damage and will return to look at the remainder within the next couple of days. Whether or not the insurance company or FEMA will pay for the damage, and if so, how much, has yet to be determined.

The high school was hit with a double whammy. Besides damage caused by heavy rains and snow, vandals have gone on a recent spree that resulted in breaking two windows in the library and two others in a nearby classroom, as well as breakage of the window leading into the gym and the water cooler in the corridor near the gym.

Estimated damage for the library windows was set at about $500. There’s no figure for the remaining destruction.

Hodgkin said at least one of several district-owned surveillance cameras may be relocated to the area outside the gym, then readjusted to cover a broader area.

In others matters at Monday’s meeting, Hodgkin said the second quarter at the high school has been extended for one week, from the original grade closing date of Jan. 16 to Jan. 23, to make up for four days canceled because of weather.

Hodgkins also told the board that a potential litigation case may soon face the district. The possible suit results from an accident involving a school bus and a private vehicle on Dec. 9 in the Linnell/Crescent streets area of Rumford. The school bus did not sustain damage and none of the children on the bus were hurt. However, the person who is considering litigation sustained about $600 to her vehicle, said Hodgkin.

Other items include:

• The resignation of long-time veteran elementary teacher Jo-Ann MacDougall for the purpose of retirement in June.

• Transfer of veteran RES teacher Greg Waite to the new position of elementary school math specialist.

• A report by Mountain Valley Middle School Principal Charles Lever that the student population at that school is at its highest level ever with 433 children.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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