SPRUCE PINE – Harris Middle School’s gymnasium roof will soon receive a facelift.
The Mitchell County Board of Education unanimously approved a decision to move forward with a complete replacement of the school’s gym roof, which has a leak that is creating a safety hazard.
Mitchell County Schools Facilities Director Kim Hodshon said the maintenance could no longer be put on hold, adding the roof leaks whenever there is any amount of precipitation.
“We have had some people look at it to see if it could be patched just to hold us over, but we can’t wait any longer,” she said.
Hodshon said she wanted to wait as long as possible before committing to completely replacing the roof with the possibility of a new school on the horizon. The opening of the new school would usher in the closure of Harris, among other area schools.
With the new school project still in flux, the roof repair becomes necessary.
The school system’s current fiscal year budget set aside $10,000 in the capital budget specifically for roof repair.
The school system will tap into that roofing allowance, and then some – the repairs by Lenoir-based Barger-Ashe Roofing are expected to cost about $29,700.
With the board’s approval, Barger-Ashe is expected to begin work on the roof soon and should complete the project within the next few weeks.