Mariner roof needs $1 million fix

Published 6:54 pm Monday, April 27, 2009

A leaky roof at Mariner High School will likely cost the Mukilteo School District more than $1 million to fix this summer.

The district has patched the roof several times over the years, but now most of it must be replaced, said Andy Muntz, a school district spokesman.

“It is to the point we can’t ignore it any longer,” Muntz said. “Some things you just can’t put off.”

The construction work means the campus will be closed for the summer.

Several contractors visited the school south of Everett last week to inspect the roof and prepare their bids.

The replacement project was included as part of previous school construction bond measures that failed to get the 60 percent supermajority required to pass.

As a result, money that could go for improvements at other schools will be used to fix Mariner’s roof, Muntz said.

“It’s too bad, but we really have to do it now,” Muntz said. “It is coming from the account we have set aside to do normal business improvements, fixing the playground here and patching the roof there. It is not intended for major roof replacements.”

The district doesn’t want the leaky roof to cause structural damage to other parts of the school.

“The roof has been an issue for the last several years,” Principal Brent Kline said. “We have leaks all the time.”

The bid opening is scheduled for May 6 with an anticipated bid award at the May 11 school board meeting.

Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446, stevick@heraldnet.com.