Scottsdale district grappling with failing roofs

What looks like a black rubber tarpaulin is stretched out over the roof of Scottsdale's Mohave Middle School. Lines of hard yellow foam crisscross the roof, patching up tears.

The wood peeking through those tears is the only thing other than that rubberlike membrane covering the building, explained John Muir, building services director for the Scottsdale Unified School District.

This is just one of the failing roofs at 12 Scottsdale schools that need to be replaced, something that would cost the district more than $9.3 million, according to a study the district initiated in 2006-07. But due to a lack of funding, it's one of only three roofs being replaced in time for next school year.

The district is spending about $1 million on three roof replacements and new coatings on another three roofs.

"Welcome to my nightmare," Muir said.

According to the study, roofs on the 12 school buildings are failing and need to be replaced by 2010.

The study designates failing roofs as those that are in very poor condition and will continue leaking until they are replaced. It doesn't indicate failing structural integrity in the building, Muir said.

The roofs in absolute worst condition are being replaced. Supai already has one new roof, and some buildings at Ingleside and Mohave will get replaced this summer. Money saved from the existing bond will be used to put a new roof coating on one of Saguaro High School's older buildings.

However, Scottsdale's problem extends beyond roofs. The district is doing a study of all building maintenance needed districtwide and is considering putting a bond to voters in 2009, said David Peterson, assistant superintendent for operations.

Peterson declined to give a preliminary figure on the needed repairs, but did say district staff has committed to presenting the report to the governing board in September.

"It's going to be almost as big as the one we completed," Peterson said, referring to a $217 million bond to rebuild the district's high schools that voters approved in 2004. "I'm looking at elementary and middle school replacements."

Schools get building renewal and repair money through the School Facilities Board. A formula designates the amount of money each district is supposed to get, but the state has never fully funded that formula.

That money is being further impacted as the state deals with multibillion-dollar shortfalls over the next two years. The governor recently signed a bill that rescinds $45.6 million in building renewal funds statewide to help balance this year's budget, cutting the $2.8 million Scottsdale expected to get this year in half to $1.4 million.

Scottsdale is supposed to get $6.8 million next year, according to estimates on the School Facilities Board Web site, but isn't counting on getting any of that as the Legislature puts together its budget plan.

"We've put a lot of projects on hold," Peterson said. "We've put re-roofs on hold, we've put major renovation projects on hold, we're just hoping we can keep everything running."

That means fixing only the roofs in the absolute worst shape and taking steps to extend the lives of other roofs.

"It's part of the nightmare of failing roof systems," Muir said. "I know it's going to leak, but you can't pay professional roofing (contractors) to come out and fix it if you don't have money."

Roofs at Mountainside and Copper Ridge were sealed and painted with new energy-efficient coatings, for instance. The same thing was done on one building at Supai, although the gymnasium building got a new roof because of its condition.

Peterson said he'll be able to do similar maintenance work on a roof at Saguaro through some money in the 2004 bond.