WHAV (https://whav.net/2021/12/14/state-advances-haverhills-moody-school-roof-project-but-scuttles-other-repairs-at-mayors-request/)

Last Thursday, at least one member of the Haverhill School Committee wanted to know why the Massachusetts School Building Administration made a terrible mistake by rejecting two-thirds of the state's paid maintenance of the William Henry Moody School.

However, on Monday, MSBA spokeswoman Maria Puopolo told WHAV that after consulting with Mayor James J. Fiorentini, the replacement of doors, windows and boilers in the kindergarten was omitted in October.

"I can confirm that part of the MSBA due diligence is to call qualified applicants for financial preparation. Moreover, when talking to qualified applicants, the mayor expressed the local reservations about funding," she said.

This is not the answer that Gail M. Sullivan, a member of the school committee, received last week, when she pointedly asked Fiorentini why the window request was rejected after the initial state approval. She pointed out that teachers complained that the windows were not safe.

"Someone told us that the windows were unstable, they would fall, they were too heavy, and the staff couldn't lift them," she said.

Fiorentini told WHAV on Monday that he regretted avoiding Sullivan's questions and should consult with her and committee member Richard J. Rosa. He explained that spending too much on the school “may result in having to rebuild the entire building, spending millions of dollars for ADA (American Disability Act) improvements.” He explained that an expensive project may be Install a new elevator, even if the building is not yet fully used.

The mayor said that these windows have been 35 years old and could possibly be repaired. He told the school committee that he had talked to Stephen D. Dorrance, the facility director, to ask a window repair company to see if the windows could be repaired.

As early as October 27, members of the State Building Administration voted to invite Haverhill to join the accelerated maintenance program to conduct a schematic design study of "potential partial roof replacement projects" at Moody's.

Rosa, who put the matter on the agenda, said that although it is disappointing that all the work has not been approved, the roof replacement part will save taxpayers a lot of money.

"The reimbursement rate is 76%, and their contribution will save our taxpayers three to four hundred thousand dollars, which is good news for Haverhill," he said.

In May of this year, Dorrance told the committee that the 107-year-old building needed repairs to its roof, windows and heating system to avoid future problems. As a result, the committee voted to submit an application to the state government to seek financial assistance for the project.

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