Disaster Averted, Now Let's Eat

A hot meal awaited laborers from Eagle Roofing and American Laborers Services at Hamlet Middle School Monday afternoon after the group finished removing the last of the snow from the roofs of city schools.

After meeting with engineers to confirm the job was complete and that all 12 public school buildings had been secured, Mayor Leo Fontaine and Superintendent Robert Gerardi joined engineers and laborers for a dynamite on Florence Drive.

"We just had the debriefing and all of the roofs have been reviewed," said Gerardi. "They're at acceptable snow loads and they gave us ideas on how to keep up the maintenance."

Robert Otoski, client service manager for Camp Dresser and McKee (CDM), the engineering firm that organized the project which closed city schools on Friday and Monday this week, was with Fontaine when Gerardi first approached him with the problem. Otoski went with the crew to evaluate the sagging school roofs on Thursday evening.

"We were obviously very happy to help with the situation and answer to the mayor's call," said Otoski. "It was such a unique situation." Otoski said it was a challenge to evaluate and prioritize roofs of varying ages, sizes and shapes and quickly devise a plan of attack.

"Anyone could shovel," said Fontaine, "but that was the point of getting engineers involved, to direct priorities."

CDM had to rapidly access risk levels for buildings as old as — built in 1908 — and as new as Hamlet and Villa Nova Middle Schools, which opened last year.

While all parties involved agreed that the situation was the result of an excessively stormy winter, CDM advised them how to avoid future issues. "The best thing is that the people in charge of the building are mindful," said Otoski.

"Luckily we have a good staff and they reacted in the right way," said Gerardi. Maintenance supervisor Henry Trudeau first noticed the problem at Citizens Elementary, and his quick decision to contact the superintendent may have averted a potential disaster.

"It worked out really well, and all things considered, I don't think we could have done any better," said Fontaine.